Serious Writer

I’m retirement age and still working four nine-hour days each week. Monday’s are set aside to write. Writing career? Never thought about the title, especially at my age, but then I say, “Why not?”

When I walked into the Oregon conference in 2002, I felt certain I carried a best seller in my portfolio. Then Cec Murphey (in a sweet way—despite his curmudgeonly spirit) said stash the fiction. In a few words, he steered me in the “right direction.” Write true experience stories, build a name for yourself, and become serious about the write business.

Grammar! Edits! Critiques! Writer’s crit groups! The whole bit.

Many from TWV2, FCW, HACWN and OCWC have helped me find my footing and hone my skills. “They” urged me to write goals, praises and seek a newspaper column.

Full of fear, I pushed myself to do them all.

The fiction best seller still lives in my computer, but someday....

Thank you to Cec and all others. Not enough space to name you, but the day I hit Oprah I’ll try to give you all proper credit.

Now you are smiling with me, right? But my dream career sits on the edge of my world. So I ask you, “If the Lord has changed my world this much, and brought me this far, why not see myself as a real author?”

Must add, my day job is not my career. It is survival.

Come visit again, Kat

Never too late to say, "THANK YOU"

Time is fleeting and action of the essence.

When I left Oregon Christian Writers Conference (OCWC) I planned on sending “Thank You Notes” immediately. I purchased the notes while in Oregon with plans to write and address them during my layover in Denver.

That didn’t happen. I read a book, took a walk, mulled over what I’d learned and let my tired brain relax. A vacation of 16 days is wonderful, but when I arrived home life called my name.

Husband had worked super hard to have everything neat at home, but my cubicle at work, Wow. Desk piled high. Long hours. Each day I arrived home exhausted.

Then all the other deadlines to meet and look it’s already a month since OCWC. If I’m not careful the window of time for “Thank You” will have passed—or does it ever.

This weekend I received a "Thank you for your support" from our granddaughter and two emailed ‘thank yous’ for my contribution to the cancer support group. I felt thrilled with each note.

Great lessons for the week:

Thank you notes don’t need to be lengthy or clever—just sent.

It’s never too late to say “Thank You. I appreciated your workshop, your materials, your sharing, and/or your help.”

This week I plan on sending notes of thanks, how about you?

FCW an Online Writing Group

What I’ve learned from FCW:

When I attend a Christian conference, I’m surprised when I meet authors not connected to Fellowship of Christian Writers (FCW) or any other online writer’s support group. I listen to their reasons:

v I don’t have enough time
v I’m on dialup and it’s difficult to manage the website
v I’m involved with a local critique group and don’t feel I need anything else

Sometimes I share what I’ve learned, other times I quickly realize the author doesn’t want my info. Okay, that’s fine, not everyone does need a support group, However, there are times I want to teach a class on how FCW is a powerful tool for an author.

What have I gained from FCW?

Years of valuable wisdom shared with me for free.

Someone suggested:

Write for a newspaper. I did. In the process I learned to interview cold turkey, make deadlines, and produce readable copy that pleased my editor.

Set weekly goals and post praises. When I put this tip in action I produced more and felt better about my writing.

Post lessons learned. Wow. I’ve a wealth of wisdom packed into these lessons and now I’m using them for my blog: Straight from the Lion’s Mouth.

Grammar Experts live at FCW. Ask questions, receive answers.

Not all our families and friends understand the world of an author, but on FCW we have prayer support and author support.

Kudos and applause for our FCW moderators and the rest of the gang.

and a sincere thank you from Kat

More information about FCW visit:
http://fellowshipofchristianwriters.org

5 Lessons Learned at OCWC

1. Speak to the silent, the loner, and every editor/publisher possible. Speak, but also listen. Everyone has a story. Many authors, editors and even publishers bring a load of pain tucked in their suitcase between their clothes and their manuscript.
2. Take time to be alone. I sent my fees with a note, “I’ll fit into a cabin of three to save dollars.” Mentally I thought, “Lord, I know you placed Geneva in my cabin on purpose in 2002. Maybe you have a plan for this year, too. I’m open to share.” Then guess what? I had a cabin to myself. The Lord knew I needed quiet with Him. What a blessing.
3. Don’t expect every workshop to fit your every need. Often the class ranges from newbie to well-seasoned author and the speaker tries to answer all the questions in between. Take what you can from every class. When my husband served as pastor he told his Bible Class students, “Don’t try and digest it all. If you go away with one new truth or one provocative thought, you’ve done well.”
4. Go to every conference with a positive mental attitude and trust God to help you find your niche. Don’t expect to know everything beforehand. You are a first grader going to school. You’ll learn. Raise your hand and ask questions.
5. Expect miracles and write them down. Even the little answers to prayer.
   
