BELOW ARE PLACES WHERE MY ARTICLES & STORIES
CAN BE FOUND:

American Desert
www.Answersforme.org
The Bridge
City and Country Pets
Creative Thought
Cross & Quill
Desert Woman
Guide: Children’s Stories 
Guideposts
Guideposts Beloved Stories -1998
Healing Magazine
Homesteader
Listen 
Milford Weekly News
www.Poetry.com
Positive Living
ParentCare
Sandpiper Kidz
Science of Mind
www.StoryHarvest.org
www.theperspiringwriter.com
Venice Gulf Coast Living
What Makes People Successful
Writers’ Journal


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AWESOME GOD
by Diane E. Robertson

Throughout this morning's thunderstorm,
I recognized Your voice,
Experienced Your mightiness
in each lightning bolt,
And your gentleness in the rainbead
sluggishly gliding down the petal
of my black-eyed susan,
Lingering before plunging onto
the sweet-smelling grass beneath.

In the midst of our afternoon picnic,
the sun peeked through the clearing heavens,
notifying all who were contemplating,
Yes, the cloudburst has really passed for now.
Joyful children giggled and told silly stories
while their parents regarded them,
eyes brimming with love.
Where do they get their energy?
one mother asked.
I knew You were delighted.

The spectacular reds and blues of the sunset
meld together,
Fashioning a perfect backdrop
for my tranquil interlude with You,
Time to praise, adore,
and share my most intimate reflections.
May I always be in wonder
of Your awesome presence.















THE END
of your story
is
really
THE BEGINNING.

By that,
I mean this:
When you finish
one story,
submit it,
& get going on
your next one!






Published in Positive Living Magazine - 1998.
Included in GUIDEPOSTS BEST LOVE STORIES 1998.


YOU CAN'T OUTGIVE GOD
by Diane E. Robertson

As an adult disabled with lupus,
I live on a limited income.
I maintain close track of my finances because
the money frequently runs out before month's end.
I believe in tithing; whatever we give to God,
we receive back tenfold.
I also believe in positive thinking. Not long ago,
I learned a deeper meaning of that term,
one I deem will continue to enrich my life.

For the past year, along with volunteering
two hours weekly in our church bookstore,
I gave what I could afford on Sunday morning.
Although committing to a set amount
the church could expect to receive monthly,
I generally found that
on the last Sunday of the month, I had no money to give.
I felt bad, but was doing the best I could.
After all, I had to eat,
& frequent financial challenges appeared.
Whatever the case, I was caught short.

Then one day, I started thinking about my church & tithing,
& what they both mean to me.
What would I do without faith?
I want my church to grow & flourish.
And God has always been there, never failing me.

Each morning, I prayed,
Dear Father, sometimes anxiety & worry paralyze my spirit. But You have said, Fear Not.
Please help me to surrender completely to Your healing hands, & to rest in Your great love. Amen.

One day after my prayer,
I suddenly understood the magic of tithing.
It means trust, being secure in my faith,
affirming in God enough to know that,
by believing in Him,
He'll support me far about my wildest anticipation.
He's not going to let me down.

I decided to risk. When the next month began,
I wrote a check for the entire monthly amount,
& placed it in the offering.
Although frightened, I knew God would be there.

Miraculous things happened.
A check appeared in the mail - an old friend repaying a loan.
A new acquaintance invited me to dinner.
Tithing was like a game;
the more I gave,
the more I received.
I found that I couldn't outgive God.

Now, on the first Sunday of the month,
I fearlessly tithe the money I've committed to my church.
I do so joyously, knowing my month will be matchless.
I trust, even expect, wonderful things to happen.
I'm committed to God, & that confidence is reciprocated.

This positive thinking really does work!
I've even put the idea to use in other aspects of my life. I ask, What else do I want more of? Friends? Love?
Whatever, first I must trust enough to to give.
To have more friends, I must first be a friend.
To have more love, I must be more loving.
This new way of thinking has changed my life.
















CHARACTERIZATION
Whether your story is a mystery or a romance, suspense & conflict are vital.
They both must be developed &
maintained throughout.
However, it is more than just planting clues & keeping your reader guessing.
Suspense & conflict also contain
the main character's emotional responses -
things like panic, worry & enthusiasm.
The goal here is for your reader to identify with your main character, thus becoming hooked into your story.
Speech & thought can tell a lot
about a character.
Often, people say one thing
while thinking the opposite.
Keep your language real,
rather than formal.
Next time you're in the grocery line,
listen to how real people talk.
They butt in, use slang,
change subjects continuously,
& answer cell phone calls.
Keep your story rolling
and your reader invested in
the final outcome
by creating one challenge after another
for your protagonist  to solve.






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PublisWhathed in
SOME ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS:



WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF WRITING?
The most important rule in creative writing is that
there are no rules.
Keep pushing the envelope.
If you have something to say, and a unique way of saying it,
then spend it all.
Readers are starving for great books by bold writers with fresh voices.



WHAT IS A SHORT STORY?
A short story is usually short, although it may run for tens of pages.
Generally, it involves only one conflict in the life of the story's main character.
Whatever you're writing, make the most of dialogue
by giving each character a unique voice.
After writing your first draft, go through your story
& exchange drab words for more colorful language.
Buy a dictionary & thesaurus, & increase your vocabulary.
Fall in love with words.
Use active, rather than passive, verbs & voice.
(For example, he read the letter,
rather than, he decided to read the letter.)



WHAT IS A NOVELLA?
A novella is a short novel.
Generally, it runs ~150 pages.



WHAT IS A NOVEL?
Generally, a novel is ~275+ pages.
Some novels run 1,000+ pages.
They may have multi sub-plots along with the main plot.
They may have multi parts (Part I/II/III/etc.),
multi points of view, & scads of minor characters.
Anything is possible in a novel.



WHAT IS A SCREENPLAY?
A screenplay is a movie script.
Generally, a screenplay runs ~100 pages.
Each page equals ~one minute of screentime.
Fast-paced conflict is necessary throughout your script,
or else the whole thing will fall flat,
and you'll lose your audience.
Less (dialogue) is more in a movie.
Take note of the brevity of language, & largess of emotion in foreign films
(as compared to American-made movies).
The difference and impact on the viewer is striking.
 

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