by M.D. House @Real_HouseMD At first blush, this doesn’t seem like such a difficult task. But when we examine the recent success of The Chosen—and all of the painstaking work which has gone into not just the cinematography but the storytelling itself—we realize the steep challenge involved in securing the sweet promise of that goal. Such stories and their characters …
Fish-Belly Dreams: Encouragement for New Writers
by Ashley Worrell @byashleyworrell I’ll never forget the day I walked out of my HR career forever. With my dying anthurium plant in hand, I walked down the government building’s corridor, uncertain of my choice. I’d worked my whole adult life to achieve this ‘dream job’, making money I never thought I’d make, and having doors open to me I …
Getting Your Word Count… and Making Your Words Count
by Brandy Heineman @brandyhei Today I’m celebrating the release of my newest novel, Like Honey for the Bones. The title inspiration came from the Proverbs. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. -Proverbs 16:24 (NASB) This lovely verse gives us an important truth: words matter. Though they can be weapons, they can also …
Where Do I Fit In?
By Marilyn Turk @MarilynTurk In this vast, unpredictable world of writing, do you ever wonder where you fit in? I do. Although we try to avoid labeling people, the publishing business does this for us. Here are some examples: 1. Prepublished? Published? Multi-published? 2. Are you with a major publisher? Small press? Independent? Hybrid publisher? 3. Are you an A-listed …
To Contest or Not to Contest?
by Angela Hunt Every year, the contests come around, whether you are published or unpublished. Should you enter? There’s a definite cost involved—not only the financial fee, but the cost of your time to prepare the manuscript, arrange for the mailing of books or pages, and the cost of wear and tear on your nerves. Are contests worth it? Way …
Reach THE END, Press SEND, Repeat
By Kathleen Y’Barbo-Turner @KathleenYBarbo As the author of more than 100 books, I often get asked how I manage to write all those books. My answer? One book at a time! I know, but it’s true. I also get asked for my secret to how I manage to reach THE END and press SEND time after time. Please understand I …
The lesson of all those boxes…
by Allie Pleiter @alliepleiter “We have a lot of books,” I warned the man from the moving company. He smiled and waved a hand in the air in a no big deal gesture. “Oh, don’t worry, we’re used to that.” “No,” I insisted, “We have a LOT of books. Come with me.” He kept chatting in reassuring tones until I …
Tips on Writing a Counseling Scene
by Kathy Maresca @so_tweet Write what you know. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings took this advice from her agent to heart. She wrote a story set in rural Cross Creek, Florida, where she lived. Soon The Yearling was published, and it won the 1939 Pulitzer Prize. Rawlings’ success encouraged me; I grew up just a few miles from her home. A rehabilitation …
Seeing the Bright Side of Rejection
By Lori Domingo @loridomingo22 To say that I was beyond excited to be nearing the finish line of my MFA program would be an understatement. I had in my hands a completed, full-length novel – my first in my genre of choice, Christian fiction. Part of the requirements for one of my classes was to research a favorite author in …
Travel Inspiration
by Marguerite Martin Gray As a reader I can travel to the ends of the earth in nay era through the pages of a good book. Imagine how many countries and cultures I have traversed since I am of a certain age. I crave learning about countries, real or imaginary with facts that answer my questions. Through the words that …