by Casey Herringshaw Writing a novel is certainly not for the faint of heart. The weak in limbs or the feeble of mind. Writing is for the passionate and driven, those willing to fight the battle against the piles of laundry and undusted home surfaces. Those willing to spend hours glued to one’s desk chair and foregoing much in the …
Why I Write for Boys
by Eddie Jones Why do I write for boys? First I are one. Have been for as long as I can remember. Given the advancements in modern science and the cultural acceptance of transgender persons, a day may come when I am something different. But for now I’m a boy – albeit an older, smelly one. Here’s another reason I …
Learn from a Pro
by Deborah Lynne Today I wanted to do something a little different than my normal blog for ACFW. Don’t get me wrong; it still shares valuable insight into writing like all of the ACFW blogs posted. For my blog I had an idea and emailed one of my favorite authors of inspirational romantic suspense requesting to interview her. I am …
The Enemy-enemy
by Beth Shriver The cursor blinks and still nothing. The hours tick by and you’ve written two sentences. You take a break to check your email. The phone rings. Now its lunch time. You sit down to write and see the blinking cursor again. We’ve all had those days when procrastination sets in, and the harder you push, the further …
The Huguenot Cross-Celebrating the Symbolic
By Elizabeth Musser I received my Huguenot cross in December of 1994, given to me by my beloved husband, Paul. We spent many hours looking for just the right cross because it was extremely significant to me. It represented the dreams of a lifetime, the answer to decades of prayer. I was going to write a novel. Many believers in …
Closed doors and Open Windows- Liminal Space
by Tina Radcliffe January is the time of year when I am reminded of liminal space. I love to talk about this topic. It relates so clearly to our writing journey. Liminal comes from the Latin, limina, meaning threshold. So think of liminal space as the threshold. It’s that place after you leave one room and have not yet entered …
Writing Romance When the Real Romance Fails
By Kit Wilkinson How do you write a happily-ever-after when your own story has turned into a tragedy? When I landed my last novel contract, frankly, it was the first bit of good news I’d had in a long while. I’d prayed to be able to write this book for a few months, thinking it would be just what I …
Writing in a Foxhole
By Cynthia Ruchti I admit it. I’m hyper-interested. I find everything fascinating and what isn’t fascinating is distracting. So imagine trying to focus to write a synopsis, a proposal, a chapter, a grocery list. Maybe you can identify. Melting icicles drip from the eaves troughs as I key in the words “icicles drip.” And although their rhythm and sparkling beauty …
Mining Your Life for Stories
By Marta Perry A number of years ago, I taught an evening adult class on journal writing. When the time came at our second session for participants to read their work, I felt a little apprehensive. What if nobody was willing to read? Would I be left with an hour of class time to fill? I shouldn’t have worried. The …
Discouragement Prescription
by Becky Wade Just four short syllables, but discouragement can have enormous destructive power in the life of a writer. Most of us who’ve been writing for any length of time have encountered seasons of it. Here are just a few of the things that can cause the onset of a case of discouragement. Do any of these sound familiar? …