Category: Writing Tips

Colleen’s Keynote Address at Warner Pacific Christian Writers’ Conference, 1985, Portland, Oregon.

Behold, the kingdom of writing is as a Great Author who called his servants and delivered unto them his messages to be shared with a waiting world. To one, he gave five talents: writing novels, articles, short stories, essays and poetry. To another he gave two talents: riveting narration and dialogue. To the third, the talent of inspiration.

The writer who received five talents diligently pursued his trade. He studied, and polished, wrote, and rewrote. He refused to allow rejection to discourage him. Had not the Great Author given the talents? He, the writer, was responsible for developing them. After many days, weeks and months, this author had sold five manuscripts. The lives of many readers had been blessed.

She who had been given two talents also accepted their challenge. She attended writing conferences, networked with other writers, and cut chunks of time from her crowded schedule to write the things the Great Author impressed upon her. She did not see her words as carved in stone, but gladly accepted constructive criticism so she could become a better servant. Rejections gave way to scribbled, heartwarming notes from editors, until she had sold two manuscripts and was working on two more.

The writer who received one talent considered the gift of inspiration so powerful that what came to mind must be the exact words the Great Author wanted used. She hastily wrote them down and sent them to a leading Christian publisher, saying, “I was inspired to write this message from God. It is not to be changed by one jot or tittle.” [This familiar scene really happens. Inspiration can be a springboard, but wise authors know that manuscripts written in white heat and submitted immediately have little chance of becoming published.]

Like other such submissions, the manuscript was rejected. The long-suffering editor refrained from commenting, “Sorry. You may have felt inspired to write this, but The Great Author did not tell me to publish it.”

The impersonal rejection slip infuriated the writer. How dare an editor lacking the intelligence to see her manuscript’s worth slap her and God in the face? She buried her cherished work in a dark closet and wrote no more.

*  * *

After a long time, the Great Author returned.

He who had received five talents came and said, “I have increased my talents to ten, and more.” She with two talents brought the results of her labors. The Great Author said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servants. Thou hast been faithful over the little things; I will make you author of many. “

At last, the writer with the talent of inspiration stepped forward, “I knew You would be as angry as I am with the editor who refused what you gave me. I trembled, thinking of what you might do to others who might reject us. To ensure they would not suffer, I hid my manuscript.”

After a long silence, the Great Author spoke.

“Oh, ye of little understanding! You are a wicked and slothful servant. Did you suppose I would dictate my message to you, as into a heartless machine? Did you think only you were given inspiration? Even as I bless writers with talent for expression, I supply editors with the gift of refining. Gold in its raw state is dug from the ground, nugget by nugget. Before it can reach full potential for beauty, it must be purified and refined.

“So it is with writing. Since you failed in the task I gave you, I will bestow the message on someone willing to put it into the finest form possible in order to reach others. Someone who will send it out as many times as it takes to find the home I have designed for it–the place that will reach those who need it most.”

He turned to his servants. “Take the talent of inspiration, and the message, and give them to the writer with the five talents. My words must not be left to mold in a dark closet, but to light a candle in this needy world.”

There are many reasons why manuscripts are rejected. If Jesus had submitted His life story to the Capernaum Press or the Galilean Publishing Company perhaps he would have received one of these responses.

• Too controversial. We suggest you delete all references to publicans, sinners, and tax collectors.
• The “turn-the-other-cheek” theme will never sell.
• Not politically correct.
• Not believable that blind men suddenly see and the lame walk.
• No one wants to read about another fanatic with a lost cause.
• No rabble-rousing manuscripts.
• Too liberal. We are partially supported by Pharisees, Incorporated.
• We just don’t like it as well as other material already in the works.

 “Opportunity,” AKA, “The Broken Sword” (Edward R. Sill, 1841-1887)

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream: There spread a cloud of dust along a plain. And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged a furious battle, and men yelled, and swords shocked upon swords and shields. A prince’s banner wavered, then he staggered backward, hemmed by foes.

A craven hung along the battle’s edge and thought, “Had I a sword of keener steel-—that blue blade that the king’s son bears, but this blunt thing!” He snapped and flung it from his hand, and lowering, crept away and left the field.

Then came the king’s son, wounded, sore bestead [sic] and weaponless, and saw the broken sword, hilt buried in the dry and trodden sand. He ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout lifted afresh, he hewed the enemy down, and saved a great cause that heroic day.

I love the king’s son’s reaction when he sees the broken, discarded sword. No hesitation. A shout of triumph as he snatches it up and continues to fight.

Wannabes often dream of become selling authors, but are unwilling to take the necessary steps to achieve their goal. We have the right to write. We do not have the right to be published. My autobiographical Lamplight to Limelight traces the  long “Journey of Joy” from small-town logger’s daughter to bestselling author. It required the willingness to start small and learn everything possible.

