By Linda W. Yezak Ever read in your own work or others’ about life-changing events that don’t seem to change the character’s life? Usually, it’s because the event isn’t dramatic enough. I can think of two reasons for this: (1) while we write, we are so focused on the action that we forget how the action affects the character, and …
From Book to Film
By Lenora Livingston Typically, a book is written prior to being adapted to a screenplay. However, I chose to do the reverse because of how my story developed. When I was in the heart of the greatest miracle of my life, in an instant I saw events from the three previous decades flash before me like a movie in fast …
From Breathing Britain to Immersion in the Civil War
By Glynn Young Researching a historical novel is more than a challenge; it feels like a career. I’ve written four novels in a series, with the main characters staying intact throughout. Buzzing around my head is the fifth, but I’m departing from the series to do something completely different. The new project is still a novel, but it’s not even …
Smell-O-Vision Research
By Kim Gilliland I am certain whatever genre of writing you favor there is some amount of research required. In today’s world that probably means getting online and typing in a phrase or word into your search engine. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo, pretty much anything you’ll ever need to know is instantaneously at your fingertips. …
Read to Write
By Cathleen Armstrong I have heard some writers say that they were never particularly great readers and that they never thought of becoming writers until it just…happened. I have to confess that on such occasions, and admittedly they have been rare, I regard the accidental writer with awe. How do you do that? How did you get up the nerve …
Productivity Hacks for the Procrastinating Writer
By Laurel Blount Self-discipline is…um…not my strongest spiritual fruit. So as a writer, time management is something I struggle with. I sit at my desk with every intention of writing, but then I just…don’t want to. I’d much rather check Facebook, make another cup of coffee, or rummage in my purse to see if I have any gum. In a …
Don’t Be a Troublemaker
By Davalynn Spencer Did your mother ever tell you to stop being a troublemaker? How about your teachers? Friends. Well, if that task was hard to achieve in your childhood, and you’re a fiction writer today, now’s your chance to shine. Making trouble is what novelists are called to do. We usually think of that trouble in terms of “conflict” …
Everything I Need to Know About Mysteries I Learned from Scooby Doo
By JPC Allen As a kid growing up in the ‘70’s, I lived to watch Scooby Doo. Little did I know that this first exposure to mystery stories would be a good foundation for trying to write my own. My very first attempt at writing a story was in second grade, and I wrote a homage (that sounds better than …
Perfectly Polished: What it Takes to Succeed as a Writer
By Loretta Eidson A manicure and perfectly polished fingernails make me feel better about the appearance of my hands. I love transferring to the nail technician the responsibility of clean-cut cuticles, hang-nail removal, filing, applying the polish and drying. It’s her job to make me happy with her work and leave me with the desire to return. Writers don’t have …
Making Personal Celebrations Impersonal
By Susan A.J. Lyttek I intentionally chose this date to write a blog because it’s the 35th anniversary of my (and my husband’s) church wedding. You might notice that I’m oddly specific. We had eloped in June of the same year, so it’s not technically our marriage anniversary, though we do celebrate both dates. Our story is almost strange enough …