The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

Jeremiah and Words From God

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As I write this (Feb. 28), my daily Bible reading took me to Jeremiah 15.

Wow, if any prophet ever had hard, it was Jeremiah! He is known as the “weeping prophet,” and yes, like us all he got discouraged at times. Chapter 15 is one such point.

A little backstory: Israel and Judah had turned their backs on God so many times that God himself says “You have abandoned me and turned your back on me…I am tired of always giving you another chance” (vs. 6 NLT). Jeremiah constantly warned them that God’s destruction bore down on them.

I imagine that can weigh a person down. And it did.

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The Ghostwriting Process – Part 2

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ghostwriting

This is a continuation of guest blogger Kristin Noland’s post on ghostwriting. If you missed part 1, you’ll want to go back and read it.

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The Ghostwriting Process – Part 1

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This month’s posts are from guest blogger Kristin Noland.

With over 80 manuscripts to her name—including two bestsellers, one a military thriller—Kristin has spent her career helping authors bring their stories to life and position their work for success. From intricate world-building to sharp pacing, intricate plots, and characters who stay with readers long after the last page, she has her clients’ backs.

As a ghostwriter and editor specializing in speculative and crime fiction, she works with authors to strengthen narrative structure, ensuring every plot point builds toward a compelling conclusion; refine style and voice, polishing language to capture her client’s unique storytelling voice; and prepare their books for the marketplace by aligning the manuscript with what agents, publishers, and readers are looking for.

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Crafting Vivid Story Settings

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Crafting vivid story settings is all about making your readers feel like they’re actually there! But how does a writer accomplish that? I do great with dialog, never an issue coming up with things for people to say, but I still struggle with description. I have to work at it (usually in the self-editing stage), so don’t fret if you find yourself on the ship with me.

That said, let’s dive in.

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Embrace Change

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Change. Most of us don't like it. But like a caterpillar to a butterfly, it's essential to our growth.

Change. Sometimes we willing embrace it—like getting a new computer. Sometimes it’s forced on us—like getting downsized. Either way, it’s rarely easy. Why is that?

Because we prefer to stay in our comfort zone, no matter how uncomfortable we are with what’s in our comfort zone. But like a caterpillar to a butterfly, change is essential to our growth.

I put off buying a new computer for more than a year, even though I knew full well I needed one. I put up with the glitches and the slow speeds because that was easier than the work involved in getting a new one up and running with all my special programs and my files transferred from my hard drive. (Transition made in late December 2024 and no, it wasn’t easy, though my IT-savvy son made it possible!)

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From the Archive – Marketing for Writers

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As promised, here is a list of posts about marketing for writers I’ve done that you might have missed if you’re new to my blog. Clearly, I don’t have as many posts on marketing as I do writing. That’s because I’m a writer, not a marketer. But like all writers, marketing is a task I need to learn and do.

“Do You Have a Strategy or Just a Plan?”

“How to Brainstorm a Marketing Plan”

“6 Lessons I Learned about Marketing Strategy from Playing Board Games”

“Marketing Your Book to Local and Regional Businesses”

“What’s a One Sheet? Plus a free downloadable template”

“Marketing, Keywords, and Publisher Rocket, Oh My!”

“Mind-Map Marketing”

Because marketing tactics change almost as regularly as a mother changes her baby’s diaper, I’ve kept these posts mostly limited to the methods rather than specific tactics. These will provide a basic information to help you develop your marketing skills during the holiday season and beyond.

From the Archive – Writing Skills

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I am a writer who consistently develops my writing skills.

I’m kicking back a bit this month to relax and get focused on my next book. At this writing, I still haven’t figured out what will come next.

There’s more than a decade’s worth of posts on this blog, and unless you utilize the search box in the right side bar, you’re missing out on some fantastically helpful posts.

With this post, I thought I’d offer a list of posts I’ve written geared toward developing your writing skills. And next time, a list on marketing.

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Thank You, Dear Readers

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With Thanksgiving next week, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers. You’re the reason I’m here writing blogs each month and weekly emails so I can help you on your writing journey, be it with writing tips or simply encouragement and motivation.

My first foray into the blogging world was with a site I called Glory and Strength. It was an outreach of my book Help! My Husband Has Sexually Abused my Daughter (the second edition is titled Carried by Grace). I don’t know what year that site began, but I published the book in early 2007, so I guess I started blogging in 2007 or 2008.

I’ve learned many things over the years and shifted my focus to writers. I’ve been blogging about writing since 2012 and love it. I started freelance editing in 2010, and somewhere around 2014/2015 began learning about book interior and cover design. I love doing it all.

But I can spend hours writing and not notice the time slipping by. Now that I’ve launched my 3rd fiction book, I’m searching for my next project.

TrainingAuthors.com named TheMotivationalEditor in the top 50 tools and resources for Chrisitian writers.

Last month, my blog TheMotivationalEditor.com was named in the Top 50+ Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024 on Shelley Hitz’s website TrainingAuthors.com.

Wow! Such an honor and I have you, my readers, to thank for that.

I love being able to share my knowledge and expertise to guide others. We’re on the same writing path; I’m simply a little ahead of you and glad to shed some light for you on the many aspects of writing.

I may take a break from blogging during December, though at this writing, I haven’t fully decided yet. My Tuesday Tips will still go out, and I’ll let you know there.

Thank you, all, from the bottom of my heart for making The Motivational Editor what it is. Without you there would be no reason for me to blog.

Happy Thanksgiving