Thyme for Writers Archives

How the Pioneers Really Fared on the Oregon Trail Part 2 of The Sojourners’ Quest “Fact or Fiction” A Blog by Donna Wichelman

Part 1 of The Sojourners’ Quest, “Fact or Fiction,” discussed the hard facts of life for pioneers who crossed the American continent by wagon train on the Overland trails. In Part 2, we’ll consider three elements of fact or fiction in the story.

1. The Sojourners’ Quest opens with Irish-born heroine Sarah Byrne riding on the box of a Prairie Schooner with her employer, the Reverend Matthew Sinclair—a protestant clergyman—walking next to the wagon nudging his team of six mules forward. Which scenario would be most accurate—riding or walking?

Teams of six to twelve mules or horses or four to six oxen comprised the animals hauling the Prairie Schooners. Still, men, women, and children usually walked alongside the wagons due to the rough terrain and lack of suspension on the wagons.

Only the sick or weak would ride inside the Prairie Schooners. Sarah had walked most of the way, but her shoes were so thinly worn that they hurt her feet to walk in them. Unfortunately, ragged shoes and sore feet were facts of life for the emigrants who walked the two thousand miles across the continent.

2. The Sojourners’ Quest takes place during the summer of 1869. Hadn’t wagon trains become a thing of the past by then?

Not entirely, but they were on their way out. Between 1836 – 1869, more than 420,000 people traversed the continent on wagon trains. By May 10, 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad between New York and San Francisco gave people a different option. Though wagon trains operated through the 1880s, most people migrated west on the railroad. Steam locomotives could travel 40 miles an hour—4 days from coast to coast with less time in between. Wagon trains took 4 to 6 months, depending upon the weather.

Taking the wagon train made sense for Sarah, Matthew, and his two children. Matthew had books and heirlooms to carry. Besides, the first railroad to climb the steeper elevations connecting Denver with the mining communities wasn’t built until 1872 into Black Hawk through the steep and narrow Clear Creek canyon. The railroad didn’t stretch as far as Georgetown, Colorado, until August 1877.

Sarah and Matthew would still have had to get to Georgetown by Prairie Schooner once they arrived in Denver.

3. Early in the story, Sarah says of her life in Ireland, “How could any of us [women] survive the kind of poverty so devastating that it’s driven us to descend upon this United States in droves?” Several factors contributed to the mass emigration of men and women to the United States from Ireland in the nineteenth century.

The most significant influence for women like Sarah after the Irish potato famine of the 1840s and 50s was a change in the social and economic climate that discriminated against unmarried women, particularly those from the lower class. The combination of inheritance laws that favored the moneyed class and a lack of opportunities for employment made options for making a living nearly impossible.

Moreover, without a dowry, young women had no chance of marrying. Their families encouraged them to emigrate, and the majority worked as domestics in the homes of wealthier Americans, allowing them to earn a living. It would be a fortunate Irish maiden who also found love while serving in such a home.

The Sojourners’ Quest

Novelette Prequel to the Singing Silver Mine Series

Sarah Byrne left everything behind to escape the poverty of her Irish homeland. But will she make a better life in America and find love?

Born into the lower class of Irish society, Sarah Byrne had no dowry, no chance of marrying well, no way of earning a living to rise out of her miry bog. When best friend Mary insists she must emigrate to America to make better than butter and egg money and find a man to marry, Sarah risks her life on a disease-ridden ship to sail across the Atlantic.

But leaving the land and people she loves proves more difficult than she had thought as Sarah combs the streets of New York for a job, and everywhere she turns, the signs read, “No Irish Need Apply.” Her only option: become the nanny for two children of a widowed minister who has accepted a position in the Rocky Mountains.

But will Sarah have the strength to cross the Great American Prairie in a covered wagon during the dusty heat of summer? And will her grief-stricken employer ever return the profound feelings she has developed for him?

Find out how and where love blooms in this novelette prequel to the Singing Silver Mine Series, an exciting new Historical Romance series that will take you on a journey into our deepest longings for love and contentment.

This novelette is a Giveaway. You may click on the following link to receive your free copy. https://BookHip.com/BGKHGJN

Donna worked as a communications professional before turning to full-time writing. Her short stories, essays, and articles have appeared in various inspirational and secular publications, and she has two self-published books available on Amazon.com. Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of her love of history and literature as a young adult while attending the United World College of the Atlantic—an international college in Wales, U.K.

