BRING IT IN by JULIE ARDUINI

BRING IT IN by JULIE ARDUINI
Thursday, January 4, 2024 by Patti Shene

FEATURED BOOK: Repairing Hearts, Book 2, Surrendering Hearts

AUTHOR: Julie Arduini

PUBLISHER: Surrendered Scribe Media

GENRE: Small-Town Romance/Christian

SERIES OR STAND ALONE: Book 2 of 6, (can be read as stand alone)

TARGET AGE: 13+

IT IS MY PLEAUSRE TO WELCOME AUTHOR JULIE ARDUINI TO THE OVER 50 WRITER. JULIE SHARES SOUND ADVICE FOR WRITERS OF ANY AGE.

BRING IT IN

Julie Arduini

Besides being a small-town romance author with Christian surrender themes, I love to mentor women. I serve in youth group and spend time with teens, but I also plan events for our women’s ministry. I love all the ages I encourage and pray with.

Some have shared that they believe God wants them to write a book. It comically starts off that they confess this, and then ask if I would like to write that book for them. They feel ill-equipped, and that’s how I encourage them. Anyone who approaches me with over-confidence will most likely not finish their manuscript. I’ve seen it more than once.

For those I believe have a call on them to write, I’ve noticed one thing about the younger generations.

They need to bring it in.

I’ll ask what’s the elevator pitch---that quick summary you could tell a stranger if you were on an elevator together. The answers I receive are questions back to me. They range from:

How many words should a novel be
What are the dimensions for the cover
What’s a good marketing plan
Do you plan a series or does it come naturally

Those are great questions, but not answers to my question. So I ask another.

“How many words do you have written?”

More than not, the answer is zero.

If you believe there is a book you are meant to write, you need to start at ground zero. What is the book about? Is it fiction? Non? What genre? Are you plotting or writing by seat of your pants?

Once that’s figured out, write. My advice is to get it all out. Don’t worry about the grammar or structure. Write it. This is the first draft, and it won’t be the last. Then I always encourage new writers to find a critique group. I belong to ACFW, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the perks of membership are critique groups. My writing has improved so much since joining a couple groups. It’s there you will find structure and the manuscript will take shape.

If a writer starts by designing a cover, failure is likely to be the byproduct. Why? Because to create a quality cover, the designer needs to know how many pages are in the finished manuscript. It must be formatted for print. If the writer hasn’t even started writing, there’s no way it’s time to design a cover.

Like I wrote, those are great questions I’m asked by all age groups. But my response is to bring it in. Don’t be so wide and generic with planning, and simply write. I was taught to write with “BIC”. It’s a simple acronym that works for any age. Write with your butt in chair. Once that’s established and a manuscript takes shape, then other aspects of the publication journey can take place.

How about you? If you’re starting out, are your ideas about the entire publication process, or are you starting with the manuscript? Where ever you are, I pray many blessings for you and your writing.

Blurb for Repairing Hearts:

What if a reality show creates a blight on sextuplet Ryan Hart’s life harsher than his dump of a home?

Ryan, the independent, brooding second oldest of the Hart sextuplets, can’t enjoy the solitude he craves when he agrees to star on a reality show. The plan is to discover a project manager to renovate his hole of a property. The show reveals that it's more about Ryan’s dating life. Can he keep his guard up when everything around him is falling apart faster than the shingles on his roof?

BJ Wallace loves her quiet life in Wisconsin that she’s created far from her traumatic childhood. Everything changes when she learns she's competing on Repairing Ryan's Heart. As the show focuses more on Ryan than the house, BJ falls for him. Will she win the show and destroy Ryan with her secret, or sacrifice her heart to protect Ryan?

A small-town, reality show romance with family drama and a Christian thread of surrendering pride and anger.

Read Book #1 in the Surrendering Hearts series, Anchored Hearts, to meet Ryan and his siblings.

Buy Link: Anchored Hearts Kindle

Buy Link: Anchored Hearts Paperback

Julie Arduini invites you to surrender with her the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of the new small-town romance series with Christian surrender themes SURRENDERING HEARTS (Anchored Hearts, Repairing Hearts, +four more). Her other romance series is SURRENDERING TIME (Entrusted, Entangled, Engaged). She also co-wrote a YA/Women’s Fiction series with her daughter, SURRENDERING STINKIN’ THINKIN’ (You’re Beautiful, You’re Amazing, You’re Brilliant). Her stand-alone romances include MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN and RESTORING CHRISTMAS. Julie maintains a blog at juliearduini.com and participates in the team blog Christians Read. She resides in Ohio with her husband and daughter. Learn more by visiting her at https://linktr.ee/JulieArduini

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Comments

JULIE ARDUINI From OH At 1/6/2024 11:10:08 AM

Hi, Becky! When I was startnig out BIC was revealed to me. At first I scoffed, thinking that's too simple to be a game-changer. But I still struggle with it and few master it.

JULIE ARDUINI From OH At 1/6/2024 11:06:18 AM

Natalya, And I appreciate you reading!

Natalya Lakhno From California At 1/5/2024 11:08:56 PM

And that is why I'm not a writer but a reader :) keep writing!

Reply by: Patti Shene

Hi Natalya! Thank you for your words of encouragement and support of writers. We wouldn't be anywhere without our readers! May you have a happy and blessed 2024!

Becky Van Vleet From Colorado Springs At 1/5/2024 7:33:29 PM

Hi Julie and Patti--hey, I'd never heard about the BIC method. But now I'm going to remember this strategy for sure! I hope both of you experience God's blessings in 2024 to the fullest.

Reply by: Patti Shene

LOL Becky! I've known about the BIC method for quite some time. I just don't apply it near as much as I should. Along with it goes the HOK method! Hands On Keyboard! Thank you for stopping by. Blessings for a happy new year with many new challenges in 2024!