It's been about three years since I started writing Mirror of Sparrows, now moving forward into the fourth year. So it's a time of reflection and evaluation. Why am I doing this?
Lessons learned
Friendships and mess-ups
In every friendship, there are mess-ups. People are inconsiderate, maybe even rude, hurtful, and selfish. And if a friendship has hiccups, which is inevitable, our instincts often want us to be done with that relationship. Crazy right? But frequently true. It's easy to throw in the towel. God has been teaching me about being a … Continue reading Friendships and mess-ups
a letter to young persons with a dream
My friend's daughter has a dream, and I have been thinking about how to encourage her, because dreams are precious and they are too easily lost. I ended up writing her a letter, and I'm going to share it here. I hope that it's worthwhile reading for any young person with a dream.
Cruz and a Hobbit birthday party
My son, Cruz, asked if he could have a Hobbit themed birthday party. Of course, I love the idea, but where to even begin... ...at the beginning, I guess! So, here is why I like the beginning of the Hobbit so much: Bilbo is content. He lives in a beautiful Hobbit hole (but it's a hole … Continue reading Cruz and a Hobbit birthday party
Honing authenticity and creativity
on writing with authenticity and creativity...
On “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
I'm not going to write about The Hate U Give in terms of pros and cons: this book doesn't fit into standard categories and is way beyond a simple review. It took me a while to read The Hate U Give because it was so intense. Although I feel uncomfortable reading something with so much … Continue reading On “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
When your goals are greater than your capacity
This is what scenes in a novel consist of: goals that are beyond the capacity of the character. The character wants something, a major obstacle stands in the way, the character attempts to overcome. Life can be the same way: we want something, obstacles are in the way, we attempt to overcome obstacles. But sometimes the obstacles … Continue reading When your goals are greater than your capacity
How to figure out what your dream is…
After a previous video I made, three benefits to pursuing your dream, several people asked, "what if you don't have a dream?" and "how can you figure out what your dream is?" Here are some thoughts I have on those questions: 1) Maybe you don't have your full dream or vision, but do you have … Continue reading How to figure out what your dream is…
Outlining your novel
Here are some ideas on how to begin writing your novel. In this video, I focus on outlining, the hook, inciting incident, first plot point, first pinch point, midpoint, second pinch point, second plot point and climax. Also, you might want to check out James Patterson's "Master Class" and Ellen Brock, freelance editor.
When life hands you jerks…
What do you do when life hands you jerks? Over the last year, the lightbulb finally went on and my approach towards relationships radically shifted. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "[b]ut I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." In addition, Luke wrote, "[d]o good to those who hate … Continue reading When life hands you jerks…