She still loves to explore the peoples and cultures of the world and views her writing as a ministry, developing plots that show how God’s love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, forgiveness, and belonging in a world that often withholds second chances.

You may find Donna at:

How the Pioneers Really Fared on the Oregon Trail Part 1 of The Sojourners’ Quest “Fact or Fiction” by Donna Wichelman

Recently, my husband and I took a road trip in a 300 hp Jeep Grand Cherokee to visit friends and family and sightsee the Midwest, Blue Ridge Mountains, and Eastern Seaboard. With autumn upon us, we packed the SUV with clothes and extra gear for inclement weather. A small ice chest and picnic basket held a stash of food, utensils, and paper products for eating along the road. Other times we pulled off to get a bite to eat. Gas and hotels were plentiful.

Jeep Grand Cherokee: Compliments of Pixabay

We reveled in comfort on our twenty-first-century high-speed freeways, loving our heated seats on cold mornings and audiobooks downloaded on an iPhone to keep us from boredom on long stretches of road. Minus the days we enjoyed with friends and sightseeing, we spent seventy-two hours on the road and drove forty-six hundred miles from door to door.

United States Map: Compliments of Dreamstime

Our trip provoked reflection on how my characters fared, migrating across the continent in the nineteenth century on the Oregon and Overland Trails in a covered wagon.

Abandoning their homes in the east, pioneers left most belongings behind in favor of necessities to sustain them throughout their travels. They drove in covered wagons—Praire Schooners—wooden boxes that measured four feet wide, ten feet long, and three feet deep.

The box sat on four wheels made of wood, iron bands fastened to the outside rims, and was covered with a double-thick canvas coated with linseed oil for waterproofing. They tied the ends for privacy or protection from the elements

Prairie Schooners weighed thirteen hundred pounds and required teams of horses, mules, or oxen to pull. Poor suspension and rough roads meant people preferred to walk alongside the wagons rather than endure lurching in the box. They wore through their leather boots quickly, tolerating run-down shoes. Traveling two miles per hour—fifteen to twenty miles per day—the two-thousand-mile trip took four to six months, depending on the weather.

Pioneers constructed their wagons with interior storage; some had false bottoms with extra storage below. Few towns and scarce services meant carting hundreds of pounds of flour, lard, bacon, beans, fruit, coffee, and salt. They also carried cornmeal, eggs, potatoes, rice, yeast, and a large barrel of water tied to the side of the wagon. Halfway across the hot, barren prairie, water often ran out, and they collected it crossing rivers or during rare rainstorms. Cattle and people withered without it.

Typical Prairie Schooner: Compliments of Pixabay

They also carried a reflector oven (tin kitchen) to cook meals, consisting of meat hunted along the trail, baked bread, hard tack, beans, bacon, and dried fruits. Without an ice source, they preserved their food with salt, and without kindling on the prairie, they collected buffalo chips (dried animal feces) to fire up the reflector oven and start campfires.

Movies and historical fiction novels give romantic notions of travel on the Oregon Trail. But diseases such as cholera, accidents, swollen rivers, and exhaustion took nine out of ten lives. The Oregon Trail afforded little time for leisure. Most pioneers spent their days walking the trail, tending camp, and fending off various dangers, including snake bites and nefarious folks stealing vital resources. Suicide was common.

Only faith and long-suffering kept the pioneers’ hopes and dreams alive. They deserve great honor and respect for risking all to obtain a better life in the west.

The Sojourners’ Quest

Novelette Prequel to the Singing Silver Mine Series

Sarah Byrne left everything behind to escape the poverty of her Irish homeland. But will she make a better life in America and find love?

This novelette is a Giveaway. You may click on the following link to receive your free copy. https://BookHip.com/BGKHGJN

Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of her love of history and literature as a young adult while attending the United World College of the Atlantic—an international college in Wales, U.K. She still loves to explore the peoples and cultures of the world and views her writing as a ministry, developing plots that show how God’s love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, forgiveness, and belonging in a world that often withholds second chances.

