I’m an optimist most of the time, a perfectionist never, so I made mistakes occasionally as I tried to do things my way, before I gave my writing over to God. It kind of showed in the chaos that was once my office.
My Closet Office 2012-2016
This was my office as I began writing seriously. A converted closet my husband created so I could keep ‘organized’. The shelf to the left houses my binders and a carpet for my cat who likes to help me type. The water bottle is for times she ‘helps’ me too much. It’s where I wrote my autobiography of raising a child with autism, and my fun ebook about hosting a shire party.
So, I tried to minimize things. Here’s my hobbit office in the sun room.
My Hobbit Office
Canning jars? I think they ended up being outdoor lighting for a party. The small stool behind me was for current projects. If it seems a bit on the ‘condensed’ side, I should add that I’m 5’1”. This office was definitely way too small once I started my business and writing online courses.
I now have a nice corner of the sun room with an old secretary desk from the 40s, complete with the pull-up shelf for a typewriter and drawers with slots for file folders! It’s huge and I love it. I have several piles for projects I’m working on so I can grab a pile and work away as I need to. I’m still not too tidy but I know where everything is among the chaos. Being more organized has cleared my head, some what, so I can hear God clearer and be more peaceful. I need that for my creative writing.
How about you? Where do you write? Are you organized or do you ‘fly by the seat of your pants’? Whatever method pleases you, keep on writing.
Til next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
In my first blog post of this series I told you about my transition from blogging about writing, I wrote about how I discovered my Kingdom Purpose. In my second blog post, I wrote about how God created all of us with a Unique Design. So in this third and final blog in this series of my transition, I’d like to show you how God put both of those together to shape a wonderful future for me.
WriteCanada Conference 2016 with one of my clients, Melanie.
Part Three
My Ministry at Church and in the Community
I no longer try to serve at church or in the community in a position I’m not gifted for nor have the natural talents to carry out. Having said that, if there is ever a time when no one else with the gifting or ability to do a certain task is available, I will do my best to muddle through because ‘Helps’ is one of my stronger gifts. But it will, most likely, be a muddle. I volunteered to serve in the kitchen once – and only once!
Coaching and hosting workshops is my ministry in the church as a life coach (my gift of encouragement) and workshop host on various subjects I’ve learned through the years. This utilizes my personal experiences to help others go through similar times in their own lives.
At my church, I started the SHAPE ministry using Erik Rees’ videos and study guide. I enjoyed this immensely, though I was not expecting to be the team lead and I don’t have the gift of leadership. But other leaders and helpers I worked alongside were wonderful and because of their patience with me, we managed to work well as a team. I was overjoyed to see many participants realize God’s purpose for their lives too. The coach in me was thrilled to hear someone say she realized God had been calling her to the worship team.
I don’t like being a leader, (did you get that impression?) and I don’t like public speaking, but I know God wants me to share what I experienced with others so they may experience the same joy I have been blessed to experience. So I’ve led workshops at women’s retreats and women’s groups such as MOPS where I can sit on a stool, and it’s ok to speak from notes. I like to have the participants interact and have fun, and it saves them from listening to me ramble for an hour. God opened these doors for me to share and I’m happy to do that rather than be the keynote speaker.
My Service Through Business
White Rose Writersis a website for writers and authors, and writing service providers to connect with others in the business. I started the website to help authors promote their work, and we now have talented artists, editors, social media experts and more, who use their natural talents to help authors publish their work. Starting this was my service to God’s Kingdom here on Earth through helping writers.
My Long Term Assignments:
Christian LifeCoaching
Coaching in an office was good training but turned out to be only a temporary assignment for me. I had offices in two locations, but God closed those doors after only 10 months. He had a broader clientele for me.
Now I coach here on my LynneCollier.com and through White Rose Writers, and occasionally host workshops through business and church venues.
Author
I write about what I have a passion for; my Lord, my simple life in the country, my coaching. This is my second (actually more like fourth or fifth) career later in life, and it was a bit of a struggle at first to accept that this is what God is asking me to do now. I never saw myself as an author. But now I write novels of fantasy and fiction, and online courses to help authors tell their stories well. I can’t imagine not writing now. I get very cranky if I have to go a day without writing something. I would never have guessed.
I wonder what God has in store for me next. Do you know how God has designed you?
When I forget: 1 Peter 2:9 “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” – NIV
Till next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
My next blog was going to be about compiling a playlist to inspire you as you write your fantasy novel. Instead, I’m letting you, my fellow bloggers, know I’m switching my focus on this site. I’ll let you know how you can still read the playlist post later.
I’ve completed the series of posts I wanted to share with you about Writing Fantasy and the steps I’ve taken on my own journey writing my first fantasy novel. I’m very excited to start the actual writing process this November for my second NaNoWriMo! If you’ve followed my posts over the past few months I hope you’ll join me in November as we fire out 50,000 words together.
As most of you know from reading my profile, as well as being a writing coach I’m also a Christian Life Coach and Certified Lay Pastoral Counselor with many years experience coaching and encouraging believers in their walk with God. This will be my main focus on this blog going forward.
