By D.M. Webb What is the one thing that a lot of writers, editors, and publishers are saying about writing in today’s market and life? Write for an audience of One. Wow. Seriously? How in the world am I to make money if I write for just an audience of one? I need hundreds-no, thousands- of people to make a …
Why I Attend the ICRS Convention
by Kathi Macias I just returned from the 2012 International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in Orlando. I’ve been attending these annual shows for decades, and I always come away having learned or experienced something new. This year was no exception. One of the primary things I noticed at this year’s convention was how much smaller it is now than when …
Finding Inspiration in the Oddest Places
by Connie Stevens Writers are asked all the time, “Where do you get your ideas?” The answers vary based on the genre. Some might hear a news report about an unsolved murder or a case of corruption. Others might gaze at the stars and dream of futuristic possibilities. Still other authors may find a fascinating tidbit of trivia and allow …
Fiction and Reality
by Deborah Rather I write contemporary Christian romance. As soon as people find out that I have written numerous novels (nearly 80 now), they almost always ask the same question. “Where do you get your ideas?” This bewilders me. I always want to come back with something pithy like, “Don’t you pay attention to what goes on around you?” Most …
On the Road
by Kathleen Y’Barbo I’ve had a love affair with long, aimless drives well before I found love with a man who shared that passion. Sliding behind the wheel, plugging in the iPod or adjusting Pandora radio, and then pointing the car toward an unknown destination has long been my idea of a grand day. If the weather’s nice, the top …
To Err is Human
by Marcia Gruver While teaching a creative writing class, I passed a little card around the room and instructed the students to read aloud the following sentence: Now is the time for all good men to come to the the aid of their country. One by one, the eager scholars misread it. Until I pointed out each word on a …
Off To A Strong Start
by Maureen Lang Sometimes the place your story starts isn’t always the place to open your novel. There are three choices: •Just Before the major problem/conflict comes up, with a hint of the iceberg ahead. •Just As the conflict arises. •Just After the hero or heroine has a first glimpse of that looming iceberg in their path. Just-before openings allow …
Practice Makes Perfect
by Fay Lamb My son was once an accomplished violinist, but when he first started to play, his tutor, a first string with the local symphony orchestra, struggled with keeping him on task. One day my son Corey walked into practice. “Igor, I don’t want to play violin. I want to learn to fiddle.” Igor stood back in his old …
ACFW Book Club
Have you heard about our ACFW Bookclub? Each month the club chooses two ACFW members’ books that have been submitted by the authors. I run the giveaway where the chosen authors (from our monthly poll) donate 4 copies of their books to Bookclub members. Then, we have announcements on upcoming discussions with blurbs about each chosen book. We do our …
Ten Tips For Better Characterization
by Maureen Lang 1) Realistic, natural dialogue. Like a musician with an ear for notes, be a writer with an ear for conversational rhythm. Read your dialogue aloud to be sure it sounds like what you hear around you-only better! Real life might afford extraneous “ums,” repetitions, and unclear meaning but the written word allows only clarity and tight communication. …