by Gail Gaymer Martin By the time novelists sell to a traditional publisher, they’ve donated a large amount of time honing their craft. Rejection points out a weak writing technique: pacing, dialogue, point of view or other flaws. Learning to write a good book is a craft. Many people say someday they’re going to write a book. They sit down, …
Writing Connected Stories
by Winnie Griggs As a reader I’ve always loved connected stories. I mean, what can be better than knowing that the characters and storyworld that you’ve just invested so much time and emotion into are going to reappear in more books to come. As an author, however, it never occurred to me to try to pen connected stories myself, until …
I Have a Secret
by Lanny Smith I have a secret: I’m a self-publisher! I never planned to be a self-publisher but the market and trends have changed. Here’s how it happened: Before I started my first novel, I prayed over it. I knew I needed God’s help and He came through for me. I wrote about a radical terrorist’s (is there any other …
So You Got a Bad Review?
by Maggie Brendan You’ve put your heart and soul into your novel and finally hold the first copy reverently in your hands-then the reviews come. Some good, others bad. You feel like it’s a personal attack. So why do we re-read the bad reviews again and again and not focus on the genuinely good ones? I think it’s tied up …
Writing a Short Synopsis
by Roxanne Rustand Learning to write a concise, appealing synopsis is extremely important. After you start selling, you’ll eventually be able to sell on proposal (a synopsis and three chapters) or perhaps on just a synopsis. There are many formats for writing them and this is certainly not the only method, but it has worked for me. Start with a …
So Many Books! How Do You Choose Your Summer Reads?
by Dana Mentink It summer! Best summer treat ever? Extra time to read, read, read! So many books, so little time. How in the world am I to winnow down the possibilities? I’ve got a few personal guidelines that help me determine what I pick up off the bookshelf or download my Kindle. Over the years my rules have changed, …
God’s Creative Call
By Loretta Eidson In The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer, we are told that God can restore lost dreams. Further reading presents an inspiring, thought-provoking source for resurrecting dormant talent. It encourages us to think back into our childhood and remember the one talent that brought a sparkle to our young eyes. Whether it was playing the piano, becoming an …
Do You Believe in Miracles?
by Harry Kraus A true story: (recounted in J.P. Moreland’s Kingdom Triangle, a report from Paul Eshleman, director of Campus Crusade’s Jesus film project.) In the state of Bihar, India, there is a notoriously anti-Christian tribe called the Malto. When a crew with Campus Crusade’s Jesus film attempted to schedule a showing there in 1998, they were strongly rebuffed. A …
Contests from a Judge’s Perspective
by Lisa Jordan Rejection, though undeniably painful, does not have to hold us back from accomplishing what God wants us to do. ~Jennifer Benson Shuldt After entering one of my first writing contests, I was determined never to enter another. After all, my low scores attested to judges’ inabilities to recognize talent, right? Uh huh… Actually my own inflated view …
Suspension of Disbelief: A Writer’s Goal
By Ane Mulligan Jim Rubart wrote a good piece for Novel Rocket about how authors write. He said: “I continue to read traditionally published books where I think the novelist is wasting words and keeping the reader from going deeper into the POV of the protagonist. Here’s what I mean: I frequently see sentences such as this: ‘He could hear …