by Robin Lee Hatcher I love discovering the inner workings of my characters. I love it when they come to life and begin telling me their stories. I love it when they become my companions and my friends. Writers often fall into two camps: those who develop their stories around plots and those who develop their stories around characters. But …
Creating Careers for our Characters
by Lisa Jordan Last week I requested career options for the hero in my next book on my Facebook author page. While reading through my fans’ posts, I was amazed by the diverse occupations they suggested-boat builder, hospital administrator, youth pastor, zoo manager, etc. Meeting someone for the first time, one of the first questions you may ask is, “What …
Writing After Sixty
by Diana Wallis Taylor Someone wrote a book about “Geezers”, older guys who love to read books. A friend said, “I don’t consider myself a geezer! I always thought that when we got older, we just got better.” I shared that with my husband and he thought a moment and said, “Well, if older is better, then I must be …
Take a Stand
by Suzanne Kuhn I recently worked a return engagement with a regional charity that hosts an annual Book and Author Dinner. This event features four New York Times best selling and/or sought after regional authors. The first year I participated in the event, I asked the charity if I could provide the authors with my SuzyQ fine-tip, autograph Sharpies to …
Five Things My Dad Taught Me About Writing
by Rebecca DeMarino I love listening to family lore and studying genealogy. The discovery of threads that weave together to make us unique is a thrill and the fabric for my novels. I like to think that I inherited my love of baking and gardening from my mom’s Horton side of the family. With my dad, I share a love …
Settings
by Dana Mentink Settings! They are one of the things that compel me as a reader and writer. Bring me to a new world, a place I’ve never been and I’m fascinated. My early years found me steeped in Middle Earth, Oz, and Narnia. More recently, the Life of Pi swept me away to a mysterious carnivorous island. Ironically though, …
Inspiration
by Ruth Douthitt Do you think of inspiration as solely divine? I do, except when it comes to my current work in progress. I was inspired to write my current mystery/thriller for kids by giving a spelling test to 6th graders. Not what I consider to be divine influence, but whatever works! And God is sovereign over everything. So, how …
Setting the Scene
by Christine Sunderland I often say I came to the writing of novels “through the back door.” While it is true I earned a BA in English Literature and loved reading, I never considered that I might become a writer. But time and grace has a way of changing things. As has been said, If you want to make God …
The Crucial First Chapter
By Anne Greene The last time I wrote, I discussed how to Make Your Manuscript Sparkle. I trust you all learned more about deep point of view from that lesson. Down through the years of writing and being a charter member of ACFW when it was ACRW, I’ve learned so much of the craft of writing that God nudged me …
Homophones (And yes, I see my errors)
by Donna L. Rich Everyone has his or her pet peeves. Won of mine is finding incorrect spelling of a commonly used word. Nevertheless, on page too on my last submission to an editor, I misused the word it’s (instead of its). Horrors! I couldn’t believe that after combing threw the manuscript a thousand times I didn’t sea the error …