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Don’t Allow Your Grief to Stop Your Writing

Don’t Allow Your Grief to Stop Your Writing is a follow-up to my blog When Life Gets in the Way pt. 1. That blog was written as Tess and I faced her illness together, but this blog is written after her death.

Then I had hope and believed she was getting better, but now I am facing grief at her loss. She is in Heaven, but I am left behind to deal with my grief. Perhaps you are dealing with grief. It is my prayer that this blog will help you.

Don’t Allow Your Grief to have Leeway.

Tess passed away on February 19, 2023. It was the very Sunday morning she had been looking forward to for weeks. Tri-City Baptist Church would be holding services once again in its own sanctuary.

But that Sunday morning sometime before 7 am she breathed her last and was ushered into Heaven. I am so thankful that the last words she ever said to me were “I love you.” And the last words I spoke to her were, “I love you.”

Grief took place immediately. Grief is not to be avoided. It is alright to cry, and I did several times as I waited for people to arrive. But it is also important to not let grief have leeway in your life.

God sent me help in the form of family, friends, and the Christian community. That helped and if you, a born again believer in Jesus Christ, are facing grief, He will you help as well. Seize it and don’t let grief have the upper hand.

More on the other side of this break.

T&R Independent Books brings you this blog post to keep you informed on the issues of today. Authors need to stay informed so that they can relate to their readers facts as well as entertain them with their imagination.

It’s Your Business is a Basic Writing Course that explains and guides you into becoming an author. Powered by video along with PDFs and Coaching you learn the basics of writing. Each class registration occurs between the 25th  of a month and runs through the 24th of the following month. The new class starts the following month.

To discover how you can be the writer you want to be, write to us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. We will respond.

Check us out and get your career moving.

Now back to the article.

Don’t Allow Your Grief to Wear You Down.

I discovered that in spite of all the love, and care I was getting, that I was already grieving. I already mentioned I cried. Another thing I have done is allowed myself to talk about her death. It has been therapeutic, and kept me from getting despondent.

I thought I was doing fine, but I began noticing I was getting tired every day. More than usual. Part of it was taking over chores that Tess had performed and combining them with chores I was already doing. But I had help to do some of the hard things. In fact, that help came in a variety of ways and I thought I was going to escape grief.

So, I dived into the work that needed to be done. I began making changes in the apartment, my shopping routine, and other necessary adjustments. But tiredness struck and began dragging me down. I noticed in the last few days that I  was getting very sleepy. As time slipped by, I wondered if I was tired because of the hard work, or because of grief.

God led me to an article that dealt with that very subject. Yes, grief can lead to lethargy and a lack of energy. And it gave pointers on how to fight it. I believe in getting daily exercise, but I had let it slip away.

I pushed my chair away, stood, got my hat, and followed the advice to go for a walk. It was refreshing! And about ten minutes later I was back at my desk writing this blog.

Don’t Allow Your Grief to Stop Your Writing.

I had a ton of excuses for not writing. Until a few minutes ago, I was suffering from being tired, had an apartment to reorganize, people to contact, and a memorial to organize. But the truth was that I was allowing grief to stop me from writing. Since Tess had gone into the hospital my writing had slowed down and, after her death, it had virtually stopped.

But that is a mistake. Don’t let that happen. If God called you to write, He did so while knowing full well that this day would come. And He had already planned for how you, or in this case I, should act. I have walked with God for 49 years and I knew He had called me to write. And He had called me knowing that I would lose Tess now!

I am now back writing this blog and ready to get back to work on other writings. I thank God for sending people into my life to help me through this episode. There may be times in the future when grief will bring tears again to my eyes. That is ok with me, but I won’t let the grief define me.

God called me to write books so that “…when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shown thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” (Psalm 71:18) The call is as real today as it was then so many years ago. Tess’s home-going was unexpected, but it reminds me that He is not done with me yet. Nor is He done with you!

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

Don’t forget to comment below. We are always interested in your opinions. And to make sure you get our blogs, simply check the box that says, Notify me of new posts via email.

