Cross & Quill

Okay, Cross & Quill is not a book, but it is a great resource and inspiration for writers. This newsletter for The Christian Writer's Fellowship International gives new markets, new directions and tools for writing, good craft lessons, and introduces one of our successful writers. Since joining this group a year ago, I've eagerly anticipated each copy every month. Also, the publication itself offers a market to those who write articles or devotions.
For those of us writing fiction or non-fiction, for books or periodicals, Cross & Quill offers something of interest. Recent favorite articles of mine include "Ways to Win an Editor's Heart" by the editor Sandy Brooks, "Seeing Your Audience with Your Heart" by Janet Perez Eckles and "I Love to Write Day, 2008" by John Riddle. There's always an article about young adult writing, writer's groups and market changes or new markets. Each copy highlights upcoming Christian writing conferences or workshops.
Christian Writer's Fellowship not only sends out the monthly newsletter, but has an online loop along with annually sending extra writing tips and market info.
For a Christian writer this group and especially this newsletter is an invaluable tool on our journey to publication and beyond.

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread: A novel by Don Robertson.

Every writer is a reader. We LOVE words. We love to discover new words or new ways to use old words. Many of us had a mentor who introduced us to the bliss of reading.

My sister taught me that if I had a book to read, I would never be alone. She was eleven years older and out on her own by the time I was eight years old. I used to love spending time at her apartment in a nearby town. She would take me to the library or read with me at home. We took turns reading chapters aloud.

One of the books we shared ended up being one of my favorites of all time. The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread by Don Robertson. The author takes his main character, nine-year-old Morris Bird III through the streets of Cleveland in 1944. Our young hero embarks on a fateful journey in search of his best friend whose family had moved to the other side of town. Unfortunately, Morris’s mother catches him before he gets too far, reminding him that he’s supposed to take care of his little sister. Grudgingly, Morris takes her, along with a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter.

During the course of their adventure, the reader is introduced to a number of other characters and subplots who will eventually be thrown together when a gas tank explosion rocks Cleveland.

The beauty of this novel is that the action doesn’t happen until the final chapters, but the author keeps the reader engrossed in the story as he develops his various characters. Of course, the book isn’t about the disaster, as much as it is about young Morris and his courage as he rises to the occasion of being a hero—dubbed The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread by one of the people he resues.

The Greatest Think Since Sliced Bread is a terrific first adult novel for the very young adult, twelve years old or so. The graphic descriptions of the explosion and the burn victims might be disturbing for younger readers, however, and parental discretion is advised. Stephen King says that he has this wonderful novel on the shelf next to The Outsiders and Catcher in the Rye. I believe it’s more than worthy to stand beside such great titles.

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread was first released in the early sixties, which is when I first read it with my sister. I must have been around ten years old at the time. It had been out of print for many years. When Robertson passed away in 1999, his estate re-released GTSSB to another generation. Robertson wrote two sequels featuring Morris Bird II: The Sum and Total of Now and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened, which became a movie.

FORMATTING & SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT by Cynthia Laufenberg and the Editors of Writer's Digest Books

Are you at the point in your writing career where you are ready to submit your work? Or perhaps you want to submit a non-fiction piece? Do you know how to properly format articles for newspapers or magazines?

Recently, I found myself in a conundrum. I felt ready to submit an article for consideration. However, I had no clue how to properly format sidebars? To be honest, I didn't even know what sidebars where.

My dilemma didn't last too long. I turned to my bookshelf to find my FORMATTING & SUBMITTING Your Manuscript book. But it wasn't there. A friend had borrowed it. This book is a favorite book, which I lend to my writing friends.

The first thing I noticed about the book, which I liked best is the example letters. This book doesn't just give one or two, but page after page shows query letters, cover letters, proposals, outlines, and synopses. Also, there are plenty of examples of electronic submissions and the difference between them and traditional submissions.

The second thing I liked is the various genres it covers. This book shows how to write letters to submit in genres such as novels, personal essays, magazine articles, book proposals poetry, screenplays & scripts, short stories, children's books, and greeting cards.

