By Norma Gail Sometimes life is like getting rear-ended, bouncing around like a rubber ball as the car does a complete 360, colliding with the median and curb, making you wonder if it will ever stop. The only question my mind can form is “God, why?” The world around me became silent a little over a month ago. I can …
Story Structure
By Katherine Reay As I begin a new story, my mind turns to structure. No matter how much I say I’m an “organic” writer, I need solid hooks on which to hang my musings. I can get lost easily if the basics of the road aren’t cleared in front of me. Whether you think the “rules” of structure are important …
The Actions of Writing
by Sarah Hamaker Are you a writer? If you answered yes, do you believe, deep down inside, that you are indeed a writer? Too many times, we say we’re writers but our actions say another thing. For example, you meet someone for the first time and are asked what you do. Do you… A) Say you’re a writer? B) Say …
A To Don’t List for Writer’s Conferences
By Tamara D. Fickas Springtime is easing into summer. Trees and flowers are blooming. The temperature is inching upward. On cue, the writing world is easing into conference season. One-sheets and proposals are bursting forth. Social media is a twitter (see what I did there) with what works best and words of encouragement. This season is a busy time for …
The Capacity to Obey
By Davalynn Spencer “What if I run out of things to say?” For some authors, this can be a serious concern. Other writers dip from an ever-flowing font and never worry about where the next words are coming from. I began my writer’s journey as a journalist and crime-beat reporter. Talk about unending fodder. But deep down in the creative …
ACFW New Releases: June 2016
June 2016 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: Sweet Dreams by Cecelia Dowdy — A single mom trying to distance herself and her two year old daughter from their dysfunctional family is torn when she falls for a grieving baker dealing with his own family struggles. (Contemporary …
When Things Aren’t as they Seem
By Deborah Raney A few years ago, I was speaking at a MOPS group (Mothers of Preschoolers) in a small Midwestern town. As I learned to do from the wonderful speaker and writer Liz Curtis Higgs, I had picked out my “balcony people” in each quadrant of the room–those women who were nodding and smiling and giving positive feedback with …
Writing Book Reviews: Help or Hindrance?
By Darlene L. Turner Five stars, four stars, or one star? What’s the best rating to give a book? Or should we even be doing book reviews? This is a question I ask myself quite often. Why? Because writing book reviews take time. As we all know, time is something we writers cherish. In order to get our word count …
My #1 Rule of Writing
By Tosca Lee Late one night while I was writing my second novel, Havah, I dragged myself home from a business trip–tired, bloated, grouchy, stinky… and on deadline. I had two solid days at home before my next work trip and 5,000 words to write. Why then, the next day, did I want to do nothing but pick my cuticles, …
It’s All “Write” with Me
By Robin W. Pearson I imagine Moses felt a spark when he stumbled upon the burning bush. Spending time in a den of hungry lions motivated Daniel, and crouching in the belly of a fish surely gave Jonah the encouragement he needed. Sitting at the feet of our Savior definitely moved the disciples, and being struck blind opened the spiritual …