When you sit down to write, how do you figure out what your topic will be? Where do your ideas come from?

Sometimes, I have so many different ideas it’s a matter of trying to narrow my focus until I find the one that interests me most – at least at that moment. Other times, it’s a struggle to come up with even one good idea (or even a bad one!)

Whether you’re putting something together for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge, the Testimony contest, a magazine article, a novel, or your own blog, there are hundreds of places to look for ideas.

One thing I enjoy looking at for unique ideas for blog posts in particular (but this could work for most anything) are “anniversaries.” What happened on this date in history? Whose birthday is it? What strange day is it today? For instance, according to BrownieLocks, a fun site with monthly, weekly, and daily celebrations, today is Stewarts Root Beer Day.  Sites like historychannel.com and historyorb.com can give you important events that happened on a day in history (today is the anniversary of the Statue of Liberty arriving in New York, the Watergate burglary arrests, and the OJ Simpson slow-speed chase).  Or check who has a birthday on a particular day at this site.

Looking at pictures – whether in magazines, scrapbooks, or online – is another common writing idea trigger. Reading can do the trick as well.

Next time you aren’t quite sure what to write about, try some of these ideas – or if you have a great place to get inspiration, share it in the comments. We can all use it every once in a while! (Some more often than others LOL)

Where do you get your ideas?

Check out the first quarter contenders here, and the second quarter contenders here.

Yesterday the LAST topic of the quarter, and the challenge year, went to the judges, and by this time next week, all the Best of the Best contenders will be known. Are YOU on the list?

Each first place Editors Choice winner of the writing challenge during the challenge year (which runs from July 2012 to June 2013) is eligible. On July 1, 2013, the first, second, and third place entries will be announced – First Place Best of the Best (or BoB) receives $300, second place gets $150, and third place $75.

Be sure to check out the winners from last summer and fall above – and come back NEXT Friday for the contenders from the quarter that’s ending now. But for now, here’s a list of the first place ECs from the winter quarter (the first three months of 2013) – the musical quarter.

Redemption by Michael Throne – FLAT topic

Ziggurat by Beth LaBuff – MEASURE topic

WARNING: do not read if queasy, squeamish, mentally unstable, over 8 feet, or purple by Dusti (Bramlage) Zarse – REST topic

Bedtime Story by Margaret Kearley – REPEAT topic

Pisgah Promises by Terry R A Eissfeldt – STAFF topic

I’m In Charge Around Here! By Noel Mitaxa – NOTE topic

How Low Can You Go by Virgil Youngblood – KEY topic

A Denominational Allegory by Jack Taylor – ACCENT topic

Once Was Enough by Linda Goergen – TIE topic

Heart Surgery by Vincent Lyons – SHARP topic

Some great reading up there. And one more topic to comment on (and one of THOSE will be a Best of the Best contender as well!). And the winner will be announced in just a few weeks! Enjoy.

The Highest
By Jody Day

Matthew 5:14a (NIV) You are the light of the world.

The word ‘inspiration’ always makes me take a slow, deep breath. My eyes close and a smile warms my face. The word always reminds me of the reason I became a writer.

I am a great fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series. The third novel, Anne of the Island, finds Anne and her young adult friends facing life’s challenges. Ruby Gillis is a chum who had never given any thought but to her day to day pleasures. Unhappily, Ruby is now dying of consumption. Anne pays her a visit and finds Ruby terrified of death. Ruby’s “soul clung, in blind helplessness, to the only things she knew and loved.” Anne left that meeting a different young woman. I was changed as I read Montgomery’s prose of Anne’s thoughts: “The little things of life, sweet and excellent in their place, must not be the things lived for; the highest must be sought and followed; the life of heaven must be begun here on earth.”

That sentence first inspired me to “the highest” and reinforced my faith. Second, I was consumed with the desire to write in a way that would make people aspire the way I did at that moment. The notion began as a desire and has blossomed over the years into a full blown passion and calling. I will never forget it. Over time I have reread and highlighted many such inspirations in Montgomery’s work as well as many of the Masters and Christian authors.

Keeping that goal in my heart and mind has gotten me over many a writer’s block. I just close my eyes and remember that moment and then ask the Father to help me take my readers to that place of inspiration; the highest.

Jody Day is a freelance writer based in West Texas. Her passion is showing the love of Christ through poems, devotionals, articles and books. Her works are published in Mature Living, Christiandevotions.us, and The Old Schoolhouse.

http://www.faithwriters.com/websites/my_website.php?id=48347

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITER

The FaithWriters Conference in Portland, Oregon starts in just over two weeks – and it’s not too late to register, even this close.

