inspirational romance

Build it right!

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

A firm foundation: Start with a Premise, Create strong characters, Proportion. 

“They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” (Luke 6:48 NIV)


Last week we talked about clearing the land and preparing ourselves for our writing journey. This week we’ll discuss building our story on a firm foundation.

Concrete footers provide a strong foundation for a structure, making a house less vulnerable to attacks from wind, tornadoes, or floods. 

Just like houses must be built on strong foundations, your book requires a sturdy anchor or it won’t stand. Readers will feel tossed about and confused. As the author, you will lose focus and momentum. 

So how do you give your book a strong foundation?

Start with a Premise.
Whether you tend to be a plotter (you outline a detailed synopsis before you actually start writing) or a pantser (you sit down at your computer and start typing with just a few rough ideas floating around in your head), every writer must create a premise. 

The premise is the basic footprint of your house, whether it’s two-story or one, rectangular or square. It’s the basic idea, the main purpose or reason for writing your story. Without a purpose, a foundation for writing, your story won’t be able to withstand the elements. It will sag, maybe even collapse.

Create strong characters.
Your characters should be men and women readers want to hang out with for a while, someone they could be friends with, someone they like. Know more about your characters than just hair or eye color, how tall they are, or what they do for a living. Why do they do what they do? What are they afraid of? What do they want most out of life? Whether you use a character chart or another method to flesh them out, dig deep to create dimensional characters readers will like.

Proportion.
Cement alone isn’t enough for a sturdy foundation. Sand, gravel and water must be mixed in proportionally to add strength and volume. The same goes for your story. Mix in bits and pieces about your hero and heroine’s past so that we can understand their decisions and behavior. Would you keep reading a book with long clumps of past events dragging things out and slowing the pace? Probably not. So, give your story a great foundation by offering tidbits tucked in the right spots and at appropriate times.

What elements do you use to give your story a firm foundation? 


I’ll be taking a blogging break for a couple weeks. Join us in November as we discuss adding cohesive elements by installing walls, windows & doors.

Exciting News!

/ Dora Hiers / 8 Comments
I’m thrilled to announce that I am joining
the Seriously Write blog team.
Our mission is to encourage and equip Christian writers along their writing journey.

What an honor and privilege it will be to work with talented writers
Annette Irby, Ocieanna Fleiss, Dawn Kinzer, and Angie Arndt.

Beginning October 1, I will assume responsibility for This-n-That Thursdays.
No worries, though. I’ll still post here at 

Heart racing, God-gracing Romance.

This is one of the crossroads I alluded to on Monday.
I admit I wasn’t this enthusiastic when first presented with the invitation. I might have even groaned. You see, I write slow, and the prospect of writing a weekly blog post terrifies me. It’s a commitment, another priority, in an already packed calendar.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 
1 Thess 5:11 NIV

How could I refuse the sweet ladies who encourage me so much on a daily basis? 
Where would I be if other writers hadn’t offered their instruction and support along my journey? 
God loves to present His children with perfect gifts. It didn’t take long for me to realize this was one of them. Tucked inside the beautifully wrapped package ~ 
four precious friends and a blog.

What about you?
Do you wrestle with decisions you already know the answer?
How do you handle adding another commitment to your already bulging calendar?

Thank you for sharing in my exciting news!

ACFW August 2012 New Releases

/ Dora Hiers
I can’t wait to sink into my recliner with a few of these! What about you? See any books that you have to squeeze into your summer reading schedule?
Words in the Wind (Gateway to Gannah #2) by Yvonne Anderson — Marooned in a desolate canyon half a planet from home, a lone survivor struggles to separate reality from illusion. (Speculative Fiction/Fantasy from Risen Books).
Her Good Name by Ruth Axtell — When a girl from the other side of the tracks does everything to get the attention of the town’s leading citizen, she finds out too late it means little if she doesn’t have his heart. (Historical Romance from River North (Moody).
Avenir Eclectia, Volume 1 by Grace Bridges, Pauline Creeden, Kat Heckenbach, Keven Newsome, H.A. Titus, Fred Warren and more — A human colony in the constellation of the Whale struggles to survive on an aging orbital station peopled with bureaucrats, wizards, beggars and cyborgs, and a violently unstable planet overrun with giant bugs and telepathic sea creatures. (Speculative Fiction from Splashdown Books).
Something Blue by Dianne Christner — Life is going well for Megan Weaver. She has the job of her dreams working with Chance Campbell, a charming and daring missionary pilot. Then Micah Zimmerman moves into her parents’ home as a pastoral candidate for the Big Darby Conservative Mennonite church. It wouldn’t be so bad, except Megan remembers her unkindness to Micah as a gawky young man who once had a crush on her in college. But even though Micah has improved, he’s nothing compared to Chance. Micah finds that his heart for Megan hasn’t changed, but he’s having to battle to keep the single… (Romance from Barbour).
Over the Edge by Mary Connealy — Seth Kincaid survived a fire in a cave, but he’s never been the same. He was always a reckless youth, but now he’s gone over the edge. He ran off to the Civil War and came back crazier than ever. After the war, nearly dead from his injuries, it appears Seth got married. Oh, he’s got a lot of excuses, but his wife isn’t happy to find out Seth doesn’t remember her. Callie has searched, prayed, and worried. Now she’s come to the Kincaid family’s ranch in Colorado to find her lost husband. (Historical Romance from Bethany House).
Living in Harmony by Mary Ellis — Amy King must reconcile her past relationship with a shunned aunt before she can become any man’s wife and take her place in a new and alien community. (Contemporary Romance from Harvest House).
Hearts in the Mist by Elizabeth Goddard — While Artisan Sela Fox runs her gift shop, she creates rare and beautiful guitars from redwood burl just as her husband had until his death. When land developer Evan Black shows up on her doorstep, using his humor and good looks to try and persuade her to sell the small slice of heaven she owns, she refuses to give up the only reminder she has left of her husband. But Evan is even more stubborn than the lovely Sela, and he has plans of his own. When he shares his talent for classical guitar using one of Sela’s creations, he’d not intended to woo her, but she responds to his serenade. (Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents (Barbour). 
Walks Alone by Sandi G. Rog — A Cheyenne warrior bent on vengeance. A pioneer woman bent on fulfilling a dream. Until their paths collide. (Romance from White-Fire Publishing).
Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon — When Kelly Warren discovers a new piece of evidence that she believes proves her father’s “suicide” was really murder, she takes it to Detective Cole Taylor. He doesn’t put much credence in her claim, and nothing in his review of the case suggests foul play. Yet when he digs deeper, he discovers a startling secret that links her to a long-ago crime-and a deadly killer. Is history repeating itself? And if not, then who wants her silenced? (Romantic Suspense from Revell). 
Lakeside Family by Lisa Jordan — The one man she never wanted to see again is the only one who can save her daughter’s life. (Romance from Love Inspired). 
Central Park Rendevous by Dineen Miller, Ronie Kendig, MaryLu Tyndall and Kim Sawyer — Experience the beauty of Central Park where four heroes dare to risk their hearts once more for a timeless love. (A romance novella from Barbour).
Angel of the Cove by Sandra Robbins — In 1894 a young woman spends the summer apprenticing to a mountain midwife in Cades Cove, a remote valley deep in the Smoky Mountains. (Historical Romance from Harvest House).
Rodeo Ashes by Shannon Taylor Vanatter — A young rodeo widow must overcome grief for her husband and find new love. (Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents (Barbour).
You can find out more about these books here > ACFW Fiction Finder website.