Last, I like how the narrative is chunked into small information pieces. Reading long passages of scholarly text, bores me. However, this author uses bullets and short paragraphs to convey her thoughts. I can't say enough how much I appreciate chunked information. I learn best in this manner.

This book is a must have for any writer ready for the submission process. It will be the best $20 investment you can make in to your writing career.

"Shut Up!" He Explained by William Noble

“Shut Up!” He Explained A Writer’s Guide to the Uses and Misuses of Dialogue by William Noble. Mr. Noble begins his book on dialogue by telling us he had been asked by
a friend to look over a manuscript for the man’s friend.
Mr. Noble said the characters were okay and the plot a good one, but he quickly lost interest because the dialogue was poorly written.

The book is divided into three sections.

• Section one is “The Master Keys to Dialogue”.
• Section two is “The Details of Dialogue”.
• Section three is “Misuse and Abuse of Dialogue”.

Each chapter deals with an aspect of dialogue, which makes it easy to look up any area the writer might have questions about.

Dialogue is essential to a good story. Dialogue is
different than conversation. It moves the story along.
Any dialogue that doesn’t add to the story should be cut.
He noted that dialogue and conversation are two different things. Many new writers use conversation in the story, which makes it boring.

He provides an illustration for each point he makes in the book. For example: I learned that dialogue develops characters and creates tension between characters. The writer has to know the character so the dialogue will be authentic.

His chapters on dialect and transitions helped me critique the writing of a member of our writers’ group. I was surprised to learn how dialogue can be the basis of a lawsuit. His last chapter addressed the precautions a writer should take. He gives actual lawsuits and the judges’ decisions on those cases. That was an eye opener to me, and a situation I will definitely consider in the future.

I’ve owned this book for quite awhile but never read it. I’m glad I did. Dialogue could be the problem with my book. I’m going to go back through my own story and check to see how I can use dialogue to strengthen my story. I also plan to study dialogue in the recent best seller I finished this week.

I recommend this book as a good one to add to your library for reference whenever you find yourself unhappy with your story.

The above review was written by Sue Watson.

Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Chrisian Fiction

I have one thing to say about Ron Benrey's book "Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction," and that is, "I wish I'd found it three years ago." When I first decided to devote my work time to studying the craft of writing longer fiction, my knowledge could fit safely in a demitasse. I spent my first few months in a secular writing group learning enough to fill a soup bowl. That is also where I met Margaret Daley who explained the world of Christian fiction writing. Since then I've attended two national ACFW conferences, a FHL mini-conference and three local secular conferences. I've met editors, agents and a score of wonderful writers. My knowledge begins now to overflow my nightime popcorn bowl. (I guarantee that's huge).
Now, I come across this wonderful book. Though I wish I'd found it sooner, and much of the information therein I have learned by hook and crook the last three years, nevertheless Mr. Benrey's words go far beyond what I've learned. Good common sense helps are invaluable such as a list of Christian markets, how to cope with the problem of many gatekeepers along the trail to publishing and why do we need them, what's expected of you once you receive "the call." One section I found interesting is the subject of self-publishing with a list of pros and cons, and why this could be advantageous. (I thought it would be an awful thing.)
One advantage to this "how to" book is the obvious Christian viewpoint. Not that writing isn't writing and helps from those who write other fiction aren't good to read, but Mr. Benrey outlines some problems which only Christian writers tackle. Once chapter is "Dealing with Distinctively Christian Writing Issues." "Have you been "called" to write? What words are no-nos in the CBA markets?
Though maybe three years too late, this book was right on time to help me reach the next rung of the ladder to publication. I highly recommend it if you, like me, have yet to publish a long Christian manuscript even if you've walked years down the road and learned enough to fill a sink.

God’s Key to Health and Happiness by Elmer A. Josephson, © 1962, 1976 Bible Light Publications.