You may find Donna at:

Inspiration Happens When There’s No Time to Write

Those periods in your life when there is no “thyme” to write, may just be one of those times when inspiration happens for your next season of writing. Your next season may include getting over a writer’s block, burnout, a new blog series, an article for your next blog, the next book, the next series, the next book in a series, or a short story to name just a few. We are all in a different place in our journeys.

writing, inspiration, time, events, characters, Thyme for Writers, books, articles, short stories, graduation, Washington, D.C., Georgetown School of Medicine, army, residency, neurosurgery, radiation, Radiological Health Sciences — Inspiration for Your Season of Writing

No “Thyme” to Write

My last article let you know that for the month of May, there was just no time to write, and I wasn’t the only one. Kathryn Ross, who is a monthly contributor to Thyme for Writers with her series, The Write Spice became a new grandmother and had no “thyme” for the month of May either, but she will be back in June.

Graduation

For me, the month of May included three graduations and a pinning ceremony. Wow, talk about inspiration… .

The first two graduations were local and only one day apart:

My Son graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Radiological Health Sciences, and
his very special lady graduated with her bachelors in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

One week later we all traveled to our nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for my daughter’s graduation from Georgetown School of Medicine. My father who graduated from Georgetown School of Medicine 59 years earlier hooded her. It was a beautiful ceremony, a very special time in our lives. We also attended her pinning ceremony where she was promoted to captain and pinned by her dad (my husband). The next leg of her journey is her Neurosurgery Residency — she was one of two army selected (one of 3 military).

Talk about inspiration… . One thing I can guarantee is that these beautiful events in my life which gave me no “thyme” to write, did provide inspiration for my next season of writing — another book (yes, that story is brewing), articles, and more… .

What is your inspiration?

When Life Happens and There’s No Time to Write

Maybe you’ve attended conferences, read books, listened to the best and you’ve got an organized system to manage your time. Perhaps time management is still an issue for you. Regardless, there are times when life happens and there’s no “thyme” to write.

Thyme for Writers

The idea for Thyme for Writers happened a year ago. I wanted a place where writers and book lovers could go for a bit of inspiration, direction, encouragement, fun, and excitement, but I didn’t have a name for it. I brought my idea to my incredible writers group, and within minutes, Candee Fick came up with the name, Thyme for Writers, tying into my theme, adding spice to your life.

wedding, wedding planner, books, Hidden Bloodlines, wedding budget, Stanley Hotel, Christmas, Christmas wedding, budget, checklist, timeline, organization, organization tips, library — Loveland Public Library
Author Showcase

Candee Fick

writers, authors, resources, toolbox, encouragement, fun, romantic suspense, journey, writer’s journey, adventure, tips, direction, research, joy, funny, inspiration, thyme, time, Focus on Love — Author Candee Fick

As a techno-idiot, the idea of me ever being able to manage and create a website was a pipe dream … until Candee. She is an incredible resource, writer, and friend. If you’re at that place where you need either writing, computer, or web help, check out her invaluable resource, The Author Toolbox. I have steadily improved and decreased the time I spend uploading and formatting all my posts, whether written by me or my amazing guests, but it still takes time.

Kathryn Ross

clove, lemon oil, cinnamon, garden, harvestwriters, spice, fall recipes, editors, healing, manuscript — The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words
By Kathryn Ross

Kathryn Ross has added invaluable insight to writers by tying in the benefits of certain spices and oils to a writer’s life and the writing process. She is a monthly guest on Thyme for Writers with her series, The Write Spice. Kathryn is a new grandma, and for the month of May, she has no “thyme” to write. Congratulations Miss Kathy! We’ll miss you this month, but catch up with you next!

Thyme for Writers has grown with a readership I never could have imagined and I am looking forward to its continued growth! With the exception of last Thursday, I have posted every Thursday since its start August 31, 2017. Since I don’t want to disappoint my readers, I wanted to give you a heads up that I may only have 2 posts for the month of May. Alas, I have 3 graduations:

wedding, time, medical student, white coat — White Coat Ceremony

My daughter is graduating medical school and will start her residency in neurosurgery;
My son is graduating graduate school in radiation physics; and
My son’s very special significant other is graduating with a bachelor’s in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Yes, I’m a very proud Mama, and for the month of May, chances are … I’ll have less “thyme” to write. Since time management is critical in every aspect of life, especially for writers, there will be future posts on the topic. Stay tuned… .

Save Thyme with Writers’ Conferences

So many potential mistakes that costs time… . These first three articles discuss the importance of attending writers’ conferences and how to best utilize them and save time. This third article reveals two other very common mistakes to avoid in order to save even more time. Of course, I made these mistakes as well… .

