My Favorite Resource for the New and Experienced Writer

In 2009 as I began to write and blog with regularity, I felt stirrings to pick up an old dream of maybe possibly sorta kinda trying to write a book. Problem was I didn’t know a cotton pickin’ thing about how to go about doing this. What should my book be about? How do I get it into the hands of the right people when I don’t know the right people? By entertaining this whole idea, have I just COMPLETELY lost my mind? (Said in my best Julia Sugarbaker voice.) My questions were endless and my knowledge nonexistent. So I did what most of us do when we want to find information on what we don’t know: I googled.

While I was able to find snippets of information here and there, it wasn’t until author Emily P. Freeman wrote 2 posts entitled Thoughts on Writing a Book Proposal and Resources for Writing a Book Proposal that I hit the jackpot with clear, concise help for how to move my book writing thoughts into book writing action.

I was all over Emily’s writing posts like a duck on a June bug. (And still am, for that matter.)

I began crafting my first book proposal (right after I figured out what a book proposal actually was). That original proposal wasn’t accepted, but writing it taught me a lot about what to do and not to do. And eventually, a publisher accepted my next proposal, which turned into my first book.

Emily went on to write a lot more about the writing life and publishing world. More than any other person, she has taught me how to write and work well while simultaneously tending to the health of my inner self. This is highly important because when your job involves a lot of hanging out on your own, doubt and self-criticism will try to work you over.  Not to mention the publishing world is downright overwhelming, so you and I need smart, kind people to help us move through it so we’re in the best shape to help others with our writing. We need resources for receiving practical help as well as hope for our heart as we work.

The good news? There is such a place, and it was founded by the one and the same Emily as well as Myquillyn Smith, Gary Morton, and Brian Dixon. And it is my very favorite resource for newbie and experienced writers alike. 

It’s called hope*writers, and next Monday through Thursday (May 16th-19th) the good people behind hope*writers are holding their first ever Hope*Writers Summit!

What does this mean?

For 4 days next week, hope*writers will offer 12 interviews with authors, speakers, and one brilliant editor for you to watch for FREE! Each day of the Hope*Writers Summit will feature 3 video expert interviews that you can watch (again, for free!) until they expire 24 hours later.

Yours truly here will be one of the participating speakers. Others include Deidra Riggs, Ruth Chou Simons, Shannan Martin, Amber Haines, and Zondervan editor Carolyn McCready. See the full list here.

You have to register to reserve your spot for the summit, and you can do so right here. 

Listen friends: If you register for the summit and like what you see, I highly encourage you to join the hope*writers community. When you join, you get access to podcasts, articles, and other resources aimed to encourage the writer, blogger, author, and artist. I’m a member myself, and when people email me asking for writing resource suggestions, hope*writers is my top recommendation. Without a doubt, hope*writers is the site I wish I had years ago when I began taking writing more seriously, but it’s the site I’m thrilled to have today as a more experienced one. 

As we move about this weekend, may we each find the help we need to do what we love.

Have a great weekend, friends.

Are you an aspiring writer? An experienced writer? How is your own writing journey progressing? What is the hardest thing about the writing life for you?

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