by Terry Overton Listening to my Bible Study leader speak in our recent study of Rahab, the point was made very clear to me. God asked Rahab to step out of her comfort zone and do something she probably never thought she would do. He had selected Rahab to take in two spies and to lie to the authorities when …
Why I Love Critique Groups
By Cindy Ervin Huff @Cindyhuff11Huff One of the best ways I’ve improved my writing over the years is in my critique groups. I’ve learned so much at writer’s conferences and writing craft books, but the application can be challenging. I don’t often see my writing mistakes. But having critique partners makes all the difference. For a few years, I was …
How I Started Writing
by Angela Hunt Hel-looo, ACFW! This is my first blog post here, so I thought I’d introduce myself to those of you I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting. I’m a mom, Nana, and keeper of Chickens and Very Big Dogs. I live in Florida. I’ve flown to New York so my dog could be on Regis and Kelly, I’m …
The Strength of Waiting
By Tara Johnson @TaraMinistry “A watched pot never boils.” I heard that phrase a hundred times while growing up, and every time I was chided for my impatience, I cringed. I confess, not much has changed over the years. I still pace when sending off a new manuscript to a potential publishing house. I still bite my nails when reviews …
Feel the Rain
by Chandra Lynn Smith It’s a pretty little blank book. Well, it started as a blank book. I began writing in this journal in 2003, twenty years ago. On the first page I quoted Galatians 6:4 from The Message. “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” …
Nothing New
by E.V. Sparrow @evSparrow Are we ever uneasy there’s “nothing new under the sun” to write about, like Scripture tells us? Ecclesiastes 1:9,“The thing that has been–it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun.” (AMPC) If we believe this wisdom from …
How to Find Time to Write by Lapping the Couch
by Cindy Ervin Huff @Cindyhuff11Huff Getting start on your novel is like starting on an exercise routine. Some of us moan we don’t have time while others get off the couch and take a few steps, do a few stretches, stroll around the living room and lap the couch a few times. After a while they’ve gotten strong enough and …
From the Tablet on your Heart
by Kathy Maresca @KathyMaresca Stories, willing to escape the confines of our hearts, burn inside writers. Oftentimes a memory spurs our desire to share our poetry and prose with the world. Sometimes details are sketchy. Other times they seem more real than the present day. When I wrote Porch Music, I wanted to include a few of my mother’s memories. …
Self-Deception is Easy when Comparing Yourself to Others
If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ~Galatians 6:3 NIV Well, that verse hit me between the eyes, literally. My phone slipped. I’ll let you use your imagination. That attempt at humor was necessary because the verse hit too close for comfort. Yes, that was a lame attempt at a pun. Being an independent …
Ten Tips to Help You Write More Words
by Carrie Turansky @carrieturansky Whether you’re an aspiring author or multi-published, it’s often a challenge to meet your writing goals. Here are ten tips that will help increase your writing productivity. 1. Write with instrumental music playing in the background. I recently saw an informal survey that found those who listened to music while writing were able to write more words …