Learning the Craft of Fiction Writing

I studied and worked hard at learning my new craft of fiction writing. How-to books filled my shelves, and yes, I not only read them, but I studied them. There were books on

character development,
plots,
showing not telling,

to name just a few, along with workbooks where you can practice — and practice I did. Finally, I finished the first draft and applied for one of the few select spots in a fiction clinic with a great publisher and editor, Jeff Gerke.

The Fiction Clinic

This book was my baby. I spent countless hours creating a strong heroine in a field that fascinated me – journalism. That’s right, I was fascinated with journalists who covered exciting, dangerous events so I made my heroine a journalist.

Jeff asked me a simple question that changed the course of my book, Hidden Bloodlines, (and my series — The J.C. Classified Series). “Why isn’t your heroine a lawyer?” He sagely pointed out that it’s better to write what you know. As a lawyer myself, I’ve lived the life, and if my character lived what I know, she would feel “real” to the reader and have a greater impact. You want your readers to fall in love with your characters.

Jeff then asked me to tell him the entire story in a nutshell. Most writers like to tell their story and I held nothing back. My story was too complicated — there were actually two books within one and they needed to be separated. I was back to the drawing board with a heroine who was now a lawyer and a plot that needed to be simplified.

The Plotter vs. Pantser

If I were a “plotter,” a writer who creates detailed outlines prior to starting, at least the overly complicated story may have been identified prior to writing the entire manuscript. However, I am a “seat of the pants” writer where this risk is higher. I’ve attended conferences where the recommendation is to blend the two. That may work with some, but not all, and certainly not me. That’s part of the excitement for me to write — the developing story and the twists and turns of events.

How about you? Are you a “plotter,” “pantser,” or a blend of both?

Save Thyme & Avoid Common Mistakes — The Beginning

In my first article, Save Thyme and Avoid Common Mistakes, I discussed the importance of attending writers’ conferences and a common newbie mistake — pitching a book that was not written. This next article will focus on the beginning — the beginning of your book, your writing career, and essential tools of the trade.

If you don’t take into consideration the two years my story brewed in my mind, this first writers conference was my beginning. If you can get into a clinic at a writers’ conference, I highly recommend it. It’s intense, and you get one-on-one assistance with an experienced writer, agent, editor… . This input is invaluable.

Because your application for a clinic typically includes the first 15 pages, you want to make sure those 15 pages are the absolute best they can be. Write, rewrite, and write again. Have others read it and see if you have a writer friend who can also give you input (more on writers’ groups and critique groups later). When you think it’s there, set it aside for as long as possible (I prefer a week) so that you see it with fresh eyes, and read it out loud. It’s amazing what your ears catch that your eyes miss.

Although my manuscript was not written, I did write the first 15 pages to apply to a beginners fiction clinic that was team taught by two well-known authors. The beginning is always critical to capture your audience, whether it’s an agent, publisher or your reader. I realized during this particular clinic that I was chosen not because of my story (the first 15 pages did not reveal much), but because of the mistakes I made in the beginning. Nothing I had grabbed my reader — not the title nor the first sentence, first paragraph, or first page. Nada.

supernatural, fog, night, writing, publishing, story, fiction, novel, mistakes, writing mistakes, Thyme for Writers, journey, Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado, agents, editors, craft, skills, writers conference, tools, titles — The Supernatural – Fact or Fiction? Night Fog …

This first clinic got my act together. At the start of this clinic, we went around the room reading our first sentences. The rule — NEVER begin a book with the weather. Most of us did. Think about how you choose a book, whether it’s your next library choice or book to buy.

Most people:

Check the title. Does it sound interesting?
Read the back cover copy. Still interested?
Open the book to the first page and read the first sentence. Still interested?
Read the first paragraph, and maybe even the first page. Getting it?

Writers’ Tools

This first conference also gave me a glimpse into what type of tools of the trade would make my life easier. Instead of sharing what I learned here, I recommend a more comprehensive source that’s tried and true — The Author Toolbox by Candee Fick.

The Title

Hidden Bloodlines, romantic suspense, Colorado Rockies, Karen Van Den Heuvel — Hidden Bloodlines

I needed a catchy and unique title. First, I brainstormed a list of 10 titles. Next, I did the research necessary to assure none of those titles were already taken in previously published works. I created survey sheets and waited outside each service at my church one weekend and asked people to choose and rank their top 3 titles. An overwhelming majority chose Hidden Bloodlines as their top choice.