My climb journey demanded self-discipline, study, and a gazillion or more rejection slips. Hallelujahs came with acceptances and heartbreak with multiple rejections of precious material over which I had laughed and shed tears. Rare  editorial comments such as, “Try us again,” or “Not for us, but well done,” brightened dark days.

Been There. Done That

Lamplight to Limelight includes a wealth of tips and tricks I had to learn the hard way such as, “How to Make Editors Smile,” “How to Make Editors Laugh out Loud and Reject Your Manuscript,” and a quiz to see how serious you are about writing. May your own journey bring joy.

Amazon Author Page >>

Five years ago, my friend, Susan K. Marlow, encouraged me to get into blogging. “It will change your life,” she predicted.

Would you like to add sparkle to your life? Consider blogging. I did, with amazing results.

Little did I know that my wise friend was launching me into a new world, one that allowed me to relive and share the past. To give tips to struggling writers based on what I had learned in decades of writing and teaching. To introduce recently published books. To offer encouragement, humor, and inspiration in tough times. 

“What if no one reads my posts?” I asked.

Susan grinned. “They will.” 

The day after Reece’s Ramblings debuted on October 28, 2016, seventy persons had already visited my first post. “I Am a Blogger” related my growing up in a small, close-knit community with folks who cared for one another. It was only the beginning. By the time Susan and I transferred Reece’s Ramblings to my new website, Colleen’s Creations, a few weeks ago, almost 21,000 persons had visited my original site.

New Venture Brings Blessings

Although Mom and I had moved away in 1970, responses poured in from those who knew me as the long-term school secretary in my hometown of Darrington, Washington. How thrilling to reconnect with cherished friends! And especially with former student office girls in the program I created and supervised. One message brought tears. “You are remembered–and loved.”

My posts continued. So did the excitement. Former college and senior center writing students contacted me. Those who had heard me speak years earlier at conferences visited my site and commented. Strangers wrote, thanking me for tips and tricks, shortcuts I had learned during my long career as a full-time author. Others appreciated the inspiration they derived from the positive, upbeat posts.  

Many More Blogging Benefits

1. Friends who suffer from writers’ block can still give pleasure and information by sharing opinions, beautiful photos, and memories on blogs. 

2. Blogging keeps people updated. There is no way I can write hundreds of letters or emails to let others know how I am and what I am doing. A single blog post solves this problem.

3.  Messages can offer encouragement and hope. I never fail to feel humbled when I receive responses to my posts that say, “This came at a time in my life when I desperately needed to hear exactly what you said.” We may never know how our words will cheer those struggling on the rocky road of life, simply by letting them know they are not alone.

4. Blogging offers the opportunity to share what we have learned. Sometimes sayings handed down from ancestors are helpful, such as . . .

• Good advice: “When a job is first begin, never leave it ’til it’s done. Be the job great or small, do it well or not at all.”
• Humorous: “Everyone to his own taste,” said the old lady as she kissed the cow.
• Challenging: “Never stare at closed doors. Search for open windows.”

This challenge became the basis of Doorways and Windowsills: Sunlight after Storms, an inspirational collection co-authored with Julie Reece-DeMarco. In the midst of COVID, stories of those who overcame adversity offered hope and cheer to those paralyzed by circumstances they wee powerless to change.

Five-star review on July 23, 2020 (Amazon), verified purchase. “This author has a way of lifting my spirits with her words and stories of encouragement. Through simple truth and endearing stories Colleen Reece is my go to author for that boost to keep me moving forward. Like Julie Andrews says in The Sound of Music, ‘When God closes a door He always opens a window.’ Doorways and Windowsills has a way of doing the same for me.”

5. Writers want and need to be read. Blogging builds bridges between writers and readers and helps to establish a corps of faithful followers.

Blogging is a sure-fire way to beat the blues and blahs. Whether grounded by COVID, age, poor health, and missing contact with family and friends, posting messages can help transform self-pity into service to self and others. Give it a try. I did–and wish I’d started decades ago.

Getting Started

The importance of writers starting right cannot be over-emphasized. First impressions are lasting. Sloppy, ill-prepared queries and proposals are  comparable to showing up for a job interview with uncombed hair and spinach on our teeth. Believing that if work is good enough, editors will overlook submission flaws—typos, misspellings, etc.—strikes a death blow to getting published unless we have relatives in publishing, and probably not then. An unprofessional query or book proposal

• silently shouts we are not serious about writing.
• shows lack of respect for editors/agents.
• brands us as beginners who need to learn and abide by the rules.

