Yvonne’s Writing Topics & Articles
Writing to Heal
In an imperfect world with imperfect people, you will experience harm, heartache, and hurt. These struggles become the foundation of processing your experiences to help others. Writing can jumpstart the healing journey. Yvonne reveals her own experiences to show how you, too, can share personal stories and:
- Face harm, heartache, and hurt with God’s strength.
- Replace sadness and sorrow with God’s peace.
- Exchange a crushed spirit for the abundant life.
Writing About Trauma
Learn to assess where you are on your healing journey and readiness to write for others. Once you’re healed from the trauma in your life, you can write to help others not only survive but thrive. Yvonne draws on personal and shared anecdotes and the timeless truths of God’s Word to help you:
- Distinguish between writing for therapy and writing for publication.
- Recognize the writing pitfalls to avoid.
- Share specific steps to help the writer who will ultimately do the same for the reader.
Self-Editing for Writers
Before you submit your manuscript to an editor or publishing house for consideration, polish it. With experience in both the traditional market and self-publishing, Yvonne will show you how to self-edit your writing and shine like a pro.
- Avoid the writing pitfalls of redundancy, font selection, word count, and more.
- Utilize effective words to prevent making amateur mistakes.
- Work with the publishing house on their level.
Writing Devotions from the Heart
Ready to write devotions? Understanding what a devotion is, the process for writing one, the patterns available, and other essential elements, will take yours to a higher level. You will leave this workshop able to:
- Make your devotions B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. to editors and readers.
- Write your devotions with H.E.A.R.T.
- Edit your devotions for maximum impact.
Writing a Memoir in Crisis
A private 6-week group or An Intensive Mini-One Day Event or a Two-Day Event: Writing a Memoir in Crisis: What You’ve Learned So Far and Want to Pass On
Audience: Women who want a confidential place for discussion, encouragement, support, and accountability
Topics: In this group, we will discuss heart felt topics, such as domestic violence and loss of any kind with its accompanying feelings of loneliness, rejection, fear, and failure.
She has presented writing workshops at the CLASS Christian Writers Conference in New Mexico, the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference, the Maine Fellowship of Christian Writers, the Richmond Christians Who Write Conference and the Stowe Weekend of Hope in Vermont.
Other Publications and Articles
- Christians in Recovery
- Christian Communicator
- CBN.com
- Spirit-Led Writer
- The Quiet Hour (Cook Communications Ministries)
- The Virginia Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors VAADAC VIEWS
- The Secret Place (Judson Press)
- Believe magazine, Virginia
- Maine Fellowship of Christian Writers Conference Anthology
- womensministry.net
- Contributor thewriteconversation.blogspot.
com
Yvonne’s Writing Awards
- Literary award, devotional writing, Maine Fellowship of Christian Writers Conference, 2002
- Persistence Award, American Christian Writers Conference (VA), for continuing to write during aggressive cancer treatment
What others are saying
You are such a blessing. Thank you for gracing us with your encouragement and faith.
Thank you, Yvonne! It was such a blessing to have you on the show and to see how much God has worked through your life.
It was so helpful to hear your testimony and to have hope that God is able to meet every need along the way. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as I listened, and the anointing continued throughout the day. I needed that touch, and I wanted you to know God used your ministry to bless me.
I also like that you addressed some terms of the industry and how the industry operates so that we might consider the business side of writing as well. You are a very talented, patient, upbeat trainer. Great job, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It’s been a joy to watch Yvonne’s ministry of writing, speaking, and teaching grow through the past ten or so years. Her genuine faith in Jesus Christ is obvious and compelling. Her workshops at the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference are enthusiastically received.
If the slogan, “Big surprises come in small packages,” was descriptive of a man-made product, how much more does this expression apply to Yvonne Ortega. In the realm of Christian testimony, writing, teaching and speaking we can also attribute to her the expression, “Little is much when God is in it!”
When I met Yvonne, about 2004, she was a cancer survivor with a God-driven call to comfort and guide those going through what she had experienced. She had a story to tell. She was a writer wannabe looking for direction. For about 18 months she drove from Yorktown to Richmond to attend monthly Richmond Christians Who Write group meetings plus many weekend conferences. As she progressed in her own writing, God laid a burden on her heart to teach others all she was learning. From this beginning, Yvonne has grown into a respected author and sought after conference speaker/teacher.
Yvonne Ortega spoke about writing devotionals at the first writers meeting I attended. She taught clearly with how-to steps that made it not seem overwhelming to me as a new writer. She was encouraging and inspirational in what she shared. It was evident to all that she not only cared about writing, but about writers and their growth.
Since then I’ve heard Yvonne speak numerous times on writing related topics and each time she shares a plethora of knowledge and useful information to writers.
As a speaker she is organized, interesting, and extremely competent to address any group. I love to sit under her presentations and go home with much to think about and incorporate into my own life. Her words still echo with me. Her love for Christ has touched me and helped me in my quest to serve Him, and for that I am grateful for Yvonne.
Her excellent sessions involved scores of writers in crafting devotionals, in self-editing, and in preparing nonfiction book proposals. Her direct, hands-on approach leads to a rich understanding of the concepts of good writing, and her boundless enthusiasm for life in the face of affliction inspires us all.
