Kaytlin Phillips's Blog, page 10

Hey folks! Welcome to the blog, or welcome back! Today we're helping a good friend with her book release! And we have it on good authority from *ahem* Kayti that this is an awesome book!

Hey folks! Welcome to October! Don't you love this time of year? We do! It's finally cooling off in the South and the leaves are just starting to change! Which we're super excited about!

Hey-oh, guys! Today I decided to do something fun and interview my character, Dice, who is the MC of my YA Fantasy, The Guild of Thieves! I'm super excited to share a little piece of Dice with all of you, and I hope you enjoy this post!

Hello, Visionaries! Today I've got a guest post from author Abbigail Raine B.! Who also happens to be one of my and my sisters' dear friends, even if we do live literally days apart...lol...anyway, Abbi has written an awesome post and I can't wait for all of you to read it!

So enjoy!

I’m going to try to keep from ranting, so if this comes across as a little bit harsh, that’s

not my intention.

I love Christian fiction. It is absolutely amazing, and if done right, it’s even better. Reading Christian fiction actually kept me from falling back into depression a few years ago when the second lockdown occurred here in Canada. So when I say I love Christian fiction, I really mean it.

I think it’s an incredible gift. To be able to write a fictional story set in any time period, past or present (not too sure about futuristic, but maybe that’s just me), and include Biblical truths and God-centered characters and relationships, is amazing. Who knows how many lives have been impacted by Janette Oke’s books? Francine Rivers? Frank Perretti?

But: I’ve begun to notice some things.

I know we, as Christians, are far from perfect. We’re bound to stumble and mess up time and time again. But praise the Lord that we have a Savior who forgives and loves us, even when we beat ourselves up for falling into sin. His grace is such an amazing gift!

But what bothers me is this: I find a Christian author and LOVE their books. The faith aspect in the story that encourages me, the relatable characters, the intriguing time period. Just absolutely love it!

But then…

You find them posting or commenting about a movie, TV show, or book that you know is most definitely NOT God-centered or clean, content-wise. Whether it’s the language, inappropriate behavior, or glorifying gore and violence.

It makes you feel kind of crummy. At least I do. Because here is an author I look up to, both for sharing God’s truth and encouraging readers around the world and yet they are watching or reading media that is so far removed from being considered ‘godly.’

It’s discouraging, isn’t it?

As writers, we have a responsibility. As Christian writers, an even greater one. If we are writing about anything faith-related, we better be living by what we preach. If you write about godly love stories and romance, then you shouldn’t be reading erotica. If you’re writing about God’s incredible gift of grace and forgiveness, you better believe that you are included in that invitation. If you write about His infinite love for you and that once you come to Him you should sin no longer, then don’t think that you can keep living in your sin.

We cannot be misleading. What do you think unbelievers think when they see a Christian reading something that is full of witchcraft, smut, or glorified violence? What do you think people think when they see you commenting on how much you enjoy a TV show full of adultery and slanderous behavior?

We are to be lights in this world. We are to be examples of our Savior. We are to be living testimonies of what God has done. How are we doing that if we write what God has placed on our hearts, only to read or watch absolute garbage?

Satan rejoices when we fall short. He’s overjoyed when we fall back into something of our dead self.

Some might excuse what they’re doing by saying they need inspiration to write their story because they’re “not good at writing romance” or, “not good at writing an action-packed story.” You know what? If God has called you to write that story, He’s gonna give you the words you need. You do not need to go read trash or watch it to “get inspiration.”

We need to be so careful about what we say, write, and do. We have a huge responsibility to not cause our brothers and sisters to stumble, even if we think what we are viewing is harmless. People look up to you, whether you see it or not. As such, we need to be incredibly careful that we don’t unknowingly cause them harm.

“Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”I CORINTHIANS 5:7

I don’t mean to cause offense in anyone, only that we be extra aware that as God has called us to write, to be careful in what we allow ourselves to enjoy. While it may seem harmless, always know that what you observe, whether for “research” or for your own enjoyment, will impact you in one way or another.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”EPHESIANS 2:10

Let’s walk in a way that we can bring honor to our Savior and be a light to those around us!

About the Author:

Abbigail is a dreamer who explores past worlds through the pages of imagination. She desires to write and glorify God in all she does and invites readers to join creative adventures through the written word. When she isn’t writing, she can be found reading, enjoying her earl grey tea, and jamming out to music. She lives with her crazy but amazing family in Alberta, Canada.

