Things Your Mother Told You about Writing by DiAnn Mills

Things Your Mother Told You about Writing
By DiAnn Mills

Our mothers are notorious for passing out advice about life. Sometimes their guidelines are appreciated and sometimes not so much. The older we grow, the smarter our mothers become. Quotes from mothers play an inspiring role in the lives of writers.

“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.” Mark Twain

How much of Mark Twain was in Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? Did he attempt to take a raft down the Mississippi? Escape from painting a fence? Fall in love with a pretty little girl named Becky?

Mark Twain? He got into trouble?

“I got to grow up with a mother who taught me to believe in me.”
Antonio Villaraigosa

Mothers desire their children to become a productive member of society. When they believe in us and our aspirations, we become superheroes—at least in their eyes. Thanks, Mom!

Thanks, Mom, for believing in me.

“Mothers are all slightly insane."
J.D. Salinger

That’s probably 90% spot-on for mothers of writers. Where else would we inherit the genes that lead to creativity?  We look at life a little skewed, and then we’re thrilled with the words to describe it. Sprinkle sensory perception onto the page with strong nouns and verbs, and the writer has penned a crazy adventure.

“That strong mother doesn't tell her cub, Son, stay weak so the wolves can get you. She says, Toughen up, this is reality we are living in.”
Lauryn Hill

A wise mother provides guidance for her children to accept the hard knocks of life, like rejections, bad reviews, low advances, and publishing house changes. Toughen up! Hey Mom, no wolf is going to eat me!



“My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and a passion that I wish could be bottled.”
Carly Fiorina

Every writer needs a cheerleader, and who does it best but a mother? Writers need self-confidence to stand up under the pressures of an often hectic writing scheduled. When a writer slips in the confidence arena, her work suffers until she snatches courage and gains her momentum. Go Mom!

“My mother used to spank me for lying. Now I get paid for it. “
DiAnn Mills

Yep, this is mine, and it’s true. Of course she purchased a new bookcase and challenged me to fill it up. And I have. My stories aren’t driven by filling up Mom’s shelves, but it does offer a good chuckle.

Mothers are an asset to writers. They take up for us at family reunions when well-meaning relatives ask why we don’t have a day job. They read our stories and tell everyone about our incredible talent. They pass our books among their friends and offer bookmarks. But most of all, mothers love us and that’s the best news of all.


DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.
DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

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WRITING BLIND

by Cynthia Ruchti

Author Jerry Jenkins and I share something in common. We both once thought we had no "testimony." Jesus hadn't snatched us from lives of crime and debauchery. He didn't meet us in a rehab center or a prison cell or a bar or at Woodstock.

Both of us had been raised in loving homes that honored God, taught us about Jesus, and respected the Bible. When I heard Jerry speak at an awards banquet recently, I saw on his face and felt in my own heart the wonder of our testimonies. We'd been granted the exceptional mercy of having heard about Jesus as young children and had responded to Him with our whole lives yet ahead of us. The first step in an entire pathway lined with blessing, joy, the occasional hip-dislocating wrestling match with Him, but the steady assurance of His Presence.

I don't know about Jerry, but my childhood included church attendance whenever the doors were open. Church camp. Vacation Bible School. Sunday School. Kids' clubs. Youth group. Bible college…

A passion for God's Word was birthed even before I'd learned to read. Bible memorization contests and Bible quizzing teams brought out the competitor in me, but drove the Word deep into me.

If it weren't for God's Word, I'd be writing blind.

How could I create accurate character motivations and consequences if I didn't know what the Bible said about envy or gossip or what true love is like?

How would I even know where to look for comparisons of biblical characters whose adventures and misadventures mirrored the plot lines of my fiction?

Where would I have picked up a sense of God's attitude toward the brokenhearted? The stubborn? The orphan or widow?

How could I put one meaningful word on a page without The Word burned into my heart?

And how could I maneuver the ever-changing waters of publication with its fog and whirlpools without the Life Map?

How does anyone write blind, spiritually? How does anyone draw a breath for that matter when spiritually blind, or sustain a relationship, or chart a career path, or have anything of lasting significance to say?

I've tried diving into my writing assignments without spending time with the Author of our faith, in God's Word. Scrawls and ramblings compared to the stories that emerge from that place deeply rooted in the truths of the Bible.

Those who are new to faith have a ravenous hunger for the Word. Vast draughts of the Word pour over them and sink in quickly to make up for lost time.

My personal prayer--and maybe yours too?--is for that ravenous hunger to grow stronger rather than fade as the years pass. Stories are waiting. And I can't afford to write blind.



Cynthia Ruchti is an award-winning author and speaker who tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark. Her latest releases are When the Morning Glory Blooms, All My Belongings, and Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People's Choices. She serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. www.cynthiaruchti.com or www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage

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