By Tara Johnson “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” ~Proverbs 18:21 As writers, many of us crave that elusive book contract. We struggle to learn the craft. We go to conferences. We network, build a platform, grow social media…all with the idea that if our hard work pays …
New Covenant Testaments from Faithful Women
By M.D. House Someday we’ll see the countless testimonies recorded on scroll, tablet, or plate by the women who helped lead and nurture the early Christian church. All of it has been recorded in heaven, and can therefore be reproduced when the time comes. Mary the Mother of Jesus Gabriel, the angel who first visited Mary, called her “highly favored” …
My Writing Journey
By Diana Wallis Taylor Fifteen years ago, I had not even written my first novel. What I had worked on was an Easter musical. Now I’d written a lot of poetry, and published a book of poetry, “Wings of the Wind” but not songs. As a poet, I had no problem writing the words. Then the Lord gave me melodies …
Worthy Words: Sacramental Settings
By Christine Sunderland Today is Palm Sunday, a major festival in the Christian year. It recalls and celebrates Christ’s humble and glorious entrance into Jerusalem on a colt, to begin the week leading to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. As Jesus entered the gates of the city, the “multitudes” waved palms in greeting. They spread their garments and …
Celebrating a Book Birthday with Gratitude
By Gina Detwiler This week, Forbidden, the fourth book of the Forlorn series (the fifth if you count the prequel), had its official book birthday. Let me tell you how that feels. Terrifying. Exciting! I mean exciting. Of course. But also, yes, terrifying. Because along with the joy of a newborn novel comes the angst: will anyone read it? Will …
Finding Your Writing Process
By Carol Buchanan, PhD Sometimes the most difficult task in the writing life is to find your own writing process. By writing process, I don’t mean answering one of these questions: Are you a plotter? Are you a pantser? Are you somewhere on the continuum between them? Even if you’re the most determined plotter, who devises every twist and turn …
How to win a writing contest
By Jill K Willis You’ve decided . . . gulp . . . to enter your book baby in a writing contest. You’ve agonized over the synopsis, formatted the manuscript, and completed the contact form. You’ve edited it a thousand times, along with your mother and your critique partner. You’ve caught typos, grammatical errors, and plot holes. What more could …
Four Things to Give Up to Grow Your Writing Career
By Lisa Jordan How many times have you heard someone say, “I give up”? Those three simple words can destroy a writer’s dream. Maybe you’ve been trying to get that novel completed but your characters aren’t cooperating. Or you’ve been trying to get an agent’s or an editor’s attention to no avail. It’s so easy to give up, isn’t it? …
When You Hit the Writing Wall
By Glynn Young I’ve learned there is more than one kind of writing block. I’ve been blessed with never to have experienced writer’s block, that immobilization that often afflicts writers and stops them cold from writing another word. I’ve sympathized with people who’ve had it, and I know it’s real. They stare at a blank page or screen, and – …
Worthy Words: Threading the Theme
By Christine Sunderland As I research my eighth novel, I consider worthy themes, themes that reflect the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s love for mankind. What is the theme? How will I thread this theme through the pages, creating a satisfying whole, weaving together characters, plot, and settings? This novel will be the third in a trilogy about free speech …