OUR VISION

Every one of us is on a journey ... a journey called life. We can choose to walk the path the Lord has set before us, or choose to follow our own.

Our deepest desire and heartfelt prayer is that every word we pen will inspire others to seek and find His path--His Way. But that’s not all.

OUR SCRIPTURE

Our Father urges us to provide for the needs of fellow life sojourners.

Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’

“Then the one on the inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

So, I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

-- Luke 11:5-10 (NIV)

OUR PRAYER

Our Father in Heaven... May we honor You by the works of our hands to be used as a means to communicate Your love, hope, encouragement and healing to those who journey alongside us through this precious gift of life. We surrender fully to you. Our words, our hearts, our lives. In the Name of our Savior, Jesus, the One and Only. AMEN.

OUR MISSION

To provide encouragement to new and seasoned scribes alike to press on in their endeavor to write and publish a variety of literature for the purpose of leading believers and seekers to experience the presence of God through every aspect of life’s journey.

OUR PURPOSE

Our primary purpose is to glorify God through our writing.

We aspire to provide a safe place to advise Christian writers through fellowship, prayer, and informative critique sessions. Professional writing tips, information on writers conferences and other events, along with updated CBA trends keep members current to the publishing market.

We will endeavor to do everything possible to assist, encourage and support our members in reaching the writing and publishing goals God has set before them.

OUR FOCUS

Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild exists solely for the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

                           MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES

❆Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild is a nondenominational Christian fellowship. Our differences should be understood and appreciated. Jesus is the common denominator between us, and we should honor Him with every word and comment. Please avoid discriminatory comments with regard to doctrinal differences, race, ethnicity or political affiliation.

❆Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild is created to uphold Biblical truths and Christian values. The use of profanity, inappropriate references to sexuality, paranormal spirituality, or graphic violent descriptions will not be tolerated.

❆Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild exists to support writers in the Christian market. If you are seeking support outside of our area of expertise, you may wish to seek out another writers group. We will be happy to refer you.

*We strongly discourage members of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild from engaging in writings considered to be compromising and not in keeping with the basic tenets of Christianity. We reserve the right to ask violators of the above guidelines to leave the group.

Critique Guidelines:

Always begin by praising the writer for the good features of his/her work.

Never attack the writer’s abilities. Instead, make positive suggestions that may improve the work by focusing on problem areas and weak areas, while at the same time, offering ideas to improve the clarity of the work.

Be sensitive and gentle with comments.

Give general and specific advice.

Try to suggest possible markets for the writer’s work.

Encourage the writer to ask questions regarding the critics suggestions.

Each critique reflects ONLY the opinion of the critic and the author always has the final decision in changes made before submitting his/her work to an editor.

We do not expect the same level of excellence from novice and experienced writers. No matter our level of writing, we are here to learn from one another.

What To Avoid:

Grammar and mechanics are important and should be mentioned, but avoid being overly picky (unless the writer has requested specific help in this area).  The critique should concentrate mainly on the body of the work, the structure and clarity of the content.

Avoid arguing with your critics. Evaluate each comment objectively, praying for wisdom and grace to view criticism as a pathway for growth.

Reminder: Members need to keep personal opinions about content to themselves. If a disagreement occurs, those in leadership will halt the meeting and call for an “agreement  to disagree.”

Critique Format:

Writers desiring critique must first email a copy of their work to the Director of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild -Sharen Watson (Southeast Texas Region); Michele Cushatt (Rocky Mountain Region). This is safeguard to keep objectionable or questionable material from being read without our knowledge.

A time limit will be established according to need. Generally, this means 3-5 pages, double-spaces, 12 pt. Times New Roman. If time avails, we will adjust accordingly.

The writer is to provide copies for the group. This will provide members the opportunity to offer written comments to be collected  and returned to the writer after his/her critique.