By Lenora Livingston In my seventy-six years of living, never once in my wildest dreams did I ever envision myself writing a novel. No, not me, no way! In my school days, I always cringed at the very thought of rough drafts and rewriting themes and term papers. If I couldn’t write it right the first time forget it. It …
The Season Between
By Chandra Lynn Smith Early morning is quiet these days. The summer songbirds have already moved out. The gaggle of Canada Goose that spent the summer raising young and lazing on my pond have left. The robins, whose arrival indicates spring, are gathering in my yard now for their southern flight. All of wildlife is storing food for the winter, …
National Forgiveness Day
By Elizabeth Ludwig The theme in many of my books has been forgiveness–both giving and receiving. It seems fitting then, that that I talk about National Forgiveness Day. This year, it falls on October 29. Who knew? I certainly didn’t. It’s a good reminder that we all need to practice forgiveness. However should this be reserved for one day…or should …
The Joy of the Lord is My Strength
By Barbara J. Scott Joy? “What’s joy got to do with writing?” the Grinch would say. Aren’t writers supposed to pour their blood, sweat, and tears onto the page? Aren’t we supposed to suffer for our craft? I remember the first story I ever wrote for publication–The Milk Bottle Circus. I was in the fourth grade, and our teacher planned …
An Unexpected Opportunity
By Mary Lou Cheatham Do you ever find a review of your novel that you wish would go away…simply disappear from Amazon…and not be there when you visit your product page next time? As writers seeking to improve our skills of communication, we thrive on helpful criticism from critique partners, critique groups, and even negative reviewers. But you have a …
Moment to Moment
By Tanara McCauley I recently joined the ranks of writers who pen speculative fiction. While I’ve read it for years and tend to favor a well-written epic fantasy over any other genre, it wasn’t until I felt God’s leading in that direction that I decided to step out in obedience and try to write my own. I initially found myself …
Making Wise Investments
By John W. Tucker Balance in each day’s activities is something we all strive for. Full-time or part-time writers, we must plan ahead and stay focused when we write. Think of the potential activities a writer may be involved in: writing into an article or book daily, writing a blog weekly or biweekly, setting aside money toward a writer’s conference …
When You Feel Talentless
By Rondi Bauer Olson A few months ago I had a difficult time leaving behind the world of a book I’d read. I thought about the characters and plot for weeks, reread the book a couple of times, and journaled my favorite passages. At first, I just enjoyed the experience. I gained a better understanding of people from a certain …
Four Little Words to Help You Prep for the ACFW Conference
By Beth K. Vogt For those of your prepping for the upcoming conference, here are four words to guide you, and yes, I used the acronym A.C.F.W. Even if you’re not attending the conference, these four words apply to every writer’s journey: ADJUST your expectations. We pack a lot of things to bring to the annual ACFW conference, but one …
FREE HUGS at ACFW Conference!
By Teresa Tysinger You guys! Can you believe the ACFW Conference is just a few short weeks away? It’s like a trip to Disney World for Christian authors. (If you think that’s overstating, then you’ve obviously never been to one.) Like many of you, I’m working hard to prepare. Here’s a glimpse at my to-do list in progress: • Sketch …