I threw out my first chapter and started over. My first sentence went from the weather to: “Victoria prosecuted the wrong man.”

What captures your interest?

Save Thyme and Avoid Common Mistakes

So many mistakes … so much time wasted. Save Thyme and Avoid Common Mistakes is the first in the Common Mistakes Series geared to help you save precious time getting that book published. I have first hand experience on making most if not all of them. With this new year upon us, my goal is to share my journey to make yours smoother and easier with quicker positive results.

The Story

As I mentioned in my article, Never Give Up!, I am a writer by profession. Although I have more than 100 published articles (most of which were ghost written), my heart’s desire was in the story. I yearned to write that novel and see it published. Even though I was an experienced writer, I quickly learned that fiction writing was a totally different “animal” and I set out to garner the necessary skills.

Hidden Bloodlines started as a story triggered by a stay at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. After this story brewed in my mind for two years, I decided that the time was now and I attended my first writers conference.

A Conference Mistake

I successfully pitched my story to agents and publishers during that first conference, but made my first mistake as an conference newbie — I pitched a story that wasn’t written. It was in my head, but not on paper. Every single one of the editors and agents I pitched to, wanted to see a manuscript that did not exist. By the time I wrote it, revised it (I can’t remember how many times) and had it ready, 5 years had passed. Oops — a little late for that group of agents and editors who were either with different publishing houses or made career changes.

During those 5 years I worked on learning the craft and developing my skills as a fiction writer — essential if you want to be taken seriously and get published. I highly recommend attending writers conferences even if that story is not written. There are workshops and sessions geared toward honing your skills. Appointments are usually available with not just editors and agents, but writers, and other writing professionals. If you want to pitch a story idea, let the agents and editors know that it’s not written yet, then get on the horn and write it. They may be interested now, but not a year from now.

Do you have a story brewing?

Burnout? with L.A. Sartor

Welcome L.A. Sartor as our guest today on Thyme for Writers! L.A. Sartor is a bestselling, award-winning author. She began telling stories around the age of 4 when her mother, at L.A.’s insistence, wrote them down and L.A. illustrated them. As an adult, she writes suspense and action-adventure novels with a dash of romance, and screenplays—she’s had a contracted adaptation! She lives in Colorado with her husband whom she met on a blind date. L.A. loves to travel and thinks life is an adventure and we should embrace the journey. She has a blog and a mailing list.

Burnout?

Karen, thank you so much for having me as your guest. You’ve had a great line up of writers so far, I hope I keep the trend going. ?

I thought burnout was for everyone else but me. I was on a tidal wave of producing books. Then something hit me while I was writing my seventh manuscript, Prince of Granola.

Nothing about writing intrigued me. Nothing. Not my blog, not my book. Nada.

Why? I still loved the story and my characters. I was super proud of what I’d accomplished with my writing so far.

My reaction: panic. I didn’t want to sit near my laptop, didn’t even open it for days. And when I did, I forced the writing. We all know that’s not a solution.

So, I basically ignored the dread of writing and fear of not writing, pretty sure other stress factors in my life were the cause. I couldn’t have burnout, writing was my ideal job.

Hmmm, job. More on that later.

Nevertheless, I avidly read articles on burnout or writer’s block as they appeared on my horizon; how to cope, how to push it aside, what it was. And I came to the conclusion that nope, I didn’t have burnout. I had something else. I think the word for that reasoning is denial.

L.A. Sartor, Christmas, Best-Selling Author, job, goal, burnout, Prince of Granola, The Chunky Method Handbook, Thyme for Writers, writers block — Burnout? by L.A. Sartor

Months later, I faced it head on. I was experiencing burnout. And oddly acknowledging, even saying the word out loud to myself, then close friends and outward from there, made it seem fixable.

Fast forward a couple more months. Still not writing much and whining yet again to my buddy, Audra Harders, about how long it was taking me to get this blasted first draft done, she gently interrupted me and mentioned a concept. A very cool concept.

Writing in chunks.

The concept immediately hit me as right. You all know the feeling. It’s almost euphoric. Moments later my email dinged and I was gifted by her The Chunky Method Handbook by Allie Pleiter.

Immediately after opening the book—well, after I emailed a thank you to her—my anxiety began to dissipate.

