by Beth Shriver I’ve always admired writers who also have another job as well as their writing. I was a social worker before my daughter was born and started writing soon after, but now that my youngest is off to college I’ve ventured back into the work force. I’m still learning how to balance the two. The first thing I …
Developing the Real-Life Substance
by Michael Lee Joshua I “live” in Colorado. But I work in Wyoming. I do get home every other weekend (as long as weather permits). Being up here in Wyoming has left me with time on my hands. I’ve gotten a lot of writing done. Some of the best lessons I have picked up over the past few months have …
The Question of Character
by Christine Sunderland In this week in which we celebrate our American Presidents, the question of character seems particularly relevant. How do we develop characters in fiction? How do we develop character in our children? What is, exactly character? Of course I’m playing a bit with two definitions – moral attributes, and a person in a novel. But are they …
Building Relationships
by Jordyn Redwood Okay, I have to admit-one thing that surprised me on the road of an author’s life was bookstore signings are not about me. Really. They’re not. Whenever you read about marketing (and bookstore signings are just that) it boils down to how well you build relationships. Last year at the ACFW conference, author handler Suzie Q discussed …
FIFTEEN MINUTES TO FAME: How to Complete Your Historical Novel Without Quitting Your Day Job
By Kathleen Y’Barbo We historical authors are an interesting breed. Those of us who have answered the call can attest to the fact that there are no shortcuts in penning novels set in past eras. As with any other type of writing, plotting, planning, and research take time. If you’re a fulltime writer who has no trouble fitting your writing …
Cover Matters
by Robin Lee Hatcher It’s a bold new world for writers. No doubt about that. Not all that long ago, there was a traditional path to publishing that the vast majority of novelists followed. The digital age has changed things so much in the last two years, I hardly know where to begin. It used to be I always discouraged …
Why Do We Torture Ourselves?
By Vickie McDonough The first goal I can remember having was to grow up and marry a rancher. I loved horses, and I guess that my pre-teen mind reasoned if I married a rancher I could have all the horses I wanted. In the mean time, I read every book I could find with a horse on the cover. Years …
Bedrock Principles – Why You Should Read “The Well”
By Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D. Why am I using my blog post to promote a nonfiction book by an author I’ve never met, a pastor and musician named Mark Hall? “The Well: Why Are So Many Still Thirsty” by Mark Hall, with contribution by Tim Luke, is not a writing craft book, either. But I highly recommend writers read it. …
The End of the World As We Know It
by Richard Mabry How many of you thought the world would end on December 21, 2012? Since the Mayan calendar only went that far, there were dire predictions that the world as we know it would grind to a halt on that date. But surprisingly enough (or maybe not so surprisingly), the sun came up on December 22, and things …
The Long Wait
by Dani Pettrey If nothing else, writing for publication produces patience. It takes time to learn to craft a novel, time to write the novel, and then, when you finally feel you’re finished, you often face years trying to find a home for your babies. It takes time to find an agent, time to find an editor, time to get …