by Roxanne Rustand Way back at the beginning of my writing journey, I’d been a lifelong, avid reader, but I knew nothing about writing fiction. I started my first story just for fun, not imagining it ever becoming a book length manuscript–not dreaming of ever sending it to a publisher. I loved going to booksignings and meeting Real Authors, but …
First Drafts
by Katherine Reay I’m so excited to be here. I visit this blog regularly and always find something new, instructive or inspirational to help me, my writing, and my walk… So the privilege to contribute is just that, a privilege. Dear Mr. Knightley is out in the world. Lizzy & Jane is in copy edits. And I am beginning my …
Finding that Masterpiece Within
by D.L. Koontz One of my favorite secular movies is Romancing the Stone. Kathleen Turner plays a lonely romance novelist named Joan Wilder. In the opening scene, she’s hunched over a keyboard crying as she writes a tear-jerking scene (that’s me). She’s so engrossed in her writing, she ignores her irritated cat (also me). When she finishes, she hurriedly types …
Title Raves
By Davalynn Spencer You knew it was coming. It’s a predictable event, but you didn’t expect the emotional surge to swamp you. Before you realize what’s happening, you’re splashing in watery indignation upon hearing that the publisher changed the title of your manuscript. How dare they slap a new moniker across the front of your book. How cruel to discard …
When the Time is Right, Grab It!
by Melinda Inman This past weekend Barnes & Noble hosted a launch party for my first novel. Refuge is a “crossover” novel with appeal for both the open and the Christian markets. I signed with Koehler Books, a traditional publishing house, to gain broader access to both markets. Everything has been surreal, from receiving the early shipment of my book, …
Iron Sharpening Iron
by Tamera Alexander “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 Deborah Raney and I have been writing critique partners for more than ten years, ever since we met at the first ACFW conference. While not all critique partners become friends, friendship has been a natural outgrowth of our working relationship, and I’m so grateful. Over the …
Writing Under Deadline
By Donna Schlachter In the writing world, there are two kinds of deadlines: the ones imposed by others; and the ones imposed by you. The deadlines that others set for you in your writing might include a contest entry date; a critique group submission due date; a timeframe for the submission of a proposal and first three chapters to an …
LIES! The Foundation for Believable Motivation
by Ane Mulligan If y’all have been around me for more than ten minutes-okay five minutes, you know I’ll start talking about writing, and if I start on writing, I’ll move into motivation pronto. That’s because through mentors and classes I’ve taken, I’ve learned that’s the foundation of great characters and plotting. The first one was Rachel Hauck, who asked, …
One Person Can Make a Difference
by Ian Acheson We all can make a difference When was the last time you heard a message and thought the speaker was directing it specifically to you? It’s like you’re the only person in the auditorium, an audience of one. I experienced that sensation recently at church when a visiting pastor from the UK spoke. His message didn’t really …
Sincerely Yours
by Jane Kirkpatrick When was the last time you received a hand-written letter? Didn’t it make you feel special? I do my best to write notes when people have written to me or when we’ve been guests or just because, even though my handwriting isn’t always the easiest to read. My husband says he can’t read my grocery list. I …