And then I realized a few things. I had been writing as though it were a job. I’d retired a few years earlier and hadn’t fit in well with the retirement scheme of no schedules. So, I wrote as if it were a job instead of a gift and a joy.

I pushed through hours of computer time, knowing I had a goal and had to make it. Doing that served me well until it didn’t. I sold a lot of books, made it to #1 on Amazon, both on free and paid books and felt on top of the world…until I didn’t.

L.A. Sartor, Christmas, Best-Selling Author, job, goal, burnout, Prince of Granola, The Chunky Method Handbook, Thyme for Writers, Burnout, writers block — Reach Your Goals!

I knew instinctively that setting limits to my goals wasn’t me. I’m a goal oriented person. But changing my perception of goals, in this case allowing myself to write 400 words in a chunk (you learn what your chunks are), and meeting that chunk (goal) really changed me. It set me free. I was successful again when I hit my chunks and I could write as many chunks a day as I wanted. And if I didn’t, I wouldn’t beat myself up, because I knew I would another day, or even the next hour.

I started being productive, and again loving what I was doing. The concept allowed me to be … me.

Back to the job issue. I also realized is that writing isn’t a job for me. And no, I’m not a full-time writer. I don’t want to be, nor frankly, do I have to be. I am a writer who believes in her story and her characters one chunk at a time.

And believe me, the chunks add up quickly, far faster than I could have dreamed. I don’t force it, I let it flow good or bad from my fingers.
Because we all know, if it’s not written down, you can’t fix it and make it better.

Prince of Granola will be out in the spring.

LA Sartor
Love the Romance ~ Live the Adventure
Bestselling Author and Winner of the International Digital Award

Believe In Me This Christmas Morn

Amazon
http://amzn.to/1Ui8Y6t (shortened)
iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/believe-in-me-this-christmas/id1147295728?ls=1&mt=11 (full)

Titles published:
Dare to Believe (2012)
Stone of Heaven ( 2013) Carswell Adventure Series Book One
Be Mine This Christmas Night (Holiday 2013) Star light ~ Star Bright Series Book One
Forever Yours This New Year’s Night (Holiday 2014) Star light ~ Star Bright Series Book Two
Viking Gold (July 2015) Carswell Adventure Series Book Two
Believe in Me This Christmas Morn (Holiday 2015) Star Light ~ Star Bright Series Book Three
The Prince of Granola (Coming 2018)

Social Links
Website
Facebook
Facebook Author Page
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest

Why Storyboards Are Great Tools for Picture Book Writers with C.A. Henderson

children’s books, authors, writers, writers groups, tools — Christine Henderson
Why Storyboards Are Great Tools for Picture Book Writers

I’d like to welcome Christine Henderson to Thyme for Writers. Christine enjoys writing about family life. Her writings have been featured in numerous anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul and Heaven Touching Earth as well as The Secret Place Devotional guide.

Why Storyboards Are Great Tools for Picture Book Writers

by Christine A. Henderson

children’s books, authors, writers, writers groups, tools, storyboards, Thyme for Writers, Christine Henderson — Why Storyboards Are Great Tools for Picture Book Writers

I brought a new picture book story to my children’s writers’ group meeting and asked for their assistance in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the story. They all liked the unique plot and the characters but they thought the story was too long. For those of you who write novels, it’s probably hard to imagine that 900 words is too long to tell a story. However, these days 800 words tends to be the max length that publishers want to see.

Being inquisitive and stubborn, I really didn’t think I needed to shorten my story. Surely, new books had at least that many words or more. To test my theory, I went to my local Barnes & Nobles and picked up an assortment of new books that I thought fit my story idea concepts. Sad to say, that word count rang true. Most pages had an average of two to five lines of text with an upper end of nine words per line. The books were 24 or 32 pages with at least two of those pages either being blank or showing the publishing details and acknowledgements.

So it was back to the drawing board – literally. I had imagined a storyboard in my head with the images previously, but now I wanted to put it on paper. Not being a great artist, I drew my stick figures with a bracketed scene description below each drawing. Now I started adding the text. Once I did that, I could see what words weren’t needed because the picture showed that part of the story. It was easy to chop 100 or more words. The story hasn’t lost its plotline, but now it flows better with the images.

Another reason to do a storyboard for a picture book is to see if you have a short story, rather than a picture book. If your storyline takes place in just one or two scenes, it may not be a picture book because there aren’t enough options for illustrations. If that is the case, perhaps you could incorporate that story in a book of stories or submit it to one of the many children’s magazines who accept short stories.

