Welcome to My Worlds: A Bipolar Christian Tells All

“Is it hubris or deep honor to wish for your own works to be
purchased, devoured, vigorously discussed and then permanently pasted into the pantheon of great literature that guides the mind and
challenges the human spirit?”

Say these words with me….  

Gone With The Wind
To Kill A Mockingbird
Wuthering Heights
The Red Badge of Courage
Don Quixote
Lord of The Rings

Now, stop and think of the images, themes, adventures and vivid
characters and settings that these pieces of literature mean to you.
These words and the treasures they hold dear and represent are books. All selected are novels that mean something of lasting value to me.  I have read them all–these and countless others.  But these remain my favorites.  These are my own personal constellation. 

Each of these is a brand.  Each of these has identifying markers.  Each of these is fiercely guarded by those responsible for their upkeep and oversight.I write these words with zero sense of trepidation.  I tell you unabashedly that my intention is to work hard to stitch together a union of readers for my works.  This task is ever before me and does not slumber or sleep.  To date I would give myself a solid “F” at this task of brand building.  But I am learning.  Here is what I am learning to date: 

Discernable Vision:  there is the need to define & develop the ‘what’…as in what is the outcome of the efforts  

Design By Dots:  plotting a series of seemingly non-interconnected actions is a part of the profile  

Develop a Voice:  blogging & chattering (without chest pumping or
self-preening) is necessary  

Disconnect From Isolation:  the entire process depends upon others and that highlights the need & radiates the demand for community building   

Depend Upon The Lord:  in the end, our goal is his outcome for ourlives and our works.  I am clear and certain that he is the authorof the ideas and stories that we write…and any increase they might yield in our lives.

For those of you that are further along in the matter of brandbuilding and audience management, send those of us who are stumbling amidst the briar patches some words of guidance and assistance.  For those of you who are scratching your head, staring at the hard covers of your dust-collecting works and wondering “what now?” I say, join with us!  Help us each sell and market and defend one another’s works!

Blessings!
Will U Lysn

Reasons why we write.  I listen to people feedback the compelling
reasons that cause one to sit at a kitchen table and begin to organize and ledger their own thoughts.  Folk have told me they write
because…. 

“they just have to…is like a fire shut up in my bones…”
 ”is my ministry…I do this to follow the instruction of the Lord…”
 ”is my second or third or fifth career…I decided to finally take
  myself seriously…”
 ”is my passion…stories just wake up inside of me & I am simply the chronicler…”
Your reason to write is _____________________ ?

 Once you receive clarity as to the ‘why’ you write, you will pen a
piece or two.  After the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ have been resolved next
will arrive the matter of ‘who’, as in ‘who’ is going to read what you
hammered out in silence?  Do you wish for your works to be trees that fall in the deepest forest that no one hears when they topple?  Or is it your desire to actually build an audience that extends beyond your immediate family and friends? An audience that gives critical consideration of your thoughts, ideas and forged imaginations?  The answer to this question can only be resolved by the individual author. 

For those that seek to build an audience, communicate regularly with it, learn from its feedback and accept its input–for the direct intention of (here is the “S” word) CREATING SALES OF YOUR WORKS you will need to begin to ponder social networking. Social networking is not a new idea or concept.  Authors have been building constituencies by ‘word of mouth’ since parchment was pressed upon by quill. The difference now is that social networks can be forged rather quickly and lost just as rapidly.  In days to come, we will send along nuggets of ‘how to’ go about this task.  There are few single ‘keys’ or ‘musts’ beyond intention. On this day, resolve why you write and to whom you are ideally directing your thoughts.  As you move along this curve begin to bend your mind round the corner of just who might be the end-user.  End-users exist.  Finding them is the task.  Building a social network is the resevoir that holds them–and retains their interest. More will follow on this topic…your thoughts matter…feedback & let us know your successes and stumbles in this wacky world of ‘authoring’.

 Blessings!
Will U Lysn

Guest blogger, Steve Bonenberger continues:

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”  Cain asked at the beginning of the human family.So much these days is being written under the ‘new’ discipline of
CULTURAL LINKAGE.  Cultural linkage is the academic pursuit of
community and its language patterns.  Cultural linkage is said to be
an emerging body of study.  The end game is not yet decided.  There
are many academics that are either being pushed to the top of the heap, or rising to notoriety by their own efforts.  Here are some nuggets that seem to run concurrent in literature that I have read to date:

  a.  the globe is shrinking in size
  b.  distant cultures are just different
  c. communication is instantaneous
  d. family units are fractioned
  e. the human element must be found, fostered and placed front and center
  f.  no local cultural strain can be determined to be dominant or
above others in value
  g. no matter what your passion or purpose…there exists others who
fundamentally agree
  h.  create methods and systems that locate and unite those who are ‘like you’ in this new global community.

Certainly there are portions of this global language and cultural ‘big
tent’ formations that we find difficult to swallow.  Just as certainly
there are pieces of this puzzle that affect us and our works
regardless of our attitudes towards them or our acceptance of them.
In plain English, the world is a very close community now.  There
exists the potential for a global audience for your hard pounded out
works.

What to do about cultural linkage?  Do we shrink and quell?  Do we retreat to our caves and draw stick figures of our faith on the back walls, hoping vs. hope that some archeologists and future spelunkers will stumble upon them and wonder of their hidden meanings?  Or do we seek to form up an alliance of like-minded culturalists that seek–as their deep and specific intent–to bring the value of their faith based communication ‘front and center’?

Our assignment, it seems to me, is to write great stories…stories that are compelling and that others will read.  Then our second assignment (and in my mind this is just as important as the first) is to take the conversation to the collision points in our society.  May the day arrive when YOUR STORIES are spoken round table tops and water coolers with the ease and frequency of last night’s ball game scores.

Will U Lysn

Today our guest blogger, Steve Bonenberger continues: 

One Man’s Point of View:  By Will U. Lysn

Clearly those of us that love Christian topics and adore Christian literature are finding our genres at a crossroads.  The cultural biases that once bonded and held our disparate nation state known as America together are frazzled and fraying.  Have a look at these discussion starters:

a.       Dateline Colorado:  Christian thought & premise is under deep scrutiny.  The very real risk of seeing the faith statements that we have held dear are under challenge.  Right now the discussion of ‘where’ a faith statement can be uttered is being determined.  Once a freedom of speech receives a physical boundary…all bets are off

b.      Dateline Canada:  Christian thought & expression has been severely hampered.  There now exists as body of case law Christian ideology being typified as criminal.  A pastor is currently under indictment for making faith professions that were deemed to be ‘hate speech’.

When you blow this up to the broader culture, America is now viewed by many to be in a ‘post Christian’ state.  The far-reaching implications for those of us that love to read Christian literature and write Christian literature is compelling.  How long will publishers continue to take on projects that might be viewed as counter-cultural?  How many buyers will continue to pick up and invest in books or Medias that challenge some potion of the cultural meme? 

The purpose of this is to nudge discussion along.  It seems to me that the larger purpose is to figure out ways to increase and exponentially extend the conversation for Christian literature of all types.  My goal, stated outcome, life assignment is to bring Christian topics back into the cultural mainstream.  Hearing topics of faith, hope and love spoken round the kitchen table or at the office water-cooler is a heavenly chorus indeed.

WILL U LYSN

Hello, I’m Laura Drake, Kelly’s blog editor.  It’s my pleasure to introduce this week’s guest blogger, Steve Bonenberger. 

 Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters of Theology. He is a former Pastor, public speaker, and successful businessman and CEO. Mr. Bonenberger has previously been the host of a nationally syndicated radio program that focused upon networking issues, real estate investments and financial strategies for individual success. Currently, Steve is the President and CEO of Palomar Enterprises, Inc. and writes Christian Fiction.

Today, Steve wants to tell you about an exciting concept he is starting, Angels In Action

Can you give us your vision for Angels in Action? 

The vision for Angels in Action is quite simple: TO FUEL AMERICA’S recovery via the development and deployment of the social network.  The social network ANGELS IN ACTION seeks to locate and form alliance with at least one million (1,000,000) Americans that will spend $10 per month.  The core constituency groups that are direct recipients and beneficiaries of Angels In Action are: 

1. Authors, writers, and holders of digital rights or original content.  These folk will sign an agreement w/Angels In Action allowing us to market their products for sale to our network.
2. Charities & Not-for-Profits: these are the folk that are bringing direct aid to Americans that are falling through the cracks and/or are being displaced by this time of financial uncertainty.
3. Affiliates: these are those who determine to link forces with us and bring friends, neighbors and family into the social network
4. Micro-Financing recipients: these are the companies and or organizations that receive direct financial benefit from the generosity and united vision of the Angels In Action Network
5. Angels: the 1,000,000 Americans that decide to help America soar and spend $10 per month in The Angels In Action Social Network.

 What gave you the idea for this? 

The vision for Angels In Action is birthed in the face of the struggle the Average American is faced with.  The Steve Bonenberger Program continues to reach thousands of people each weekday.  Our program focuses upon the uniqueness of the Average American’s struggle.  Americans are faced with:

a.      Rising Unemployment

b.      Jobs that bring less and less real wealth producing incomes

c.      Foreign competition that continues to see the diminishment of the American worker as a viable option

d.      The abandonment of the middle-class by the political and financial elites. 

How does Angels In Action work and how do you see it growing in the future?

a.    $1,000,000 per month to authors and/or owners of digital content

b.    $1,000,000 per month to charities that are providing ‘hands up’ to the displaced Americans

c.    $1,000,000 per month in direct income to affiliates that assist in driving the purchasers and the discovery and expansion of the One Million Plus Angels

d.    $5,000,000 per month in direct MICRO-FINANCIAL assistance to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Join us today!   contact@actingangels.com for more info or call (800)200-0669