by Christa Kinde I first heard about NaNoWriMo from writing friends. They talked about the annual event with a blend of reverence and enthusiasm that made me curious. For those not in the know, November is National Novel Writing Month, and participants attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Exactly the sort of crazy scheme I enjoy. For the …
One Foolproof Way to Improve Your Writing
by Beth K. Vogt Let’s talk about one way to improve your writing. One tip. Two words: Slow down. That’s it. Want to be a better writer? Slow down. How does slowing down improve your writing? Consider these three examples: I’m a huge fan of fast drafting my manuscript – writing with forward motion, internal editor turned off, and with …
Total Recharge
By Darlene L. Turner Josiah trudged along the narrow path. He stopped, shifted his backpack, and forced himself to keep moving in spite of the shooting pain coursing through his leg. He kept his mind focused on the solitude of his mountaintop destination. The agony of the climb would be worth it. It had been a rough six months with …
Paying It Forward
By Lenora Livingston “Paying it Forward” is an expression for describing the recipient of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor. What better way can a person show their thankfulness than to participate in the rippling effects of goodness. At age 78, I wish I could go back and thank my teachers who most …
Learning to Write Mannascripts
By Bethany Turner A few days ago, my son asked, “Is there still manna?” I said, “What do you mean? It’s not manufactured, if that’s what you’re asking…” “Well, no,” he laughed. “I didn’t mean like at Manna-R-Us, or something.” (He’s eleven, and a little too smart and witty—and sarcastic—for his own good, sometimes.) “I mean is there any left?” …
Making it right….
by Roxanne Rustand When someone refers to their “writing journey,” I think back to my own journey and my own misconceptions back in the early 1990’s. It all seemed so clear back then. Write. Be dedicated. Absorb everything I heard at writers’ conferences, study my books on writing and the scores of writing workshop tapes I listened to endlessly. It …
The Breath of Beauty
by Christine Sunderland Tonight is All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints Day. For now, the dark of tonight eclipses the light of tomorrow. Death shadows life. The ghoulish threaten the beautiful. In pre-Christian Celtic Britain, October 31 was considered the end of summer and harvest, the day before winter and longer nights. Believing that the spirits of their …
Too Much Communication?
By Tamela Hancock Murray Some authors ask me if they share too much. If you’re asking, you probably aren’t! In my opinion, most authors connect the right amount, or if anything, err on the side of not communicating enough. You might ask: Too much information? Not for me. I once heard a sermon that everyone needs to hear something eight …
Why We Write
By Ian Acheson For those of us who’ve started out on this writing journey later in life it’s often a result of that burning story idea that’s been bugging us for years. That was me 15 years (really has it been that long ago?). Or how many times have we met someone who says they really want to write their …
The Christian Writer’s Cause
By John W. Tucker Christian writers have a variety of reasons for wanting to write. Here are eleven: 1) to fulfill a personal need; 2) to honor God by using this gift; 3) to reach sectors of the population with a message of hope; 4) to earn a living or supplement it; 5) to set an example and help reproduce …