By Loretta Eidson Most people enjoy putting puzzles together. We know it can be quick entertainment or a time-consuming, tedious challenge, depending on the number and size of the pieces. Separating straight edges from the others and forming the outline help bring the size of the picture into focus. Some may dump the remaining pieces on the table for a …
How Do Writers Choose a Fiction Genre?
By DiAnn Mills New writers often have the dilemma of choosing what genre of fiction they should write. If this is your problem, I have a few tips to help you make that critical decision. Look at an overview of five of the most popular genres. Romance – These stories are about two people who fall in love. The plot …
Battling Discouragement
By Allie Pleiter @alliepleiter As an author and book coach, I’ve battled—or guided another writer through—just about every creative hurdle. Today I’ll share a chapter from WRITER CRISIS HOTLINE, a writerly advice book I co-authored last year with my coaching partner Cathy Fyock. Let’s tackle one of the most common laments we hear from authors: discouragement. Writing a book can …
Musings About Writing and Printing Motivations
By Dwight David Croy In the 1960’s, the way to get an “A” in the subject of English in High School was to be a good creative writer. The mechanics were secondary, the organization was secondary, punctuation and the spelling was also secondary. If you were fortunate enough to get a teacher that smoked weed, these things were not even …
Novel Malpractice
by Dr. Ronda Wells @RondaWellsBooks Have you ever read a novel or watched a show or movie and said, “Wait a minute! That’s not right. In real life, we would do this . . . .” You only need to be a hobbyist, or have real life experience, or be a professional to encounter this. Mistakes happen—a lot. As a …
Planting Season
By Janet Morris Grimes It’s that time of year again. Time to get our hands dirty. Time to prune old branches and brush to make room for new growth. Time to attempt to add splashes of color or garden vegetables or frame our yard with budding trees. Time to dig a hole in the ground, cultivate seeds, and come up …
Do You Outline, or Do You Write into the Dark?
By Glynn Young @ gyoung9751 A problem developed while I was writing my fifth novel. The problem had to do with what I conceived as a minor character – a four-year-old boy who would grow to adulthood during the story. But he wasn’t the main character; far from it, in fact. He was supposed to have a bit role. Unfortunately, …
Why Write a Biblical Novel?
By Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans First… What is a biblical novel? The vast cast of biblical characters is both historic and religious. They are not fictional. Their lives, faith, and teachings are accurately recorded in scripture. A biblical novel is not scripture. The tale is generated in the “offstage space” of the settings and characters of the sixty-six books of the …
Take Aim: Finding Your Target Audience
by John Matthew Walker @jdubmd If you’ve ever been to a writers conference or critique group, you’ve heard the phrase “target audience.” But what does it really mean? Who is your target audience? And why is it so important? Imagine yourself taking up a new hobby. It sounded crazy. You didn’t really want to do it, but you reconnected with …
My Reading Journey
By Dwight David Croy At my late stage in life, God gives permission to go on a writing mission. It is an extension of the great commission. The professional writing mission is new to me, but a welcome outlet for ministry. Books will not rival the living breathing Word of God, but they have a role to play in each …