By Cynthia Ruchti Two passages diverged in a yellow wood. And I… I took the one with subtext And that has made All the difference. (with apologies to Robert Frost) When writing, critiquing, judging, or editing a story, attention to subtext can make all the difference. It deserves another look. When writing instructors talk about the elements that mark the …
5 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Guilt
By Natalie Monk Many of us experience writing-related guilt. Not writing enough, writing too much, neglecting “X” in order to write, not making enough money by writing, having too little to show for years of work, and my recent favorite, “What if I’m investing my life in something ‘good’, but not God’s best for me? Am I really called to …
So Long, Perfection
by Kariss Lynch I came back from the Deep Thinkers Retreat a few weeks back with my story plotted, my characters vetted and chattering in my head, and excitement brewing about my story. I sat down in the evenings after work and began to whittle away the word count and fill out my story. Then, I came to a crashing …
#NotWriting
by Kathy Harris I recently read a quote from bestselling author Nicholas Sparks. It said, “You can’t be a writer if you don’t write.” While I don’t disagree in theory, I do believe we will all eventually come upon a season when we can’t write. I’m not talking about an occasional bout of writer’s block or the dreaded ‘dry spell.’ …
How to trick your brain and create the perfect writing environment
By Melissa Tagg Here’s the thing: I wish I could do ALL my writing on languid Saturday mornings…slow and relaxed and unencumbered by things like, oh, you know, the need to actually get dressed and go into the office and interact with the real world. But once I signed my first publishing contract, I realized in order to do that …
Modern Issues or Cookie Cutter…
By Lynn Hobbs Recently, I attended a ladies luncheon from several churches in my area. One woman had an out of state friend visiting her, and we welcomed her to the group. Upon learning I was the author of a Christian fiction series she had read, she discussed the ending of the last book in the series. She loved the …
The Magic Triangle: Exploring Wounds for Deeper Fiction
By Connilyn Cossette Have you read a book in which the characters seem flat? Lifeless? I certainly have. The plot may be great and the writing lyrical, but if the characters do not leap from the page the story will either leave readers unsatisfied or end up in the graveyard-of-unfinished-books. Since our goal is to provide an experience where readers …
How to Light a Fire to Your Writing Career
By DiAnn Mills When writers realize the embers of their careers are dying, stomping out the few remaining flames is not the answer. Instead, effective writers look for new ways to promote themselves that explodes with ingenuity and creativity. Is your career on the verge of smoldering? Try adding a spark to your marketing and promotion plan with these ideas. …
What do you do with Rejection?
by Patricia Bradley I met a writer once who kept every rejection letter she ever received. Over 10,000 letters. I was thinking about her the other day, and not just her, but all the writers out there who keep writing through rejections. I was one of those writers. I never received 10,000 rejections, mostly because I didn’t send my manuscripts …
When Jealousy Interferes with Spiritual Growth
by Mary Ellis Writers often create characters with some rather profound lessons to learn. If we’re smart we can learn those lessons along with them. Working in the competitive world of publishing, I often struggle with ego and pride. Authors are asked to blog and Facebook, tweet and pin, to draw attention to their books and ultimately to themselves. Available …