Company information:

T&R Independent Bookstore is a division of T&R Independent Books founded in 2014 by R. Frederick and Tess Riddle. TR Ministry, aka Ministry Services, is both a charge and an exciting outreach to the Christian Community.

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Blog by Ron – Avoiding Writers Block

Author R. Frederick Riddle

Avoiding Writers Block

Avoiding writers block is something every author should strive to achieve. You won’t always be successful, but there are things you can do to help avoid it.

Last year, my wife Teresa (aka Tess) wrote and published five books. One was actually a republished book with a new title and fresh content added. The other four books were completely new works including the content.

How did a new author have such a prolific year?

Whether intentional or accidental she followed the tip I am giving in this bog: multitasking.

STOP – Don’t turn me off. I am not talking about writing your book, then mowing the lawn, and then doing something else not related to writing. This is different and will help you steer clear of writers block and be more productive.

My Own Career

When I started out I learned to multitask the traditional way and it did help. But I learned to multitask within my writing career. What do I mean? Consider the following:

Avoiding Writers Block Means Writing More

I currently have the following projects in varying degrees of completion.

  • A mystery novel
  • A novel based on Moses
  • A novel based on Daniel
  • A new journal, which is in the planning stages right now

These books are in essence being worked on at the same time. The four projects mentioned can be moved to or from at any given time. I do not set any kind of time schedule.

Avoiding Writers Block Through Flexing

By this I mean moving or alternating between books as I just indicated. Sometimes, I will be working on my mystery novel, which is nearing completion and will soon be published. I will write for a while, and then shift to another novel whenever I feel like it. This could be any of the other three projects.

How does this work?

More on the other side of this break.

T&R Independent Books brings you this blog post to keep you informed on the issues of today. Authors need to stay informed so that they can relate to their readers facts as well as entertain them with their imagination.

It’s Your Business is a Basic Writing Course that explains and guides you into becoming an author. Powered by video along with PDFs and Coaching you learn the basics of writing. Each class registration occurs between the 25th  of a month and runs through the 24th of the following month. The new class starts on the following 1st.

To discover how you can be the writer you want to be, write to us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. We will respond.

Check us out and get your career moving.

Now back to the article.

Avoiding Writers Block is Shifting Focus

I am shifting my brain’s focus to another project yet still operating within my writing mode. This isn’t some new gimmicky idea. This is simply reminding you of something you may have already known.

Multitasking is simply shifting your brain’s focus from one task to another. The difference is that we are not shifting from writing to a non-writing task, but are keeping our focus on tasks within our writing. It is so simple that we authors forget it.

Avoiding Writers Block Simply Requires a Fresh Mind

And that is exactly what happens. When you shift your mind to another writing task you freshen your brain. Now it faces new challenges, goals, and achievements. Everything is fresh and your brain is able to pour itself into this new project.

Multitasking Increases Output

It can’t be helped. If I focus too long on a single project my brain gets tired, but when I shift gears, my mind comes alive. Yours will also.

And with a fresh mind you will find yourself producing more.

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

Don’t forget to comment below. We are always interested in your opinions. And to make sure you get our blogs, simply check the box that says, Notify me of new posts via email.

Company information:

T&R Independent Bookstore is a division of T&R Independent Books founded in 2014 by R. Frederick and Tess Riddle. TR Ministry, aka Ministry Services, is both a charge and an exciting outreach to the Christian Community.

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Blog by Ron: What is a Writer’s Journal

A Writer’s Journal is a valuable tool that you can use as you pursue your writing career. But what is it and how does it work?

What is a Writer’s Journal?

There are different types of journals, but this one is designed to exclusively for writers. I will be using the Christian Writer’s Journal as the example. It is a product of T&R Independent Books of which I am the Vice President.

What’s the purpose of a Writer’s Journal?