You may contact Christine at:

www.ChristineLHenderson.com

THYME TO THINK AND DREAM with Ann H. Gabhart

Appalachian Mountains, RT Book Reviews, Shaker series, writer, author, romance, Thyme for Writers — Ann H. Gabhart
These Healing HIlls

Ann Gabhart is our guest today on Thyme for Writers. Ann is the bestselling author of over thirty novels, has been called a storyteller. That’s not a bad thing for somebody who grew up dreaming of being a writer. Ann’s historical novels have Kentucky backgrounds like her popular Shaker series and her new release, These Healing Hills set in Appalachia. She also writes about family life, love and sometimes mystery (as A.H. Gabhart) in small towns like her Kentucky hometown. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren and enjoy life out on the farm.

THYME TO THINK AND DREAM

by Ann H. Gabhart

Here we are almost to November, a month of thanksgiving when we consider our blessings. At my little country church, each Sunday we take a few minutes to mention blessings. Sometimes these are what you might think of as everyday blessings. Things like sunshine and rain. Birds and flowers. A child’s smile. A good sermon. An appreciated card. Being alive. So many reasons to be thankful. A good day at work. A restful night’s sleep. Maybe a baby sleeping through the night for the first time. A new rosebush. An old rosebush blooming.

These days we’re also blessed with numerous electronic ways to be entertained. At least I think that’s a blessing. Not long ago, I came across an article about how we are swamped with electronic means to avoid the uneasy condition of being bored. You’ve seen people with a phone in their hand continually. We can watch movies and shows with the touch of a finger on various devices. We keep up with what everybody else is doing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter while sharing our own doings.

But if we continually look to some device to keep us entertained, we lose those times when our minds are just idling. Times when we might be bored. But those times might be our best daydream opportunities when our thoughts can wander while new ideas surface.

When I started writing for publication, I had two young children, so time was at a premium. That was back in the dark ages before clothes came out of the dryer ready to wear. I had to iron every week. Trust me, nothing is much more boring than pressing a pile of pants and shirts. Yet, at the same time, while my hands were busy with smoothing out wrinkles, my thoughts could take flight. I had time to think up story ideas and imagine characters I might want to meet on my writing page.

Of course, you don’t have to pull out the ironing board to have quiet time for creative thoughts. How about sitting on the back deck as the sun comes up and letting your thoughts meander? For my new book, These Healing Hills, I let my mind wander right over to the Appalachian Mountains as I considered the history of the Frontier Nursing Service. Then my character, Francine, showed up to take those mountain trails to being a midwife. One thought led to another and on until soon my fingers were on the keyboard coming up with yet one more story.

A person needs quiet moments now and again and a little boredom never hurt anybody. Unless of course you grew up on a farm and made the mistake of telling your dad you were bored. Then you might find yourself out in the field picking up rocks or chopping thistles! So hope you have some restful moments this Thanksgiving season to gather your thoughts, count your blessings and come up with some great new ideas.

To find out more about Ann’s books and to check out her blog, One Writer’s Journal, visit www.annhgabhart.com. You can also join in the conversation on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/anngabhart or Twitter@AnnHGabhart.

When Francine’s plans for her future fall apart at the close of World War II, she discovers new purpose as a nurse midwife in the beautiful Kentucky Appalachian Mountains. Will she also find healing and perhaps discover the birth of new love? RT Book Reviews says, “Gabhart’s latest historical novel intrigues, inspires and entertains. . . Humor, grace and, of course, romance give the characters life and breath, and the message of faith is gently organic and sincere.” These Healing Hills is available at bookstores or online book sites. Find more information about the story and buy links at http://www.annhgabhart.com/books/these-healing-hills/

Share this:

Share this:

No “Thyme” to Write

Graduation

Share this:

Thyme for Writers

Candee Fick

Kathryn Ross

Share this:

Learning the Craft of Fiction Writing

The Fiction Clinic

The Plotter vs. Pantser

Share this:

Most people:

Writers’ Tools

The Title

Share this:

The Story

A Conference Mistake

Share this:

Burnout?

Writing in chunks.

Share this:

Why Storyboards Are Great Tools for Picture Book Writers

Share this:

THYME TO THINK AND DREAM

Share this: