Boot Camp For Christian Writers

As a published author, experienced editor, and literary agent, L. Edward Hazelbaker has been helping Christian writers develop their books, hone their skills, and improve their writing for many years. And this book is the expression of his desire to help more writers than he can assist one on one. Now many more writers can benefit from his experience. This book is designed to encourage, equip, and educate Christian writers. If you’re joining or already a member of God’s army of great-commission writers, it’s time to enter Boot Camp for Christian Writers, where you’ll be inspired and challenged to be all you can be when answering God’s call to write.

Boot Camp for Christian Writers Carolyn Tomlin Writing-To-Publish: The Basic Foundations 2 The Publishing Opportunities That Await You! Section I: In the first part of this book, I'll explain the type of articles in both the Christian and secular market that need your manuscript, work that will educate, encourage, entertain and inspire others through the written word! Learn editorial techniques for publishing, how to break into those markets, get your message across, and earn extra $$$. How to Find Great Ideas to Write About! Section II: Great ideas are all around you! Learn how to see with writer's eyes, and hear with writer's ears! Discover how to glean ideas from your life experiences, your volunteer work, hobbies, career, family, and dozens of other aspects of living. Section I and Section II contain written exercises to help the writer develop skills in these areas. They can be completed individually or in small-group settings with other writers. You?ll find ways to extend learning, questions to consider, and discover interactive ideas with experienced writers.

Boot Camp for Christian Writerswith Denise GeorgeWriting-To-Publish: The Basic Foundations"How to Choose Your Reading Audience"In the first part of this book, I'll show you how you can identify your chosen readers, examine their needs, and match them with the publishing book and magazine marketplace."How to Write Clearly and Effectively to Your Chosen Audience"In the second part of this book, I'll show you how to carefully craft your words and sentences so that they communicate clearly, effectively, and creatively to your chosen reader.BONUS! I have also included some exercises you can do at home to hone your writing skills in these areas. You can do them by yourself, or together with a writer-friend. You'll also find pages to jot down your own thoughts and ideas as you read.Best wishes to you as you learn more about how to select and determine your readers, and how to write clearly and effectively to your chosen audience.

"A Fascinating Read! I am truly impressed with this beautifully written book and am happy to highly recommend it as a must read."- Denise George, Co-founder / Boot Camp for Christian Writers"An Inspiration to us All! This is not a book review; this is an inspiration review!"- Idgie, Editor/Owner, Dew on the Kudzu"Poignant and Elegant! I cried, I laughed. I could feel her sitting beside me as she recounted each story."-Joy Davis, AuthorLouise Leigh, Ph.D. is the mother of three adult sons and a wonderful daughter-in-law. Her husband Bob, a Methodist minister and retired professor from the University of Alabama, entered Eternity in 2018 after an extended illness. Louise has a rich and varied background including thirty years of college teaching and serving as a hospital lay-chaplain. She returned to the University of Alabama in her seventies to earn a Master in Counseling degree, and then served as a counselor at her church. Louise continues to offer counseling services in her home.A life-long learner, she recently graduated from the Centurions Program and presently audits courses at nearby Beeson Divinity School. Her first granddaughter was born when she was only eighty-two. This bundle of joy was followed by a precious sister just sixteen months later. These beautiful babies light up Louise's life, and this book was originally written for them.

Four, More Articles Editors Love and How to Write Them!Section 1“Writing and Selling the How-to Article”Used in both the Christian and secular market, the How-To Article is considered one of the easiest to write. Let me show you how to write about what you know, find a solution to a challenge, or share an easier way to solve a problem. Use quality photos to sell your How-To craft article ideas to editors by showing the materials needed, the steps involved in the directions and the finished product. Learn how to write in a sequence of steps, and give readers confidence in learning new information.Section 2“Writing Newspapers Articles and Mini-Columns”Your local newspaper is a source for writers. Newspaper articles and short columns run anywhere from 300 to under 1,000 words, with 750 being an average. Keep your eyes and ears open to events in your community. Stay ahead of what is happening and offer to write an article. Editors need mini columns to finish out a column in magazines and newspapers. You can supply these needs by writing “tight” and “bright” articles that are geared to the audience and magazine. Section 3“Break into the Magazine Market with Fillers”Do you have an amusing anecdote? What about a child's cute saying? Or, can you supply a brief quotation that matches the tone of the publication? Let me show you how to find these markets that use brief fillers and mini columns. I'll explain how to: Listen to conversations. Observe people. And come up with original thoughts that can turn your words into entertainment or laugh lines that bring smiles to readers' faces. Used for both the Christian and secular magazines.Section 4“See the World—Write the Travel Article”Painting a visual picture of people, places, and things, and making readers want to go there, is only one reason to write travel articles. And the other reason? Traveling free—or almost! Personally, I have written dozen of travel articles while touring the U.S. and foreign countries. And most of the time, the published articles paid for the trip! You'll learn how to contact an editor before you leave home, steps to follow after returning from your trip, how to search for an unusual twist to well-known sites, how to use quotes from famous people from the area, and the value of using a photo package to gain the editor's attention. You'll also discover how one location provides spinoffs to a number of salable articles. And don't overlook armchair travelers—these people that want to read your articles, but never leave home. Enjoy this fun and exciting way to use your talents as a writer.Bonus! To make writing easier, I've included some examples that will answer questions on working with editors. Also, this book has exercises to complete at home that will improve your writing skills. The exercises are designed to be completed by yourself—or you can use them with others who enjoy this craft of writing-to-publish. Additional pages provide space for personal thoughts as you learn from this book. The Appendix offers advice as you write-to-publish. I ask God's blessings on you as you write articles that inspire, educate, inform and entertain your readers.I believe that writing is a gift given by God. He gives us this talent and it's up to us to learn the mechanics of putting words on paper. A Bible verse that has given me hope follows:“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Section I"Getting Started in the Magazine Market"In the first part of this book, I'll show you how you can start writing for magazines. I'll answer questions, such as: "How can I make my time count?" "How can I use writing to inform, educate, inspire and entertain readers?" "How and where can I find ideas?" "What are some common hindrances to writing?" "How can I use my God-given creativity to generate article ideas?" "Can I use my 'reason to write' as a ministry?" These ideas work for me. They'll work for you, also. Personally, I've published over 4,000 magazine articles and worked with hundreds of editors.Section II"The Magazine Market-Tools of the Trade"In the second section of this book, I'll focus on over 3,500 secular and 1,200 Christian markets that need writers to fill their pages. New markets appear each year and many companies are going to online publications. I will discuss, "Exploring the Christian and secular market, explain common symbols and basic information." "What are the steps to publishing in these markets?" "Do photos make a difference in obtaining a contract?" "Query letters: catching an editor's attention." Let me help you learn the basics of writing for magazines and realize the passion of putting words on paper while getting paid.Section III"How to Identify Your Audience"In the third section of this book, I'll share two critical points for being published. Knowing the audience/reader of each magazine and understanding the focus of each publication makes a difference in receiving a rejection letter or a contract. Learn how to: "Recognize the social, educational, and economic level of the audience." "What information can a writer learn from the articles, advertisements, and photos about the magazine?" "Article titles that sell." And, "Writing tips that bring success." Let me share my love for writing and introduce you to a career that can change your life!Section IV"Knowing the Magazine"Section IV, includes a vital part of successful writing-to-publish. Knowing the magazine for which you write is vital to receiving a contract. With many magazines online, it's easy to research back copies in the archives. Check the table of contents. If a topic has been used in the last several years, the editor will not use it again. However, be creative and suggest a different slant. Some editors say they do not repeat a topic within 10 years; other 6. Check to be sure. Look at the format, photos, sidebars, question and answer articles. Use these as guidelines to write your own article. As an added bonus, I have included enrichment activities you can do at home or with a writing friend. Practice these activities and develop your skills as a writer. The book also has pages to write down your thoughts and ideas. I believe that writing is a gift given by God. He gives us this talent and it's up to us to learn the mechanics of putting words on paper. A Bible verse that has given me hope is Isaiah 40:31: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Boot Camp for Christian Writers with Denise GeorgePublishing Your Book with a Traditional Book Publisher"Understanding Traditional Book Publishing Today"The traditional book publishing market has changed drastically in the past few years. In this book we'll answer these basic questions: "What's happening in today's traditional book publishing market?" "What type of book ideas are publishers hoping to receive?" "How can I find good book ideas, and how do I know they are good ideas?" "What is the difference between self-publishing book companies, vanity presses, and traditional book publishers?" "How do I approach a traditional book publisher?""I Have a Great Book Idea-Now What Do I Do?"This section addresses these questions: "What is the difference between a fictional book and a non-fiction book?" "How do I find a book publisher who will be interested in my ideas?" "Do I need a book agent, and if so, how do I find and contact one?" "What is a book contract? Royalties? Advance royalties?" "How much money can I make as a book author?" "How to Write a First-Class, Fictional and Non-Fiction Book Proposal-That Sells!"Learn how to capture an editor's attention and sell him/her on your new book idea! Let me show you the professional way to approach an editor with your non-fiction and fictional book ideas, and how to put together a fantastic book proposal sales-package. You can know the fulfillment and joy of becoming an author, publishing with a traditional publishing house, and getting paid for it!BONUS: I have also included a fiction book and non-fiction book proposal template at the end of the book. There are plenty of blank pages to jot down your own thoughts and ideas at the end of each section. Best wishes to you as you learn more about the exciting world of traditional book-publishing!

The Resource Guide to Getting Published A unique guide to publishing for Christian readers, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide 2008 offers the most proven and comprehensive collection of ideas, resources, and contact information to the industry. For more than twenty years, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide has delivered indispensable help to Christian writers, from a CD-ROM of the full text of the book so you can easily search for topics, publishers, and other specific names; to up-to-date listings of more than 1,200 markets for books, articles, stories, poetry, and greeting cards, including forty-three new book publishers, fifty-one new periodicals, and fifteen new literary agencies. Perfect for writers in every phase, this is the resource you need to get noticed–and published. “An indispensable tool. The reference you have to buy.” Writers’ Journal “Essential for anyone seeking to be published in the Christian community.” The Midwest Book Review “Stands out from the rest with its wealth of information and helpful hints.” Book Reviews for Church Librarians Completely updated and revised the Guide features more than… 1,200 markets for the written word * 675 periodicals * 405 book publishers * 240 poetry markets * 114 card and specialty markets * 37 e-book publishers * 120 literary agents * 332 photography markets * 98 foreign markets * 98 newspapers * 53 print-on-demand publishers * writers’ conferences and groups * pay rates and submission guidelines * more resources and tools for all types of writing and related topics.