A Woman Writing in a Man’s Voice By Mary Connealy My mother-in-law, Marybelle Connealy, was one of my favorite people on the planet. She’s the mother of seven sons (no daughters) including My Cowboy who was number six, so I’m glad she kept having boys until she came up with one for me. She’s got this great combination of strength …
The Huguenot Cross-Celebrating the Symbolic
By Elizabeth Musser I received my Huguenot cross in December of 1994, given to me by my beloved husband, Paul. We spent many hours looking for just the right cross because it was extremely significant to me. It represented the dreams of a lifetime, the answer to decades of prayer. I was going to write a novel. Many believers in …
Closed doors and Open Windows- Liminal Space
by Tina Radcliffe January is the time of year when I am reminded of liminal space. I love to talk about this topic. It relates so clearly to our writing journey. Liminal comes from the Latin, limina, meaning threshold. So think of liminal space as the threshold. It’s that place after you leave one room and have not yet entered …
Writing Romance When the Real Romance Fails
By Kit Wilkinson How do you write a happily-ever-after when your own story has turned into a tragedy? When I landed my last novel contract, frankly, it was the first bit of good news I’d had in a long while. I’d prayed to be able to write this book for a few months, thinking it would be just what I …
Writing in a Foxhole
By Cynthia Ruchti I admit it. I’m hyper-interested. I find everything fascinating and what isn’t fascinating is distracting. So imagine trying to focus to write a synopsis, a proposal, a chapter, a grocery list. Maybe you can identify. Melting icicles drip from the eaves troughs as I key in the words “icicles drip.” And although their rhythm and sparkling beauty …
It’s Time to Quit Social Media
By Edie Melson It’s time to quit Social Media. Yep, you read that right. The Queen of social media is telling you it’s time to QUIT social media. NOT permanently (thought you were going to get out of it, didn’t you!), but I’m suggesting you take a break periodically, and re-examine your plan. I used to keep up with social …
Mining Your Life for Stories
By Marta Perry A number of years ago, I taught an evening adult class on journal writing. When the time came at our second session for participants to read their work, I felt a little apprehensive. What if nobody was willing to read? Would I be left with an hour of class time to fill? I shouldn’t have worried. The …
Writing Contests and You!
By Roxanne Rustand ACFW is a wonderful source of education, networking, and industry information, and offers another opportunity: its annual contest for unpublished writers. There are other non-ACFW contests during the year as well. Entering contests can be very helpful, and here are a few reasons why: 1. If your critique partners have seen your work over and over, they …
Discouragement Prescription
by Becky Wade Just four short syllables, but discouragement can have enormous destructive power in the life of a writer. Most of us who’ve been writing for any length of time have encountered seasons of it. Here are just a few of the things that can cause the onset of a case of discouragement. Do any of these sound familiar? …
What if we Plot a Writing Path for the Year Ahead?
By Judy Christie Many writers start terrific stories by asking a simple question: What if? “What if?” leads novelists down the merry story path, scene after scene, chapter after chapter. Those words ignite fiction magic. Anything can happen. As you assess your writing for the year ahead, “what if” can also bear fruit in a practical career way. That question …