by Jennifer Sienes Praying for inspiration for a new novel is on par with praying for a personal disaster. Because, that’s where I received the inspiration for my first two books – my brother’s suicide and my daughter’s near – fatal car accident. So, I was sure to be clear with God that I really wanted to write about someone …
Things I Wish I’d Known Sooner
by Cynthia Herron Twenty years ago, the world of writing was a much different scenario. Writers had fewer irons in the fire and more time to create. The internet was still new, a “social media presence” unheard of, and snail mail the order of the day. Today, we have the ability to research from anywhere at the touch of a …
Distractions
by Carolyne Aarsen We all have them and we all give in to them. As a writer, working from home, with a refrigerator only a procrastination away, distractions are my nemesis. The biggest ones? The Internet and e-mail. No contest. I will be working away and hit a snag. Doesn’t even need to be a big one. Can be something …
Opening Night Jitters
by Dr. Richard Mabry I remember it well. It was the opening (and closing) night for the fifth grade’s performance of the musical, The Gypsy King. I played the male lead, Kom, opposite the attractive blonde classmate on whom I’d had a crush for a year. (Never mind why Yola, the Gypsy Queen, was a blonde. Ever hear of “suspension …
Building Your Writing Career While Working Full Time
by Lisa Jordan For the past 15 years, I’ve owned and operated my own state-registered in-home childcare program. My days are very busy and extremely noisy, but I reap many incredible blessings. In 2011 I received my first publishing contract, so for the past two years, I’ve been juggling my day job with my night job. After dinner ends, I …
How to Keep That Conference Feeling All Year Long
by Melissa Tagg The annual ACFW is one of my absolute favorite times of year. It’s like Christmas meets my birthday meets all those fun college classes. (You know, versus the classes you HAD to take…like anything even remotely math related.) But once you return home, it’s easy to feel a little letdown. A little “Oh my goodness, do I …
Top 5 Tools for the Not-Yet-Published Writer
by Laura McClellan As a lifelong student of the writing craft, I’ve heard and read lots of good advice, tons of suggestions for essential tools for those of us who are working toward a career as a writer. I thought I’d offer my suggestions for the top five tools for pre-published writers: 1. A calendar. All the real experts, the …
What A Writer Needs
by Dani Pettrey Every writer is different and every writer has different needs while writing. I always write with a piece of dark chocolate and a coffee drink (Mocha, Americano, etc.) at hand. I always write my first drafts longhand, and I’m pretty particular about the notebooks and pens I use. It got me thinking about what other writers need …
Simple Words of Comfort
by Jane Kirkpatrick When my sister was very ill she told me that when you’re going through a hard time, it’s difficult to concentrate long enough to read an entire book. So I’d call her and give her little things to think about for encouragement. For instance I told her that the word family came from the Latin word famalus …
When Tragedy Strikes…
by Shirley E. Gould My amazing husband passed away suddenly on May 7, 2013. My life has taken a devastating turn that has sapped my writing creativity. It’s hard to string words together when you’re telling yourself to breathe in and out, when your heart is broken, and everywhere you turn reminders of his absence overwhelm your emotions. After two …