Generally, the purpose is to provide a single record or depository of your writing ideas. In the Christian Writer’s Journal there are suggested usages, such as, cliches, details, maps/floor plans, outlines, story ideas, and Other. Chances are you will have a use that falls under Other. That’s great, because there are as many uses as their people.

More on the other side of this break.

T&R Independent Books brings you this blog post to keep you informed on the issues of today. Authors need to stay informed so that they can relate to their readers facts as well as entertain them with their imagination.

It’s Your Business is a Basic Writing Course that explains and guides you into becoming an author. Powered by video along with PDFs and Coaching you learn the basics of writing. Each class registration occurs between the 25th  of a month and runs through the 24th of the following month. The new class starts on the following 1st.

To discover how you can be the writer you want to be, write to us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. We will respond.

Check us out and get your career moving.

Now back to the article.

A Look at the Book

The picture you see with this blog is our Christian Writer’s Journal. It looks nice on the outside, but the real beauty is inside.

We designed this book to be used by and for writers. My wife (Tess Riddle) and myself (R. Frederick Riddle) are authors and we discovered that journaling is ideal for an author. It can replace napkins, paper towels, newspaper, scrap paper, loose paper, and a host of other impromptu tools. I have probably used all the methods mentioned and more.

But I have already used mine to record possible story ideas,  creation of a writer’s tool chest for my students, ideas for blogs/posts, ideas for a newsletter if I decide to publish a newsletter, branding ideas, biographies to be used in published books, keyword research, and much more.

Why is a Writer’s Journal so valuable?

I mentioned earlier that it replaces tools such as napkins. Often, when I go out to lunch or dinner, I grab a napkin and start writing down story ideas, plots, or even scenes for my books. When done, I stick them in my pocket hopefully to be retrieved later and incorporated wherever needed. 

But the problem is that paper napkins are fragile and can be ripped, torn, or mangled. They can also be lost, especially if time lapses between when I wrote my ideas down and when I tried to retrieve them.

I don’t think any have ever made it into the laundry, but it could happen. But if I transfer that information into my journal as soon as possible then I have a resource that is easily available and in one place.

I recently had a date with a girl called Ian (e uhn). She wasn’t particularly nice dare, but she did give me a story to tell. And that story found its way into my journal and is now in my computer as a work in progress.

Another Feature of the Book

Some writers use spiral notebooks to write the ideas down. But a writer’s journal, at least the Christian Writer’s Journal, is better than a notebook. Only 6”x9” in size, the book is easy to use yet hard to lose. And with over 200 pages available it is large enough to contain a lot of information.

If you are or plan to be an author this is must for your tool chest, and you can get it right here.

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

Don’t forget to comment below. We are always interested in your opinions. And to make sure you get our blogs, simply check the box that says, Notify me of new posts via email.

Company information:

T&R Independent Bookstore is a division of T&R Independent Books founded in 2014 by R. Frederick and Tess Riddle. TR Ministry, aka Ministry Services, is both a charge and an exciting outreach to the Christian Community.

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Blog by Ron Do You Watch Your Word Usage

Do you watch your word usage?

Word usage plays an important role in writing. Consider the following:

  • Short words tend to speed up a story
  • Long words tend to slow down a story
  • Some words are more difficult to understand; use clear, concise words
  • Some words have different meanings in different contexts
  • Some words are more difficult to pronounce than others
  • Use verbs and adverbs wisely (check grammar book)
  • Don’t use long sentences unless necessary
  • Short sentences tend to speed up a story
  • Normally try to stay at or below 8 sentences in a paragraph
  • Check your spelling

More on this subject after the break.

T&R Independent Books brings you this blog post to keep you informed on the issues of today. Authors need to stay informed so that they can relate to their readers facts as well as entertain them with their imagination.

It’s Your Business is a Basic Writing Course that explains and guides you into becoming an author. Powered by video along with PDFs and Coaching you learn the basics of writing. Sign up is Coming Soon and Class will start shortly afterward. Watch for the headline ‘Authors Basic Training Open for Registration now’.

To discover how you can be the writer you want to be, write to us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. We will respond.