If you want to chat about books, writing, or even just say hi, feel free to connect with her here.

Hello everyone!! I wish you all a great day, and much sunshine!

It's time for our monthly contest update, of which I have no substantial information to pass on as we have had no entries, so currently there is no competition.

Therefore, if you've been thinking about entering our contest, but are worried that perhaps your story is not good enough, or perhaps you don't even know where to begin, fear not! I shall share with you what we're looking for, along with some inspiration and encouragement to be as creative as you choose.

What is historical fiction?

I've come to realize it's quite a broad term, and that you may be sitting here wondering if that means you must write only of wars and major historical events. But for the sake of this contest I'd like to define it as a work of fiction taking place in a real world that existed before the modern era.

Characters are usually fictional, and are probably easier to write from scratch, you may choose to write a historical figure from a different perspective if you wish, but please remember that the main reason of choosing this genre is to give a life to the past, and remembering that entire civilizations came before us, with people who lived and breathed and walked as we did.

To bring life to the past through story is to give a soul and mind and character to your history book.

How creative can I get?

That being said, I encourage you to be as absolutely creative as you would like! Any story, from the time of Egyptians and before, to as short a time ago as 1980 and anywhere in between is welcome. I encourage you to be as creative as you like, while firstly holding to the general rule of historical fiction.

To give you just a few ideas (and feel free to steal any one of them) someone might write a story regarding the American revolution, while someone else might construct one taking place in high english society. You might write of landing on the beaches of Normandy, or perhaps be a centurion in the Roman military. Ancient or recent, different perspectives or creative constructions, the lessons of history are still relevant to our present day, and I encourage you to enjoy the story history has to tell.

The Rules

Once again, for the sake of everybody involved, here are the rules pertaining to our contest, and then a few collages that may perhaps inspire you! I'll link our form to submit your story!

Have a fantastic rest of May everybody!

-The limit is 6,000 words, with a minimum of 1,000.

-You may choose whichever tense you prefer, but please don't change your tense in the middle of your narrative.

-You may also choose whichever POV you feel the most comfortable writing, or that may fit the narrative best.

-Please make sure that your story fits our genre, taking place before our time.

-The deadline for this contest is going to be June 30th, at midnight PST.

-Keep the content of your story appropriate to our community guidelines.

-Remember that this is a Christian community, and that the end goal of our writing is to glorify our God and Creator

Hey, Visionaries! Today I'm reposting an article I wrote last year for Sky's the Limit Press; if you've never heard of Sky's the Limit, it's a little indie press run by my friend Grace A. Johnson who, in my book, has won the award for best multi-tasker ever! Lol...seriously you would never guess she has so much going on.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and can glean something useful from it!

If you’re like me, you want your writing to be God-centered and focused but worry that you might come off as preachy or sounding superior. You want to write about God and His greatness and love, but you don’t know how to do it without coming across as inaccurate or seeming unfounded. Either you write too much, trying to explain something you’re not sure everyone will understand, or you start writing a sermon instead of a chapter.

I know. I’ve been there. As a pastor’s kid, honestly, the sermon side of things comes easy for me. Incorporating Godly truths into my writing and yet not coming across as superior or overbearing is really hard for me. I don’t care if someone thinks I’m preachy, but if they think I am looking down on them or being a hypocrite, that’s not helping anyone.

So, I’ve gathered three tips to help make this easier for all of us!

1: Don’t Write as if You Have All the Answers

You might have all the answers for the particular topic you are presenting, but don’t write like you do. Humble yourself and write it in a way that shows humility and not superiority.

C.S. Lewis was one of the most influential theological writers, and that is because he wrote humbly, as a friend, and not as an authority. Write your answer but write it humbly; let your answer be soft and convincing.

Writing what you don’t know is a great way to keep from being preachy as well…answering questions that you yourself have through your story is always very convincing. I do this a lot because I’m by no means a theology genius. I don’t have all the answers; I have lots of questions, and answering those questions through my characters has helped me grow and explore topics I normally wouldn’t on my own.

2: Use Scripture to back you

By backing an argument with Scripture, you are presenting a better picture. You are giving God’s word instead of just your own. Sure, that might slide you into being preachy, but not if you only use the verses necessary for the backing. If it’s one verse from the Psalm you are wanting, quote the verse, not the whole Psalm.

