By Kathy Harris We unpublished writers are always looking for ways to discern how far we are in our writing journey. One of the best guides can be found at Randy Ingermanson’s website, www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/freshman.php. By answering only five questions you can determine, by Randy’s estimation, whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, with publication becoming likely in the …
Don’t Imitate Others — Follow God’s Directions
By Lena Nelson Dooley In 2005, so many people were starting blogs. I had no idea what a blog was, and I didn’t know if I was supposed to do one. I asked some other writers I was connected with what they blogged about. Someone told me to blog about my journey to publication. That was something I could do, …
Do What You Are: by Tina Radcliffe
Life is a balancing act, and the words of Alex Cross, in James Patterson’s, Along Came a Spider, “Do what you are,” are a challenge when applied to our daily lives. If you were to list those things that fill your life in order of importance from least to most, how much time would you admit they occupy in your …
Blueprint for Success: Donna Rich
A blueprint works? The bad news: I can’t give you a blueprint. The good news: I can share my experience. Overcome Rejection – I’m not wanted My first rejection came in 1978. I had submitted a nonfiction book to Baker Book House. I knew it would be a success – until the nice letter came telling me otherwise. Instead of …
Calling all ACFW for extroverts…or extrovert wannabees
You know that talkative personality? The one that drives your friends and family crazy? Did you realize it is a gift? Well it is, and there’s no better place to let that gift shine than at an ACFW conference. I understand I might be talking to a tiny percentage of the writing population. Lots–okay, almost all–of writers are introverts. Most …
Polishing Your Opening Chapters
Are you headed to the ACFW conference or preparing to submit your proposal to an agent and editor? If so, you need to polish those first three chapters until they shine. The synopsis, marketing ideas, platform and bio are important, but the strength of your writing in those chapters is what makes the agent or editor keep reading and ask …
Librarians–Authors’ Best Friends
By Mary Ellis Often writers are curious to learn which marketing and publicity ideas work for other writers and which do not. I, too, am curious about the very same thing. We blog and interview on various blog-sites; we e-mail newsletters to established fans and snail-mail publicity postcards to announce upcoming books; we FaceBook and Twitter and network and wonder …
If it weren’t for writer’s conferences . . .
Maureen Lang I wonder how many authors I know, myself included, would be published today without having been to a writer’s conference? The publishing industry has always been a competitive field. According to one study I read, approximately 80% of the general public believes they have a book in them. Understandably with the advent of computers, this number is probably …
Keep Juggling – Using a Chart to Track Writing Goals
One of the biggest surprises of being published was the juggling act. Before publication, I’d get a story idea, research it, plot it, write it, and edit it. Then I’d start my next project. After my first contract, that all changed. I’m usually doing publicity for one book, working on my publisher’s edits for another, writing a third, and plotting a fourth. …
Are You Dancing? Jim Rubart
Are you doing the ACFW conference fence dance? You know, the one where you’re on the fence not sure if you’re coming or not. If you are on the white picket right now, I can relate. I’ve done that rumba. I did it for years with the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal Conference. Every spring I said I’d go next year. …