One of the keynote speakers is an absolute specialist in the Christian writers’ industry. Sally Stuart has been writing for the last 40+ years, and put out the annual Christian Writers Market Guide for 26 years. The FaithWriters conference gives you a chance to meet Sally in person and glean from her teaching!  Not to mention Deb Porter is traveling to Oregon all the way from Australia to teach and fellowship with us, along with a whole host of other excellent writers and speakers. For more information on the speakers and sessions available, check out the conference page at the FW site, or the FW conference section on the FaithWriters boards.

And now, for the conference specifics:

2013 FaithWriters Conference

Nurturing the Whole Writer

Friday, June 28-Saturday, June 29

Radisson Hotel Portland (OR) Airport

Registration cost includes Saturday morning breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack, all workshops and options.

GENERAL RATE (from May 1, 2013) FW Platinum Members $85.00 per person. All Others $95.00 per person.

PLEASE NOTE:

In the event of your cancellation, all but a $10 administration fee, per person, will be refunded.

Rates do not include transportation or room charges.

And remember – you can pay over time if necessary. Stop by the conference page for more details and to register!

Check out the first quarter contenders here.

We’re on the LAST topic of the challenge year, folks! Which means there’s only one more chance to be in contention for the FaithWriters Challenge Best of the Best.

Each first place Editors Choice winner of the writing challenge during the challenge year (which runs from July 2012 to June 2013) is eligible. On July 1, 2013, the first, second, and third place entries will be announced – First Place Best of the Best (or BoB) receives $300, second place gets $150, and third place $75.

Last Friday, I share the entries that qualified from the first quarter – the food/eating related quarter. Check them out here if you haven’t already. Today, I’ll be sharing the first place EC winners from the fall quarter – any of these entries could be chosen as Best of the Best. Over the next two Fridays I’ll be sharing the last two quarter’s contenders. Best of the Best, and the two runners up, will be crowned on July 1.

And now, without further ado, the second quarter Best of the Best contenders:

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The Story in the Story Within the Story

By Gail Gaymer Martin

As authors, awareness comes each time we begin a novel. We bring to the story a reflection of ourselves. This doesn’t mean a memoir or autobiography. It’s far more subtle than that. Our attitudes, values and beliefs come from who we are, our past experiences, family, friends, lifestyle, education, and values. Our writing voice, our characterization and development of plot, though very different from our personal lives, still echoes exaggerated experiences, a merging of characterization from people we know and from ourselves, and those heart things we value.

Sometimes I see blatant examples of me in novels, not always faltering but a bit of who I am. Sometimes I see who I would like to be or who I’m glad I’m not. My faith, questions, doubts, hurts or experiences I’ve witnessed through family and friends become woven into plots. News stories, disasters,and reflections from non-fiction reading can inch their way into the storyline.

Our imagination takes these pieces of our lives and weaves them into a creative work so subtle sometimes we don’t realize it, but think about it. If we hadn’t had that fear or longing, if we had never been in that accident, if we’d never loved a dog, if we’d never been abandoned by someone we loved, our story could be different. The emotion would not be as true nor the need to tell the story.

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Will you still be fruitful in your success?
By Marie Grossett

I’m not talking about material success: rather, your attitude. When God opens the door to your ‘big break,’ will you still maintain or strive for the fruit of the Spirit to be manifested in your life?

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.’ Galatians 5:22

When we first start something, whether it is a business, book, or a church, we tend to make promises. We say things  such as ‘Lord, if you bless me, I will never forget you,’ or ‘I promise I will remain kind, humble, and loving.’

Then the big break comes and guess what? All those promises seemed to have been long forgotten. We tend to become more money oriented, thinking we can treat people any way we wish.

In the industry I am in, this unfruitful attitude is extremely common. It has become so economically oriented that showing the fruit of the Spirit is non-existent. Though God’s name is mentioned in books or mission statements, people’s actions are speaking louder than their words.

I have witnessed authors slandering authors, authors against agents and vice versa. Some publishers focus more on the selling aspects of a book than the author’s potential.

If you want to be in this industry then you will need to pray for your forgiveness levels to increase. There have been many times I had to forgive. I refuse to scoop down to the fleshy level but rather be led by the Spirit. ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.’ Romans 8:6

Unfortunately a lot of people who have achieved successes in life seem to have forgotten where they came from and Who gave them their success in the first place.

I am determined not to be fleshy in my success and I beseech you, brethren, that you not be flesh-led in yours. Pray that God’s fruit of the Spirit manifests even more in your life; that you will show people that yes, you have reached the top, but showing love, kindness, meekness etc. is more important.

It is so easy to get caught up with worldly things and push God aside.  ‘Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour , that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away’ James 4:14

None of us is promised tomorrow and it is not your position people will remember you by: it is your attitude. Were you still a kind, loving, joyful person in your abundance, or were you slanderous, bitter, rude, and ungrateful?

How would you like to be remembered?

Marie Grossett aka Vanessa Grossett is a published Author, and has interviewed best selling and award winning Christian authors.

She is a Literary Agent at The Authors Care Services ltd. http://www.theauthorscare.co.uk vanessa@theauthorscare.co.uk

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITER

Can you believe that tomorrow is the first day of June? That means were only a month away from announcing one of FaithWriters’ premiere awards – The FaithWriters Writing Challenge Best of the Best!

Each first place Editors Choice winner of the writing challenge during the challenge year (which runs from July 2012 to June 2013) is eligible. On July 1, 2013, the first, second, and third place entries will be announced – First Place Best of the Best (or BoB) receives $300, second place gets $150, and third place $75.

So, which entries are in contention? That’s what this post is about. Each challenge year is divided into four quarters, with ten topics each. Each Friday for the next four weeks, I will share the BoB contenders from one of the quarters here, so you can check them out. And remember – it’s not too late to be in contention for the 2013 Best of the Best – we still have a few more weeks of the spring quarter to go. And you certainly can’t win if you don’t enter.

And now, without further ado: the Best of the Best contenders from Summer 2012 (click on the title to read the entry):

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Intimate Details
By Sydney Avey

Corruption, depravity, desperation, sex, medical emergency: is this not the stuff of great stories? Intimacy is the common element that creates a heartwarming or chilling tale.

Today I am pondering the connections between two writers’ explanations of what inspires readers.

Roger Rosenblatt concludes in Unless it Moves the Human Heart: “The heart that you must move is corrupt, depraved and desperate for your love.”

In The Daily Writer Fred White maintains: “Human intimacy lies at the heart of human nature.” He gives as examples of intimacy medical, sexual, and spiritual experiences.

This tells me why so many of the stories that move us involve crime, life threatening medical conditions, and romance.

My 1970s edition of The American Heritage Dictionary omits spiritual experiences in its list of intimacies, but in the 1930s edition of the Dictionary of the English Language (Oxford University) editor Henry Cecil Wyld defines intimacy as something that is knit together in close physical or spiritual relationship.

Intimacy is expressed in details that are private and personal. Our favorite detective stories, murder mysteries and medical dramas are loaded with intimate details. Examples: The murderer who strong-arms a victim and plunges a knife into a vital organ; the doctor who dives his hand into a patient’s chest cavity. We get involved with the intimate details of the crime or the surgery.

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Have you entered our latest blog/article contest? It’s not too late – but we’re getting close! And the prize for first place is pretty substantial.

All you need to do is write an article, 750 words or less, about the God Speaks Bible, a color coded study Bible where God’s words are highlighted in different colors be it in first person, through an angel, a passage where God is speaking, through man, words of Jesus, and miracles and acts of God. See more information about the Bible here. Simply post it in a few places, and follow the instructions shared here and here, before the final deadline of Friday, May 31 at midnight ET.

The prizes for this contest are three paid writing assignments for the ministry of GOD SPEAKS BIBLE. First place will receive two of the assignments at $75 each and his/her winning entry posted on 100 Christian blogs, plus $500 in additional prizes to ramp up your Bible study. This will include an entire digital and print suite of books by OLF http://www.operationlightforce.com/, the God Speaks Bible App, as well as a signed Genuine Leather Collector’s Edition God Speaks Bible. You will receive the digital suite and physical copies of all the books by OLF http://www.operationlightforce.com/ immediately at the end of the campaign and your signed Bible when first printing is complete.

Second place will receive one paid writing assignment worth $75 from the sponsoring ministry.

Third place will receive $25 cash prize.

Best Silver will receive a one year paid Gold membership at FaithWriters.

So, what are you waiting for? A great ministry, an intriguing Bible, great prizes, and an opportunity to earn treasure in Heaven. Get your entry in!