   Have a great day. I'm headed to my mission field called Medical Billing. Wonder who I might talk with today? Kat

INTERESTS AND HOBBIES

In Sandy Cathcart’s workshop at OCW she challenged us to answer several questions. Number #8 intrigued me:

List your interests and your hobbies. Not only the current ones, but things you’ve learned in the past. My pen flew across the page.

Chess, table tennis, writing, reading, create and send cards/especially weird things you could never buy in a store. I crochet, knit and sew. I’m a florist, write and direct drama and clown. I’m a home decorator—give me what is your prized memory and I’ll create your color scheme and place of peace. I’m a Bible teacher. (taught every grade leave and age. Sometimes with a classroom of 5 year-olds up to teens.) Taught piano, cake decorating, calligraphy, and how to tye dye. And given a bit more time I’m sure I’d think about more.

You know when I look at the list I wonder why I’ve limited myself to my story telling—there is a whole lot more to me than just what I see on a daily basis.

Oh, here a wrinkle in my day. I eat lunch with the same 3 women each day. We tend to fall into the tried and true topics—you know, Grandkids, what they ate the night before, or another recipe. (Remember I have allergies and my culinary skills are hidden in the cupboard.)

After I read through my list of “me” I’ve decided to challenge my lunch buddies to talk about who they are. Now I’m wondering what hobbies and interests they’ve hidden from me all these years.

I’ll report back on my findings.

Without A Vision

I’ve been asked how I managed a trip to Oregon.

I didn’t, God did.

I asked four authors to pray about my trip. One of them suggested I ask for a scholarship to the conference. Once before I asked for a scholarship and when turned down, I felt rejected and embarrassed. Yet, this year, I felt if I asked an author to pray and she felt I should ask, why not. I did and within an hour I received a “Yes.”

I didn’t know how much in $ that might mean, but I felt the Lord gave me confirmation to pursue my dreams. That also meant I had to tell husband I had plans where he wasn’t included.

Bless his heart, Husband said, “I’ve already been thinking you need to see your mother this summer. Go for it.”

Lord, you know my siblings need Jesus. Is it possible for me to speak in churches in their neighborhood? The next day I listed churches in the area, called fifteen. Called bookstores, newspapers, radio stations and asked to share COC books at the family reunion.

How did I do that? One call at a time. It is a lot of work, but the rewards now are awesome. My siblings sat in congregations where I spoke. The scholarship helped and I generated enough dollars to pay for half my expenses. Where does the other half come from? Money I’d earned speaking in Nebraska.

Funny, when I look at the overall picture I am involved in making the trip happen.

But think about it, my vision was not big enough.

What have I missed because I failed to dream?

Without a Vision...

Kat in Omaha

http://www.katcrawford.com

God Answers Prayer

“Mom, what do you want for Mother’s Day,” our oldest daughter asked.

“A flight to Oregon.”

“Try again in my price range please.”

“I don’t have a desire list anymore. Why write things down or even pray about something I know I cannot afford?”

Before we hung up I suggested a couple items I’d like.

The next morning I realized why I didn’t write out a desire list like I had in the past.

In the past when I wrote out a list, I’d shop sales or second hand stores or save like crazy for a major purchase. Now I don’t have the time or money for shopping and there isn’t anything extra to save.

That day I wrote a list in my prayer journal: New computer. Attend family reunion in Oregon. Attend OWC. I added a couple smaller items, too: A banner long narrow banner to greet people on the front porch, a novel to read, and help with my publishing a book.

That same week a virus ‘killed’ my laptop and husband insisted I buy a new one. “Lord, I forgot to add I wanted a new pc without hassles and bills, but I will trust you for the finances.”

The following week I asked four author friend, “Will you join me in prayer? It will take a miracle for me to attend family reunion and writer’s conference. I have no way of making any of this happen.”

It is now August 9th. I attended the family reunion—the first time in 21 years. I also spent quality time with family and friends, spoke in churches, held booksignings, sold all the books I had shipped to Oregon and attended OCW Conference.

God is still in the miracle business.

Kat