By Ian Acheson I read recently about a Christian author whose first novel had won a number of accolades. On being asked whether such success had surprised them, they indicated that it hadn’t. They went on to explain that from the first days of writing the manuscript they had marveled with surprise and some disbelief that they had been able …
What Inspires Us
by Kim Gilliland I’m making an assumption here, but I believe we all need to be inspired by something when we first put pen to paper – or fingers to keys, as the case may be. Whether it’s a deadline looming, the proverbial sunrise making it’s entrance on a new day, or simply wanting 30 minutes of alone time with …
First Drafts: Fast and Free
By Katherine Reay As I write this, The Bronte Plot launches in two weeks and my next manuscript is due in a few days… As you read it, both are behind me. And at both times, I’m buried in first drafts. My son is working on college application essays and one of my daughters is tackling her first two high …
God can use anything-even amnesia!
By Allie Pleiter It would have been amusing, had it not been so scary. The romance author getting amnesia. Amnesia is such a romance “staple” that my editor joked about issuing a press release. It’s an amusing story now, the tale of my episode of Transient Global Amnesia in June of 2010. Back then it was one more layer to …
Writing What You Know…Emotionally
By Martha Rogers From early on in my writing days, I was taught to write what I knew most about. During my college days, that didn’t amount to a whole lot in my opinion. In looking back at those days and some of the manuscripts, I find stories about high school romances, college days, and perfect families. I was writing …
Capturing Your Romance Reader’s Heart
By Norma Gail You don’t have to compete with the greatest romance ever written to capture the heart of your reader. You have to make them fall in love with your character. Think of the most romantic line you have ever heard. So many great lines have been written and spoken over the years that it seems impossible to come …
Does a Newsletter Scare You? Five Ways to Rock It!
By Cynthia Herron As social media networks continue to limit our visibility (unless we buy their ads so they, in turn, will promote our posts/statuses), what’s a writer to do? How do we reach those we care about? Well, there are two things we can do (and yes, you’ve heard this before): blog and build our email lists-engage through our …
Character Profiles
By Loretta Eidson After moving into a new neighborhood, I moseyed to the swing on the front porch. My neighbors stirred about filling hummingbird feeders, weeding flowerbeds, and walking their dogs. Curiosity mounted as I sipped coffee and enjoyed the cool of the morning. Who were these people and how long had they lived here? Did they have a family? …
Crafting the Villain
By Kariss Lynch We’re all born sinful, but I don’t believe any of us are born inherently evil. Hitler didn’t start out thinking he would become a mass murderer. Life experiences, his choices, and what he fed his mind and heart led to the blackness of his character. While Hitler is an extreme example, I believe the same could be …
The Dreaded S-Word
By Bonnie Calhoun There is nothing in this writing world that can elicit more dread and loathing than saying the simple word ‘synopsis.’ The definitions of the word range from ‘a brief summary or general survey of something’ to ‘an outline of the plot of a book…’ So we are going to discuss writing a brief outline of a book. …