Hi guys,
Here are the notes from the workshop I did a few weeks ago. They are the notes I used myself. I didn't do a separate sheet for students. I figured you guys could use my notes instead. I haven't been too well lately, so I wasn't able to post these any sooner. Keep praying for me, I've had nausea like you would not believe.
Love Coral
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| Me delivering my workshop |
WORKSHOP NOTES:
Supplies:
Paper (A4 lined)/butchers paper for me if there is no whiteboard available.
Pens/pencils
Whiteboard marker/whiteboard
Workshop outline
Today is going to be very practical. I don't just want to stand and talk at you for an hour and a half. I want to get you up and writing. After all, the only way to learn how to write is to actually start writing!
Section One: Introduction
- Tell my testimony
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So from that kind of background, you can understand that I did not believe myself to be capable of anything great, let alone writing a book.
- Background to writing:
- Call in my bedroom
- Told God He was crazy
- Went to shops, saw people's eyes, wrote about that
- Wrote sometimes one little paragraph, sent out to friends
- Eventually got the courage to try something bigger. Started writing articles, sending them off to basic magazines.
- First published in an online magazine for the Online Bible College
- Then I wrote for a ministry for college students, called Deeper Devotions
- Look up my maiden name “Corallie Thornton” on google, will come up with a whole list of things I wrote for different online places
- First print magazines were Being Women for QLD Baptist Women; Footprints, run by one of our speakers
- Then onto the main magazine for QLD Baptists, the QB
- Over time, compiled all my little paragraphs into a devotional book, which became my first ever book. Then a second book in the same style.
- My third attempt at a book was a small e-book called “Why Forgiveness?”, the theology behind forgiveness, not good enough to be published (although I did use a small section of it in “Godly Women”)
- Finally, I felt that I really needed to write something to help people get over their past, like God had helped me get over mine. I just started writing, without really knowing where I was going. I remember the occasion distinctly. It was Sunday after church, the sun streaming through my bedroom windows. I sat at my computer, and began to write a dramatised version of Moses and the Israelites at the Red Sea. It went on from there.
- Book finished about 4 years later (writing is not something that happens over night).
- College lecturers encouraged me to enter YACWA competition. I entered, flew down to Sydney, won.
- I was mentored in writing/editing/grammar, preparing my book for publishing.
- Ark House picked up the book, and the rest is history.
Section two: Starting small
- Use big old antique book. Writing a book can sometimes feel like this hey? (hold up book). Well, today, I want you to think of writing like this. (hold up really small book)
- Writing is not so daunting as you think it is. Everyone has a book to write. The key is to not let your past failings, fears, and inadequacies stop you from stepping out.
- People make plenty of excuses as to why they can't
Excuses:
- I can't write!
- I've had plenty of people telling me that they couldn't write. I was one of them! Don't you tell me that you can't write. I'm here to show you that you can!!
- Get rid of the words never and can't. They will stop you from doing it. These words stop right now. I don't ever want to hear them again :-)
So, now you're going to write for me.
EXERCISE:
Free write
During this time, the student must write continually for one minute. Don't worry about trying to tell a story. Let's just get those brain waves happening. If student has nothing to write about, then write “I don't know what to write” over and over for the allotted time. No playing with the pencil allowed.
That wasn't so hard was it? Anyone brave enough to share? Encouragement only
- It's too scary!
- stop allowing yourself to be intimidated!
- The more you think about writing a big book, the less likely you will be to actually do it.
- When God first told me to write a book, I told Him He was crazy.
Practical advice:
- Journalling is a great way to start.
- I first started by writing in my journal. Some of my best ideas have come to me while I was reading over something I had written in my journal, sometimes a couple of years before.
- Relate one memory. What is your earliest memory? It could be the first time you made mud pies. (Example: The first time I saw my grandparents...)
- Get a tape recorder speak it out. Then play it back and write down what you hear.
- I haven't needed to do this myself, but for those of you who are a little intimidated by sitting in front of a computer, this is a very practical way to get started. It works quite well if you often have great ideas, but the minute you sit in front of the computer you draw a blank.
EXERCISE:
Pass around story
Get into groups of 4 or 5. Have jar with starter ideas written on slips of paper. Each student needs paper and pencil. At my command, student begins to write about the chosen topic. After a minute, paper is passed onto the person on the left. Give students 30 seconds to read the paper, then 1 minute to write. Continue in this way until everybody has a chance to contribute. Then get each group to nominate the best story out of their group, and read out to the class.
Section three: I've written a book, what do I do now?
I don't need to cover this in detail, because the other workshops will do this for you. But just let me say that you don't need to be afraid of rejection. My manuscript was rejected a number of times before I even became YACW.
- For those wanting to be published:
The key is editing. If you are seriously wanting to be published, you need to have some understanding of basic grammar. Many publishing companies, especially the large ones, will not even look at a manuscript unless it has had a solid edit by a creditable editor. I know some of our presenters offer this service. Without an agent, many companies will not accept manuscripts from authors who have not been published before, also called unsolicited manuscripts.
Smaller companies like Wombat Books will accept unsolicited manuscripts. The wait for appraisal and viewing can take anywhere from 3-12 months, depending on the publishing schedule. Many publishers only publish about 2% of the manuscripts they receive per year, so don't expect the world straight away.
I will be bluntly honest with you that it is extremely difficult to get into publishing unless you first have some experience under your belt.
Start small by writing for friends and family, then maybe once you have more confidence, begin on small magazines like Footprints. I have worked with Janet from the very beginning of my writing ministry, and know her to be a kind and firm editor who is good at helping those just starting out.
- For those not necessarily looking to be published
If you just want to write for family and friends, you have it fairly easy in comparison. Getting to publishing standard is a lot of hard work.
Good places to start small:
Footprints Magazine for Christian Women - www.footprintsaustralia.com
Wombat Books - www.wombatbooks.com.au/
Heart Soul Mind Publishing - www.heartsoulmind.net
Other resources
My Website: coralliebuchanan.tk
My very first book: “Why Forgiveness”, available on the free resources page.
Christian Woman/Joy Magazine - www.christianwoman.com.au
