by Beth Shriver I’m using this example because the departed would want me to, he was just that kind of a guy. Although he didn’t grow up in the Amish community his grandfather did and all of the relatives before him. His last name was Yoder so I knew he had Amish roots. When I first started writing Amish he …
Be a Superhero: Write a Novel in a Month
by Susan May Warren “NaNoWriMo? National Novel Writing Month? Oh please, don’t ask me to write a novel in a month. I’m sorry, it’s just too overwhelming.” My friend and aspiring writer mentee, Sally, took a sip of her mint dark chocolate cocoa, looking at me as if I’d asked her to run a marathon. Tomorrow. “No. Forget it. You’d …
Writing A Novel Series
by Gail Gaymer Martin I’ve enjoyed writing novels in a series, because the advantage is: 1) each story creates fodder to build the next novel and 2) editors like to contract a series because they interest readers. A series demands an author to keep good records of details woven through the novels, especially with a large cast of characters. I …
Writing is a Passion
by Mary Ann Kerr Writing has become a passion and I can’t seem to stop! As the leaves turn to vibrant colors and the air begins to chill, our thoughts turn towards harvest and thanksgiving for God’s bountiful provisions. We are reminded, by creation, of God’s infinite love, a love so great that God sent His son to earth to …
Are You Bridging the Gap?
by Suzanne Kuhn Do you feel as if you are a public figure? Some are nodding “yes”, while others are shaking their heads adamantly “no”. Regardless of how you responded, reality is that when you answered the call and made the commitment to pursue writing, you became a public figure. In doing so you took on the mantle of writer …
Plot by the Seat of Your Pants
By Ane Mulligan There have been copious emails written on the loop regarding Plotter vs Pantster. One method works great for some and is a failure for others. Seat of the Pants (SOTP) writers can’t plot to save their lives. If the word is even uttered within fifty yards their muse takes a vacation. Plotting is their personal hades. So …
My Personal Self-Help Guide for Focusing on Writing
by Maggie Brendan With the current release of my sixth book, Perfectly Matched, last week, I was at the Georgia Romance Writers Conference, when another writer asked me if I had a guide to staying focused to write each book, handle marketing, and still maintain a separate life apart from my work. It was a thought provoking question which made …
Mentoring: Pay It Forward
By Margaret Daley Years ago when I started writing, the Internet didn’t exist, nor did the current plethora of how-to-books on romance writing. The writing groups so many of us now take for granted in helping beginners learn the craft of telling a good story weren’t exactly on every street corner either! In the city where I live, I was …
Writing Historical Novels, Part 2
By Carrie Turansky On Sept. 5th I shared several tips on research for historical authors. Today I’d like to continue with that topic and give you a few more ideas. All of these have been very helpful to me as I have been writing The Edwardian Brides Series, and today I am celebrating the release of Book One, The Governess …
Little Things Mean A Lot
by Dr. Richard Mabry As writers of fiction, we obsess over the big things: characters and plot. We work to make certain that readers invest themselves in the people who populate our stories and that every page provides an impetus to turn to the next one. We worry about the big things, and that’s as it should be, but how …