Anna Travis's Blog, page 4

Sometimes people wonder why my flock is helpful, hardworking, and pretty polite.  I think our literary heroes have something to do with it.  See, I believe in being picky about what heroes I let into the house, especially while they are very little.

Now, before you freak out and start judging me, let me ask a question: What kinds of friends do you seek for your young kids?

Do you encourage friendships with kids who scream at their parents or have foul mouths?  What about kids who think HBO is t...

First off, Yes, I know Construct is spelled with a "C."  You find an appropriate letter K word and I will totally change it.To Plan or Not to PlanOkay.  You decide to write a book.  And you decide you would, at some point, actually like to finish writing said book.  There are a few ways to go into such a large project, and writers can be pretty attached to their favorite method (even if they've never tried another).

If you are writing a book for your English project this year, part of the idea...

Do You Want to Write Fiction?If you're looking for a killer English project this year, why not take the plunge, write a real book, and become an author?  Here are some posts to get you started:

Get a SHIRT!

Okay, chances are, if you're reading this, you're a teen who loves to write (or you know one).  You have this silly idea running through your head, and you are thinking about doing something insane, like writing a book.

If you start asking "normal" people (ahem, people who don't write books), you are probably going to get a lot of advice that borders on the negative.  "There's no money in books."  "You can't make a living in books."  "You aren't old enough to write a good book."

"Blah," said To...

Okay. This is it...The publishing world has changed.  A lot.  Skip this little piece of advice and you could kick yourself for decades.  Because once your book is out there, it's out there.  Even if you pull it from Amazon, chances are Goodreads still has it on file and well, if your name is mud, there's no un-doing it.

So what's my advice to teens publishing a book?

Use a pen name. 
Seriously?Yup.  And here's why.

Let's say you spend your high school writing career crafting an epic trilogy.  Reg...

Today We're Going to Talk About Lightning...What does lightning have to do with publishing books?  A. Lot. 

Well, it has a good deal to do with your author mindset.  As far as being an author goes, mindset is kind of like putting on a pair of glasses.  You can wear rosy ones, blue ones, dark as nightshades.  There are many views you can take on your writing, but here's the catch: you get to decide which glasses you are wearing.

That's your author mindset.You Have ChoicesYou can hope for the lig...

Before You Write Anything...Okay.  So you have decided to write a book.  And publish it.  You're brainstorming ideas.  Before you start outlining, you need to ask yourself the question: Am I writing a series or a single book?Series v. SinglesReaders like to get to know characters.  They like to come back and learn more about the world they have come to know.  They are also statistically more likely to invest their time reading a book that they know has more coming.

Single books can work, too. ...

Do you need a gift your kids can make all by themselves?  Try these blue-ribbon winning peppermints (Seriously! My 7 year old daughter made them for the fair and won a ribbon)!

They make great Teacher Gifts, Valentines, Easter, Christmas, and more. Just choose your cookie cutter to match and go! 
(Scroll to the end for a printable version)Peppermint Kid Candy
Gather:1 egg white3+ cups powdered sugarfood coloringpeppermint extractmeltable dark chocolatetiny cookie cutters 
Create: Mix the egg whit...

​Remember when I lost my marbles and decided to paint my Bible?

It had a strange side-effect: The funny thing about making my Bible special on the outside, was that it somehow acted like a magnet, drawing me to the inside!  And the inside, that’s where we find God, isn’t it?!?

Now, I had a feeling some of you must be thinking, If she poured paint on the outside of her Bible, what on earth does she do to the inside?  It’s probably stuffed with annoyingly wonderful, Pinterest-worthy art!

Nope.

To be honest, my favorite thing to do in those generous margins is to simply write out whatever verse stands out to me most that day. Here.  Have a peek into my margins… That “live quietly” one is a major feat of artistic expression, isn’t it?

But you know what?  Those two simple words with that little heart have stopped me in my tracks many times, as God has whispered them to me over and over again.

I wanted to share my scribbles with you, because I know I'm not the only mama out there struggling to make time for God. Collecting stones is one of my favorite tips for making that time a reality.  What do I mean by collecting stones? Well...

When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, God told Joshua to have twelve of the men collect stones from the dry river bed.  Their next job?  To set them up as a memorial of what God had done for them that day.

Sometimes God shows us the most marvelous things, and somehow it is all too easy to forget them!  That's why it's important to collect your own "stones."

You don’t have to be an artist.  Really.  You can use stamps, or doodle, or just write the verse out big.  But taking the time to draw out and mark the Word that God is touching your heart with is worth it!  It’s like collecting stones from the Jordan River and setting them up as a memorial.
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God will use these precious gems to encourage you over and over again.  Those scratches also leave a legacy for your children.  They can actually see how God has used His Word to speak to their Mama’s heart!  This post is an excerpt from Finding Quiet Time,
which is packed with practical tips and strategies for making daily time with God a reality.