Are you looking for a few more craft secrets? Patricia Raybon has several to consider.

Over ten years ago, I met Patricia Raybon at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. I’ve followed her ever since. Recently, I attended a webinar presented by Writing for Your Life where Patricia shared craft secrets that have helped her win the 2022 Christy Award for First Novel in her Annalee Spade mystery series, the Christianity Book Award for her second novel, and a New York Times mention for her third novel. Patricia is also a monthly contributor to Our Daily Bread.

The following thoughts are from Patricia’s talk. I found them useful, and I hope you will as well.

Craft Secret: Find the Great Story

If God gives you something as a writer, sit down and write it. Sit down and share it.

That’s our goal as Christian writers, isn’t it? To share the stories God places on our hearts?

Find the story. The right story. The best story. The great story. Story starts with trouble and a great way to solve it. Somebody is in trouble and they are trying to get out of it.

Think about the unwritten story. The story behind the why. Give readers something to think about. Find the story in the day-to-day events, and have the guts to present it to an editor.

Don’t play it safe on the essentials. If we do, we’ll be one step away from our best work.

Have you ever found this to be true with your writing? There’s something you want to put into your story, but pull back on putting in?

You can’t write about life if you aren’t living it.

Here, Patricia quoted Ernest Hemingway who said, "In order to write about life first you must live it.” Hemingway believed to write with genuine emotional honesty, authors need to experience the world deeply rather than just observe it.

Craft Secret: Drill Down Deep

Drill down deep into one person’s story. Patricia mentioned Jesus’ parables as an excellent example. There was a man who had two sons…There was a widow who had ten coins…

Character is revealed in crisis. When we find those stories, we must write them.

Light the fire. Strike the match. An urgent problem that needs a solution. Start at the problem.

Start with something happening. A scene. Narrative. Don’t explain, dramatize.

Here, Patricia mentioned in medias res, the Latin phrase that literally translates to "in the midst of things". It is the technique of beginning a story in the chronological middle of the plot, rather than at the very beginning.

Craft Secret: Define Your Brand

Make it sensory. Cut extra words. Check facts and figures.

Define your brand. Narrow it down so readers know who you are, regardless of the genre you write.

In her final point, Patricia said as writers, we should lead readers to hope. We should honor our readers and our God.

Patricia’s next book, The Sedalia Code, an historical mystery about a WWII Codebreaker in North Carolina, is available for pre-order.

Your Turn

Which of these points from Patricia do you already incorporate in your writing?

Which of these points from Patricia do you plan to incorporate in your writing?

For me, I need to work more on thinking about the unwritten story. The story behind the why.

And if you are looking for some tips on writing blog posts, check this out.

I wish you well.

Sandy

Here’s what you can expect from me. In my posts, you’ll find words of encouragement for writers, book reviews, and discussions on the craft of writing. I am a former elementary school teacher, regular contributor to Guideposts devotional books, and a conference speaker. I write articles, devotions, and stories for adult and children’s publications. You can find me every Tuesday and Thursday at www.sandykirbyquandt.com. Please stop by.