by Anne Mateer It’s inevitable, I think. At least I hope so. Otherwise it’s just me. But I choose to believe that every writer hits that book that spins them round and round and upside down. Maybe it’s an emotional theme that requires you to reach into depths of yourself you had no desire to explore. Maybe it’s characters that …
Tips for Tweetability
by Cynthia Ruchti The writer in me once rebelled against the idea of abiding by the constrictions of Tweet-length posts when communicating with the public. It felt like moving from a four-bedroom house to a pop-up camper, with about as much writerly elbow room. I have no qualms admitting I’m no Twitter expert. But I now understand the impact a …
Seven Ways To Stifle Your Unique Writer’s Voice
by Becky Wade 1) Let every critique you receive sway you. Ever hear that “too many cooks spoil the broth”? Sometimes it’s better to whip up something all by yourself that you absolutely LOVE than to let lots of “adviser cooks” taste your recipe, comment on it, alter it, season it, and subdue it. 2) Write Safe. If you’re working …
Promises and Delays
by Robin Lee Hatcher Not every published writer’s path to a career as a novelist is the same. My path to writing Christian fiction took me through a career in the general romance market (30 books) before God captured my attention and turned me in a new direction. Turned me on my head might be a better description. The one …
Unexpected Blessings
by Kathi Macias God never ceases to amaze me. It’s stunning enough to realize that He uses frail, fallible human beings (like you and me!) to partner with Him in ministry, but even more humbling to discover how great His plans are for the work He calls us to do. Though I’ve seen this truth played out many times over …
Say Goodnight, Gracie: Seven Secrets to creating the Perfect Ending
by Janice Thompson There’s nothing worse than a book with an unsatisfying ending. The reader deserves a solid wrap-up. Otherwise, he’ll feel cheated. (After all, he plowed through 300+ pages of your book, assuming the ending would leave him satisfied!) Knowing how and when to conclude your story is key. It’s also an art-form. With that in mind, I’ve come …
The Art of Being Flexible
by Janet Lee Barton Oh, you may be finished with the manuscript-as it is right now. You may have gone over it multiple times-had critique partners, family and/or friends read through it several times, too. Then you send it out. But it still doesn’t mean you’re finished. You may have an agent or publisher interested in it, and even get …
The Hope of Your Calling
by Nikki Arana There is a ritual that I observe every morning that is my way of inviting God to speak to me. I reach for my Bible next to my bed and open it. I read the random page that I find myself looking at. Recently it was in Ephesians 4. I began to read – There is one …
Slaying the Green, Two-headed Monster
by Mary Ellis Jealousy and envy-God gave His people specific instructions in the Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet. But we as Christians know this goes far beyond our neighbor’s ox or donkey, and thus becomes the hardest law to keep. Human beings are naturally wired to be envious. We spend much of our lives secretly jealous of something. As …
When God Tells Us ‘Wait’
by Casey Herringshaw “Oh, but God, why?” Not able to attend the conference. The perfect agent or editor says no. The mentorship we crave is nowhere within reach. “But God, I’m there. Can’t You see I’m ready?” Um…would you be where you are right now, if you were “ready”? We all have such a pre-conceived idea of what ready means. …