Ensuring Accuracy

Once a manuscript is as polished as we can make it, the temptation to dash off a query or proposal to the publisher of our choice is irresistible, but not to be seriously considered. Some of the most important work remains to be done.

1. If you haven’t already researched the market, do so. I make a list of places open to unsolicited submissions that are publishing stories, articles, or books similar to mine. I resubmit (hopefully, the next day) if my material doesn’t fit the first publisher’s needs. A back-up plan also helps to lessen the pain of rejection, and having to figure out where to submit next.

2. Run spell and grammar check–but don’t expect them to catch all the glitches. They cannot differentiate between words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. Example:  mantel refers to a shelf above a fireplace, while a mantle is a cloak or covering.

3. It is foolish to rely on what we think we know. Or what is considered “common knowledge.” We often hear people say, “Money is the root of all evil.” The quotation is, “The love of money is the roof of all evil.” Or, “Pride goes before a fall,” instead of “Pride goes before destruction, and  a haughty spirit before a fall.” Very different meanings. Double-check facts. ✔✔ What “everyone knows,” is often wrong.

4. It is sad, but true, that catching every problem in our own work is next to impossible. New eyes and a fresh perspective make the difference between good and excellent writing. I strongly advise learning how to Track Change, then finding a fellow author (trading manuscripts is good) or someone with excellent editing skills to check the final draft.

It is well worth the time it takes to learn the process. Send manuscript as an attachment to a friend.  He or she will click to put it into editable format, suggest changes and corrections, and return the edited copy.

Review, accept, or reject changes

Submission Formatting

Some publishers still ask for hard copies. Most require email queries, proposals, and manuscripts. Some want queries or proposals in the body of the email; others ask for them as attachments, or both. Magazines sometimes  have us type query, article, or story in a special box on their website. The Chicken Soup for the Soul series uses this method.

Spacing can be double or single, depending on a company’s guidelines. Paragraph indentations may be .5 or .3.  Times New Roman 12 may be the font of choice. No “hard returns” (pressing “Enter” or “Return” key at the end of sentences). On-line guidelines spell out who wants what, where, and how.

Quality Queries: The Moment of Truth

It can take as long to write a good query letter as to complete a short manuscript. I favor writing “idea” queries. Basically, a “This is what I have–are you interested–thank you for considering” message. Gift book example to Cynthia Hickey, Editor/Publisher, Winged Publications

“Don’t stare at closed doors. Search for open windows.”

The most brilliant sunshine often follows the darkest storms. Courageous persons seek new paths, when the old ones are blocked. Their lives offer hope in this troubled world. The need for role models has never been higher. Heroes are where you find them: in the Bible; in history; next door; in good books and today’s newspapers; on television, or social media.

My co-author, Julie Reece-DeMarco, and I have compiled a gift book titled: Doorways and Windowsills, Sunlight after Storms, designed for readers of many ages. May we submit this approximately 8,000-word collection?

Thank you for considering. We appreciate your response.

Note: We received an immediate, “Please submit,” then a quick acceptance.

Available at

True experience query to a Christian magazine.

Auburn, Washington. 11:30 P.M., July 4, 2018

An unusually dry June had parched the lawns. Huge trees in our neighborhood were tinder dry. I prayed for safety from fire danger while illegal fireworks boomed and lit up the sky.

The doorbell rang as I was getting ready for bed.  “It’s a good thing you are still up,” my neighbor, Kristine, said. “There’s a fire in your yard.”

If God had not sent help when I didn’t know I needed it, the whole neighborhood could have gone up in flames. Help from friends who were normally in bed by 9:00 p.m. Friends whose last name is Angel.

Perhaps you and your readers may enjoy “Midnight Madness.” I appreciate your consideration and look forward to your response.

Note: Another quick acceptance.

Stranger than fiction

If I hadn’t personally heard this story from editors at conferences, I wouldn’t have believed it. Several reported receiving queries that said, “God told me to write this. Not one word is to be changed.”

God may have told the author to write it, but the odds are next to nothing that He told the editor to publish it.

Warning

Do not come on like Superman or Superwoman. Don’t tell an editor how much your family, friends, neighbor kids, or your writers’ critique group like your work. Simply offer what you have. Author/publisher Penny Lent says, “Be polite. Be persistent [submit until work sells or you run out of places, then wait until they get new editors or their advertised needs change]. Be patient.”

In other words, preparing your queries, book proposals, and manuscripts the “write way” is the only path to making them pay off.

The Last Word

I taught creative writing for many years at our local college and Senior Center. When students groaned and said, “I have enough rejection slips to paper my walls,” I laughed and told them, “I’m a professional author and I have enough to insulate my house!” Hyperbole, of course, but rejection slips are part of the writing business and should be viewed as such.

Happy writing and marketing,