I’ll be blogging about Your Sacred Path, Finding Your Life Purpose, Hearing God’s Voice, Choosing Careers and possibly sharing a few gardening tips along the way. I love to network so I’ll be giving you links whenever I can for you to explore further.
My newsletter will be about the books and courses I’ll be writing, plus I’ll let you know when I’m launching something new, and I’ll have giveaways and social media events exclusively for my blog readers. If you choose to continue following me here that would be lovely, if however, you’re interested in continuing to follow my posts on writing, head over to White Rose Writers and follow my posts there, along with branding and marketing tips from my social media partner, Kirstie Shanks.
Thank you for taking time out from your busy life to read and comment.
So you have a nice fantasy/fiction story going on and you have a happy ending. Guess what? We’re going to turn that all upside down now! Get ready to throw your readers a curveball and upset the apple cart. Every story needs conflict – even children’s stories. Think about it. Where would Little Red Riding Hood be without the big bad wolf? We all love a villain to hate.
Little Red Riding Hood and the Fox
10 Things To Consider Before Writing Conflict
Some elements to think about as you write the outline of your conflict.
What motivates both your hero and the villain so they’re drawn into the upcoming conflict?
Love
Greed
Pride
Anger
Duty
Other ideas…
What keeps your hero and villain locked together in this conflict?
Past History
Jealousy
Mutual Love Interest
Loss of Someone or Something
Misunderstanding
Other ideas…
12 Key Elements On Writing Conflict
Your hero tries to understand what just happened in the inciting event and what it means to them and their way of life. This is the start of Act 2.
Reveal the power of the antagonist (villain) and the true nature of the conflict arising.
The hero begins to recognize what’s at stake and searches for ways to fight the battle.
Your hero recognizes the true reason behind the conflict.
With new knowledge and understanding, your hero gains headway in the conflict.
Foreshadows Act 3 (sets up the base for what’s coming next) and reminds the hero what’s at stake. (We’ll look at foreshadowing more later).
Your hero rallies everything they’ve got and launches it against the enemy with a seeming
A defeat for your hero after the seeming victory in Act 2. This begins Act 3.
The hero questions their goal, commitment and choices. They begin to doubt themselves and their ability to win the battle.
Your hero comes face to face with the enemy.
The next event is a duel to the death for the hero and the villain. This can be physically or metaphorically. The reader needs to be kept on the edge of their seat here because they know one or the other will lose.
The hero wins and the conflict is ended.
The ending of your story should give the reader ‘breathing space’ and ease them into the hero’s new reality.
Watch a favourite movie – it doesn’t need to be fantasy – and see how the conflict escalates and is resolved.
Til next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
Most best-sellers and box-office hits have a main character that goes through an enormous transformation and either becomes a hero or ends up becoming a villain. (Anakin as he turns to the Dark Side). The result is what keeps us talking about it long after the story has ended and we’ve slid back into our own reality. It’s this change that intrigues the audience and keeps them riveted to the story, not wanting to put the book down or leave the theatre for a refill of popcorn for fear of missing something huge.
Darth Vader
4 Key Elements For Character Arc
Award-winning novelists seem to agree that there are four key elements to a character arc which drives a compelling story arc.
Need
Yearning
Weakness
Desire
Your story will usually begin with your main protagonist and their setting. His life lacks something he needs and causes a sense of something unfulfilled.
The need may be fuelled by a yearning which he may or may not be aware of.
The yearning may come from a backstory that caused them to feel weakened by a loss of love, ability, or perhaps a sense of purpose, and makes them fearful, limited by their circumstances and feeling unable to change. The yearning is most likely to be the opposite of what the protagonist’s life is like now. Identify their yearning in a single sentence and let that drive the story arc, for example, he wants to be free (of something or someone), to find true love, to go home again (or make a home for himself).
Something happens to your protagonist that changes their view on their daily life and stirs a desire for change. This is the Inciting Event.
This will all happen in Act 1. After the event that happens to your hero to stir their desire, you’ll be ready to think about your story arc and which scenes belong in Act 2. This took me some time to figure out, but I think I have the most important points now. Remember we’re not writing yet, just outlining. Simple point form or one-sentence sticky notes will do.
The Anticipated Conflict
Create intensity towards the anticipated conflict. About a quarter of the way into your novel, the hero will be frantically searching for a reason behind the villain’s antagonism. The hero may not yet realize there’s an underlying cause for the building conflict, or they may have a vague idea but not yet know what’s at stake. The villain may still be taunting the hero to make them give up and turn back.
Before the halfway point of your story, the hero will realize the true nature of the conflict which is imminent and the ultimate power of the villain. Do your notes on story arc build up to your halfway conflict? Include your notes on the hero’s personality and flaws that hold them back, how their mentor tries to persuade them to believe the truth, plot twists, and some fun scenes with their companions for comic relief (The Avengers).
Next time we’ll look at how to generate conflict and why it propels the story.
Til next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
Lynne Collier 