By Natalie Monk Many of us experience writing-related guilt. Not writing enough, writing too much, neglecting “X” in order to write, not making enough money by writing, having too little to show for years of work, and my recent favorite, “What if I’m investing my life in something ‘good’, but not God’s best for me? Am I really called to …
So Long, Perfection
by Kariss Lynch I came back from the Deep Thinkers Retreat a few weeks back with my story plotted, my characters vetted and chattering in my head, and excitement brewing about my story. I sat down in the evenings after work and began to whittle away the word count and fill out my story. Then, I came to a crashing …
Love Your Editor
By Ian Acheson It was finally finished. I’d just typed “The End.” Now what do I do? September 2003. Yes all those years ago. I’d set out on a mission to write that novel that I was always going to write. The previous December I’d read Stephen King’s “On Writing” (it’s excellent BTW – part memoir, part lessons on writing). …
#NotWriting
by Kathy Harris I recently read a quote from bestselling author Nicholas Sparks. It said, “You can’t be a writer if you don’t write.” While I don’t disagree in theory, I do believe we will all eventually come upon a season when we can’t write. I’m not talking about an occasional bout of writer’s block or the dreaded ‘dry spell.’ …
Sacred Story
By Christine Sunderland On Easter Sunday Christians celebrated the great turning point in the story of mankind: the resurrection from the dead of God-made-man, Jesus the Christ. It is a story of faith and wonder, suffering and defeat that turns into one of faith and glory, and triumph over death. It is a story mirrored in each of us, a …
How to trick your brain and create the perfect writing environment
By Melissa Tagg Here’s the thing: I wish I could do ALL my writing on languid Saturday mornings…slow and relaxed and unencumbered by things like, oh, you know, the need to actually get dressed and go into the office and interact with the real world. But once I signed my first publishing contract, I realized in order to do that …
Modern Issues or Cookie Cutter…
By Lynn Hobbs Recently, I attended a ladies luncheon from several churches in my area. One woman had an out of state friend visiting her, and we welcomed her to the group. Upon learning I was the author of a Christian fiction series she had read, she discussed the ending of the last book in the series. She loved the …
The Magic Triangle: Exploring Wounds for Deeper Fiction
By Connilyn Cossette Have you read a book in which the characters seem flat? Lifeless? I certainly have. The plot may be great and the writing lyrical, but if the characters do not leap from the page the story will either leave readers unsatisfied or end up in the graveyard-of-unfinished-books. Since our goal is to provide an experience where readers …
How to Light a Fire to Your Writing Career
By DiAnn Mills When writers realize the embers of their careers are dying, stomping out the few remaining flames is not the answer. Instead, effective writers look for new ways to promote themselves that explodes with ingenuity and creativity. Is your career on the verge of smoldering? Try adding a spark to your marketing and promotion plan with these ideas. …
ACFW New Releases: April 2016
April 2016 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: A Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham — A high class speech language pathologist and an unrefined cattle farmer cause sparks in this modern retelling of the beloved classic My Fair Lady. (Contemporary Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the …