Now, back to the subject of Word Usage.

Word Usage means more than Grammar

While grammar and spelling are important factors, you should consider other things as part of word usage. For instance, keeping track of a character’s speech characteristics.

That may sound odd, but if a character first appears as one who stutters, then you need to have that character stutter throughout the book. Which means, you will need to track the character’s speech to make sure he or she always stutters at least up to the point to where the stutter is cured.

What else should you track? How about a character’s:

  • Favorite slogans
  • Difficulty pronouncing certain words
  • Use of slang
  • Overuse of words and/or phrases

These may seem minor, but getting them right can make all the difference in your writing.

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

Don’t forget to comment below. We are always interested in your opinions. And to make sure you get our blogs, simply check the box that says, Notify me of new posts via email.

Company information:

T&R Independent Bookstore is a division of T&R Independent Books founded in 2014 by R. Frederick and Tess Riddle. TR Ministry, aka Ministry Services, is both a charge and an exciting outreach to the Christian Community.

If you would like to review any of our books, contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, and your name, and we will send a PDF of the chosen book to you.

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Blog by Ron – What are Writers Resources?

What are writers resources? That is our question of the day. But another question also pops up. Why should I use resources? So, you have a what and a why. Let me answer the why first.

Why Should I Use Writers Resources?

Our ancestors didn’t have much in the way of resources available to them. If they were Christians they had God, but the average Christian did not have the Word of God at hand. So, they didn’t really have readily available resources.

But times have changed! We now have at least one Bible in our possession. Likely, more than one. Plus, we have dictionaries, grammar books, and so much more.

With so much available why wouldn’t we make use of them?

But as Christians, we are expected to do our best at whatever we do.

What are these Resources?

Generally speaking, there are writing resources, publishing resources, and marketing resources. We are only looking at writing resources today.

Brief List of Writing Resources

  • Books on writing
  • Grammar books
  • Dictionaries
  • Maps
  • History books
  • Bible
  • Bible commentaries
  • How to books
  • and more

You may have noticed Bible and Bible commentaries. These would be needed if you are writing Bible-based fiction and/or nonfiction.

More on the other side of this break.

T&R Independent Books brings you this blog post to keep you informed on the issues of today. Authors need to stay informed so that they can relate to their readers facts as well as entertain them with their imagination.

It’s Your Business is a Basic Writing Course that explains and guides you into becoming an author. Powered by video along with PDFs and Coaching you learn the basics of writing. Sign up is Coming Soon and Class will start shortly afterward. Watch for the headline ‘Authors Basic Training Open for Registration now’.

To discover how you can be the writer you want to be, write to us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. We will respond.

Check us out and get your career moving.

Now back to the article.

Tip #1 – There is no excuse for not having information that you need. We live in the age of the internet. You can search for just about anything on it. But be careful. The internet is rife with false and misleading information. While it can be a rich source of material, you have to be careful.

I have found it helpful to stick with proven sources. Sometimes I venture out to new sources, but I also check their content against the proven sources and against my own knowledge.

Tip #2 – Bookmark your favorite resources. Chances are you will need them in the future. This is a small feature on the Internet, but bookmarks or favorites are extremely valuable for someone who does a lot of research, especially if on multiple subjects.

The resource list referred to earlier is just a brief list of basic resources. When you are writing you should have near you any resources that you may need. A lot depends on the genre you are working in, but having resources available is a good practice.

What Writers Resources do You Recommend?

You may not use these all the time, but I recommend having available a dictionary, a book on grammar, and  perhaps a book on writing even our very own Guide to Writing which we periodically update and is available in our store.

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

Don’t forget to comment below. We are always interested in your opinions. And to make sure you get our blogs, simply check the box that says, Notify me of new posts via email.

Company information:

T&R Independent Bookstore is a division of T&R Independent Books founded in 2014 by R. Frederick and Tess Riddle. TR Ministry, aka Ministry Services, is both a charge and an exciting outreach to the Christian Community.