I’ve been recently diagnosed with a grave illness. During this season of my life, I’ve received many books as gifts of encouragement, generously given by caring friends. Included were inspirational stories and other types of self-help books. Perhaps because of the provocative title or the bright cover art, God’s Key to Health and Happiness stood out from the others.

Written decades before The Maker’s Diet, by Jordan Rubin, God’s Key to Health and Happiness was literally years ahead of it’s time. (Note the copyright year) Elmer Jospheson, an ordained Baptist minister and a graduate of Bethel Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota felt compelled to write his book after his own poor health prompted him to seek a cure within God’s Word. When he applied what he’d learned in his studies and added sixty years to his life and ministry.

I believe we can all agree that the Bible is an instruction book—an owner’s manual, if you will, for the care and upkeep of these “jars of clay” as Paul describes our physical nature. In his book, Mr. Josephson reiterates biblical truth, and that adherence to God’s simple principles is the KEY to our physical health and happiness. The soundness of our bodies depends on how many worldy indulgences we’d be willing to exchange for tried and true promises of God. Even the depression and fear that we live with day to day can be blamed on our poor nutritional choices and stubborn unwillingness to surrender into God’s will.
Dr. Josephson clearly upholds that our spiritual condition is established only through salvation in the name of Jesus Christ. However, our health and happiness in this life depends largely on what we eat and we how consume our food. The near epidemic prevalence of heart disease and cancer can be attributed to our bad choices. Science would seem to support Josephsons’ conjectures.
I have radically altered my eating habits based on Dr. Josephson’s book and have witnessed remarkable results in my own recovery.

Josephson also studied at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and lived in Israel for a number of years. He was also the founder and director of Bible Light, Incorporated and organization dedicated to advance understanding among the peoples of the world.

This book is currently out of print, and Amazon.com is the only place that I know of where this title can still be had for as little as $.02 used. I would encourage anyone to invest the two cents for this life-changing book.

Marriage of Convenience

I have started another works-in-progress. I've decided to use the hook device, marriage of convenience. To layer-in the conflict, I am consulting the non-fiction, self-help book, Marriage on the Rock, by Jimmy Evans.

I love this book!

Early on in my marriage, my husband listen to the author of this book at a conference. When he came home, our relationship changed...for the better! This book contains many of the elements my husband heard. (If you know a newly-wed or a marriage in trouble, this is the book to recommend)

For my intent and purpose, I'm using different chapters to help me establish problems between the hero and heroine. For starters, as human beings there are certain deep needs, which only God can meet. Here they are:

Four Basic Needs

• Acceptance


• Identity


• Security


• Purpose

You can set up your Hero/Heroine to want their Hero/Heroine to meet one of these basic needs. This will create instant conflict because as humans we will never meet these deep needs from another human. These needs can only be met by God.

To increase the conflict between Hero/Heroine there are certain needs, which women need men to meet and vice versa. As you read the following needs, imagine in your own life when this need was not met. Remember how it felt and then draw from that experience in developing your characters.

Women's Needs

• Security (Finances, Relationship)


• Non-Sexual Affection


• Open Communication


• Leadership

Men's Needs

• Honor


• Sex


• Kindred Fellowship


• Domestic Support

So for example, let's say your Heroine is a sassy, smart-mouth woman who meets the Hero and she needs him to lead her to safety. However, he's made some mistakes in mapping out their survival. The heroine can't stand the fact he's messing up. She dishonors him by insulting him with caddy comments and then she takes over the leadership role. Of course, as time progresses they become friends, meeting his need for kindred fellowship. As the bond continues, she eases up on her sassy mouth and during their discussion her need for open communication is met. She then relinquishes control, he leads them to safety, and they live happily-ever-after.

You use what they need most from the opposite sex and create conflict by withholding it from them. As the relationship continues, add what they need from each other to the mix. Of course, the crux is when they realize one of the four basic needs they are desperately seeking comes only from God.

As the book states, Marriage on the Rock (is the blueprint for) God's design for your dream marriage.