by Richard L. Mabry, MD Gotcha! How many of you clicked on this post thinking I’d give you the magic formula for turning dross into gold? Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. Let me tell you my own story. My first writer’s conference was an absolute disaster. I felt as though I’d been dumped into a foreign land without knowing …
No Shortcuts to Developing Gift and Craft
by Tina Radcliffe I firmly believe in the philosophy of happily-ever-after, hard work paying off and that eventually everyone who pays their dues will graduate from the school of hard knocks. I don’t believe there are short cuts to success for authors. Writing is a gift and a craft. Gift is that immeasurable package of God-given talent you were born …
The Long Wait, Part 2
by Dani Pettrey Last month, I shared five proactive steps you can take while waiting for the “call.” Those steps helped me during my waiting days, and I hope they were encouraging to you. Today, I’d like to share five more. 1. All good things take time: It takes time to learn how to write a novel. Yes, there are …
Is There an Exception to Every Rule?
by Donna L. Rich There are many details one can miss when engulfed in pride of accomplishment. For instance, I’m published in contemporary, my most recent of which, Love for the Right Reasons, will be out in March from Heartsong. Nevertheless, I love writing and reading historical. Here’s where the pride comes in. Having had twelve years’ background in tracing …
The Voices, the Voices!
by Carolyne Aarsen We all have them. Those Voices that won’t leave us alone as we write. The Voices that roam around the back of our head, that analyze each word, each phrase, each scene. Voices that are often negative, sometimes positive. I’ll be writing about my hero and heroine as they become aware of each other and the Voices …
Writing in the Rain
by Telena Tanara Contreras I am a planner down to the last detail, organizing my life much like I organize my family’s travels. When a trip approaches, I map out the events, orchestrate the timeline, gather the supplies, and instruct the participants. I make sure my perfect little plan is in picture perfect order before bags can be loaded and …
Day Job?
by Beth Shriver I’ve always admired writers who also have another job as well as their writing. I was a social worker before my daughter was born and started writing soon after, but now that my youngest is off to college I’ve ventured back into the work force. I’m still learning how to balance the two. The first thing I …
Developing the Real-Life Substance
by Michael Lee Joshua I “live” in Colorado. But I work in Wyoming. I do get home every other weekend (as long as weather permits). Being up here in Wyoming has left me with time on my hands. I’ve gotten a lot of writing done. Some of the best lessons I have picked up over the past few months have …
The Question of Character
by Christine Sunderland In this week in which we celebrate our American Presidents, the question of character seems particularly relevant. How do we develop characters in fiction? How do we develop character in our children? What is, exactly character? Of course I’m playing a bit with two definitions – moral attributes, and a person in a novel. But are they …
Building Relationships
by Jordyn Redwood Okay, I have to admit-one thing that surprised me on the road of an author’s life was bookstore signings are not about me. Really. They’re not. Whenever you read about marketing (and bookstore signings are just that) it boils down to how well you build relationships. Last year at the ACFW conference, author handler Suzie Q discussed …