Epsiode 36 - If I Called You to It, It’s For a Reason with Karin Beery

Date: June 18, 2024

Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Karin Beery

 

Story Highlight: Welcome to The Women Behind the Words. Today, it’s our pleasure to have Karin Beery join us. Karin is a Christian author and editor whose journey through the editing process over the years has been one in which the Lord has pruned and shaped her; her editing and publishing––-a greenhouse for growth, where her roots run deep and her walk with God has blossomed in beautiful and profound ways. We're excited to hear the wisdom she's gained along the way.

Karin Beery grew up as the middle child in a wonderful family with her parents and two sisters. Always a rule follower, Karin aspired to be successful from a young age. Despite being bullied in grade school, she learned early on that people could be mean and that life wouldn't always go as planned. Her father’s wisdom helped her navigate these difficulties, a lesson that has stayed with her throughout her life.

Within a year of her marriage, Karin’s husband was diagnosed with cancer. During this challenging season, Karin read countless books while her husband went through his treatments. It was then she realized she could write fiction herself. Through her writing journey and love for the editing process, the Lord did a deep work in her life.

Karin shares, "Some authors find writing easy, but for me, it’s not.” The Lord used her writing journey to shift her perspective on true success. She learned that success is not defined by the world’s standards but by God’s. This realization led her to examine whose rules she was following—those of the world or those of God’s. Two insights the Lord spoke into Karin’s life changed her perspective:

1. True Success: Understanding that true success is defined by God's standards, not the world's.
2. God's Rules: Aligning her life with God’s rules rather than the world’s expectations.

In her closing words, Karin emphasizes the importance of hope and waiting on the Lord. She shares how God has spoken to her about hope three times in the past week. While He doesn’t always give us a timeline, Jesus assures us He has a plan.” Therein lies our hope.

Karin holds onto His promise: "If I called you to it, it's for a reason.” Keep moving forward and you will see the Lord's plan and His purposes come to pass in your life.

Don’t miss this episode as Karin shares the personal wisdom she has gained through her writing and editing process. It was through her journey as a writer the Lord has “edited her life.” Her story is a testament to the faithfulness of God and the hope we can find in Him, even in the midst of life’s challenges.

 

About Our Guest (Bio): Owner of Write Now Editing, Karin Beery is a published author and editor with experience in traditional and self-publishing, freelance editing, and editing for publishers. She is an active member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Christian Authors Network, the Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network, and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors. When she’s not editing or teaching, she writes hopeful fiction with a healthy dose of romance. 

 

Book Spotlight: Finally Forever

Former competitive dancer Caroline Novak dreams of leaving the corporate world to work with special needs women at the Pathways nonprofit, but the organization can’t afford a full time director.

All-American defensive end Ben Allen was on his way to the NFL when a knee injury sent him home and into the same office as Caroline, his best friend’s older sister. When Pathways participates in a Dancing with the Stars-inspired fundraiser, Caroline quickly volunteers, and Ben joins her as the local “star.”

It doesn’t take long for Ben to realize it’s more than a dance competition, and Caroline is more than his best friend’s sister, but after two failed engagements, she’s hesitant to trust her heart with another man. When the NFL calls Ben, it looks like his dream might finally come true—but it could cost them the championship and Caroline her heart.

 

Book Spotlight: How to Edit Your Novel: Take Your Self-editing Skills to the Next Level 

~ Have you eliminated all the telling? 

~ Are the characters complex? 

~ Is every scene necessary? 

Most authors will answer 'yes!' to these questions. But then editors and readers tell them the descriptions don’t engage them, the characters are stereotypical, and the story dragged. 

How do you fix it?  

Self-editing can only take you so far. But if you know the right questions to ask and you know how to interpret the answers, you’ll not only strengthen your self-editing skills, you’ll strengthen your writing. 

How to Edit Your Novel  doesn’t simply rehash the fiction-writing basics that create good stories—it provides examples, context, and questions that will help authors identify and strengthen their weaknesses the same way a professional editor tackles a manuscript. 

By combining mini writing lessons with practical self-editing tips, everything a writer needs to become a better self-editor is practically presented. Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced author, How to Edit Your Novel  can help you polish your story into a gem that agents, publishers, and readers will want to keep reading. 

I wanted to include Karin’s non-fiction, How to Edit Your Novel: Practical Steps for Strengthening Your Story, because so much of what the Lord has done in and through Karin’s life, He has used the editing rules and process to shape and mold her life and His working in and through her.

 

Connect with Karin:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarinbeery/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinbeery/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karinbeery

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2666258-karin

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karin-beery