Also, don’t assume that everyone will know what verse you are talking about and only use the verse reference like John 3:16, which is pretty much the only verse everyone is familiar with. Instead, write the whole thing out and be consistent with the Bible translation you are using. If you quote NKJV, continue to use that version unless you state otherwise.

3: Pray without ceasing

Prayer is our most powerful tool. Pray that God would give you the wisdom and the needed words. That He would guide your hands as you write and help you reach people's hearts. That He would help you to write humbly and for His glory and not your own.

Pray God into every chapter, scene, and word. God needs to be the center focus. Because if you are writing for Him, doesn’t it make sense that you would invite Him to be part of the process? I find that when I pray before I write, I write better! And not only better, it also comes easier. He gives me the words to say and the wisdom to write them in an understanding and humble way.

Conclusion:

Invite God into every part of your writing journey. I did, and He led me to read the book of Matthew, which happens to have a ton of forgiveness verses that happen to be just what my character needs. He’s shown me Scriptures, given me humility, and helped me write scenes that I honestly wonder where they came from.

The key to writing a God-centered book is to have God at the center of the writing process. Because how can something be centered on God if God is not at the center? Striking out on your own is not going to work…

Write for God, with God, every day!

I hope this was helpful somehow, even if it was just a reminder for you! I know prayer always helps me, and also remembering that I am not the authority on any topic. I still have lots to learn about every part of life, even writing.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments! I'd love to hear from you!

Bless!Kaytlin Phillips

Hello, Visionaries! Today I get to help my friend Tasha launch her blog Joyfully Natasha! I had the honor of interviewing Tasha and hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Definitely check out Tasha's blog! She's such a dear! <3

Hello Tasha! I am just so very excited about this interview, and I am happy you were able to join me on Writers’ Vision today!

Hey Kaytlin! Thanks for having me! It’s an honour!

First, tell us a little about you!

I’m a bookworm, coffee addict, photographer, introverted writer, and most importantly a Christian. I’m the second oldest of eight kids and spend a lot of my time procrastinating school, writing, photography, and everything else I love XP. You can usually find me taking walks or rereading my favourite books which include anything written by Sara Ella and Nadine Brandes as well as The Hunger Games, Vivid by Ashley Bustamante. and The Reflections by EK Seaver.

What inspired you to start writing?

It was so long ago that it’s hard to remember, but I believe a big part of it was my grandpa’s love of writing as well as my love of reading.

What genres do you write?

I write mainly fantasy and fairytale retellings (Is that a genre?) but I also enjoy writing Dystopian.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given, one that has stuck with you?

Don’t be afraid of rejections but instead use them to grow as a writer. It’s so true! Once I stopped wanting to curl up and cry every time someone said something negative about my writing, I found I improved my writing skills so much!

You just relaunched your blog can you tell us a bit about that?

Sure! So I’m restarting my blog because I’ve come to realise that a good platform is an important thing to have as a writer. However, my blog isn’t going to be exclusively writing. I’ll post stuff about writing, my photography, faith, and anything else I want to post:)

I hope that my blog can be an encouragement to other creatives and Christians and give them a blog they know they can read without worrying about inappropriate content.

And do you have any advice for new authors, or authors just looking for good advice?

Create good writing habits. This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately as I’ve been reflecting on how far I’ve come in a short amount of time, and a lot of that progress was made because I started writing more frequently. It may not seem like a big deal, but I can promise you that it is.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Honestly, I’m not sure. As of right now, I’m hoping to do YWAM next fall and then go to film school the year after but that could change at any time. It really depends on what I feel God calling me to do!

And lastly, can you tell us a bit about your writing process?

The first part of a WIP is usually a title…my last two WIPs were born from a title that popped into my head. I don’t outline…at least not much. I did do about an hour of outlining for my current WIP just to get a broad idea and that really helped but I can’t do a big outline cuz it just stifles my creative thought process. So I hop right into the WIP with nothing but a title. Since I’ve never actually finished anything *hides* I don’t really have a writing process but I do break the “don’t edit until you finish your first draft” rule because I’m a part of a critique group and they help me figure out what to write next when I’m stuck.

Other then that, I don’t really know what my writing process is yet. (And somehow that still got really long *fp*)

Thank you so much for joining me today, Tasha! It’s been such a pleasure to interview you!

Thank you so much for having me! This was a lot of fun!

