By Shirley E. Gould During this season of thanksgiving, we enjoy a feast of turkey, dressing, casseroles, corn, cranberry sauce and croissant rolls. Mashed potatoes with gravy and sweet potatoes complete the display. It’s a time of family gatherings, parades and football games. While it brings a halt in our writing schedule, it is a prime opportunity to gather fodder …
Why Mentors Matter
By Lisa Jordan When I became serious about writing and joined my first writing organization, I was paired with my first mentor. Even though I understood the basic fundamentals of writing, I needed help with advanced techniques to strengthen my craft. Also, I wanted someone who understood the publishing industry. Having a mentor helped because she understood where I was …
Blessings in Conflict
By Kathy Harris If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. — Meister Eckhart Everywhere we turn this time of year, we’re reminded to be thankful. Whether it’s a warm and fuzzy television commercial, a not-so-gentle nudge delivered from the pulpit, or a magazine article on the Top Ten Tips …
“Drawing” on Your Creative Resources
by Betsy Lowery As a writer whose nonfiction offerings lean more toward deep ideas than toward useful application, I’m happy to offer to my ACFW community a very simple and concrete idea. In chapter 9 of The Wrong Type of Love (unfinished sequel to my first and unpublished novel, A Stranger’s Promise), a couple of young musicians need some inspiration …
Choose Your Publisher with Care
By Deb Haggerty When an author begins to look at publishers to see where their book might fit, there are several things they should take into consideration. The same steps generally apply to agents as well. 1. Does the publisher have a good reputation in the industry? With the proliferation of small, boutique publishers popping up constantly, you want to …
In the Baking of the Bread
by Marianne Evans My family has this thing about homemade, fresh-baked onion bread. It’s a staple that’s been passed from my grandma, to my mom, and now, to me. I love being the one to carry on the tradition of baking bread because, as I’ve often joked with my kids, it’s a sure-fire way to get them to pay a …
Stepping Out
By Tomi Leslie I questioned within. Me, take a line-dancing lesson? But I do love Country music. And so, I decided to try it. Then, I shopped for the perfect boots. Soon, I entered a resale store and on the shoe rack, I glanced at pumps, flats, sandals, and high-heeled shoes. I eventually asked the middle-aged saleswoman. “Do you have …
Don’t Quit Your Day Job–Part II
by Elizabeth Musser A year ago (October, 2015), I wrote a post called ‘Don’t Quit Your Day Job‘. Here’s the second part of that post, giving a very personal account of how my day job inspired my newest novel. In the summer of 1984, I, along with dozens of other missionaries working throughout Europe, gathered for a conference in an …
Love the Labor
By Liz Curtis Higgs Being published is a blessing, but I think the writing process itself is the real reward. The discoveries unearthed while doing research, the time spent on character development, the crafting of the story, and the fine-tuning of each sentence–that’s what makes my heart sing. I bet that’s how it is for you as well, my friend. …
World Creating for the Earth-bound
By Lee Carver Fellow authors, I’d like to share with you a thought which has helped me visualize and therefore write my fiction. Fantasy and sci-fi writers are accustomed to creating worlds, defining them well enough that the reader “sees” the setting, right? Doing that without an “information dump” is part of the challenge. It has only recently occurred to …