About the Author

Natasha Joy is a 17-year-old fantasy and dystopian writer with a passion for creating stories that are inspired by and bring glory to Yahweh. In her spare time, you can find Tasha reading, going for walks, experimenting with photography, and memorizing scripture for Bible quizzing. She loves the beauty of nature…from ladybugs to towering pine trees. Keep in touch with her and learn more about her writing at her blog joyfullynatasha.com or her Instagram @natashajoywriter!

Welcome to May!Oh what a day!Where flowers bloom,And the birds sing!A land awakeningFrom slumber deepUnder the Master's handAnd Heaven's eye!Hello folks! Kayti just made that little poem up and stuck it up there for your enjoyment or cringement...lol...you can decide!

Hello mates, it's been a long while since I've written anything like this, so I hope ye guys enjoy it and that it wasn't too painful to read!

Hey Visionaries! Another week, another post! I'm super excited to share another post by Madisyn Carlin. She's on fire for how we should use our words and stories for the glory of our Creator and, as you know, I love that!

So, without further ado...here is an epic post by Madi!

I know what you may be thinking. Oh, here she is again. With another post about faith in fiction. It’s not like she already has two or three other posts about this.

Yes, here I am again. Because this is a topic I am passionate about. Because this is a topic I am furious about. Because this a topic we, as the collective “Christian” writing community, are failing in.

Perhaps this post is a rant. Perhaps it is an admonition. Perhaps it is a personal reminder. I don’t know. What I do know is many are falling prey to the “Christian Fiction Without Christ” virus that is rapidly spreading and infecting a plethora of writers and authors.

“Christian Fiction Without Christ?” What does that even mean?

It means their books are included in the Christian Fiction umbrella, but there is no faith. No mention of God, Christ, or the Bible. I just read a social media post where a prolific author was almost bragging about such. In fact, the closest thing to any mention of faith in her books was a brief, off-handed comment made by a secondary character.

I’m not saying every book must include a redemption message. I’m not saying you must incorporate a salvation scene in every story. I’m not even saying every book needs lengthy discussions about faith. But if you are a Christian, and you claim to write Christian fiction, there better be not one ounce of shame in including faith in your books.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.Matthew 5:16, ESV

As Christians, we are to be bold and firm when professing our faith. The “norm” now is to completely omit any mention of being a Christian from your author bio, and to “have good morals” in your books, but no outright faith.

Unbelievers have morals too. I can read a clean and sweet and be reminded that lying and thievery are wrong. If you don’t impart a message of faith—whether prayers, reading the Bible, attending church, a salvation message, or so on—your book, even if it’s beneath the Christian category, is no different than a secular one.

Fellow believers, fellow writers and authors, we are to let our light shine. We are to face the darkness and burn brightly. They need to look at our books and know there’s something different. We can’t spread the Word when we blend in with the world.

I’ll be honest. I have no respect for Christians who abstain from including faith in their books. In fact, I refuse to support them by reading and recommending their book. Nor do I have no respect for those who demean authors who pour their passion and faith into their writing. If you don’t want to include faith, then write for the general market. This “Christian Fiction Without Christ” is just a lure, drawing in those who desire genuine Christian books and then delivering a measly secular one instead.

There are many unbelievers who are nice. Do they read your books and think, “This is a Christian book?” Or do they read your books and go, “Oh. She’s definitely a Christian.”

We need to be the latter.

In a time where deviating from writing true Christian fiction is becoming laudable, stand strong in your faith. Do not be afraid of Gospel. If you are a Christian who writes Christian books, don’t remove Christ from the “Christian” in your Christian fiction.

The world is growing ever darker, and light is ever more despised. Darkness cannot convince darkness it is in error and needs a Savior. Only by proclaiming our faith will those steeped in unbelief see the difference.

We need the light. Do not stifle your light by placing it under the metaphorical basket of “Christian Fiction Without Christ”.

Be bold by infusing your writing with faith. Be firm in delivering the Gospel message. And be, as Paul so ardently declares in Romans 1:16a, “Unashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”.

Let’s show the world the truth through our writing.

Let your writing proclaim you are unashamed.

Let’s put Christ back in “Christian Fiction”.

About the Author

Madisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.

Editorial, graphic design, cover design, and website design services offered at Mountain Peak Edits & Design.

Want to connect? https://linktr.ee/madisyncarlin