By Lana Christian Photo by Nathan Jennings on Unsplash John Krasinski’s program Some Good News was a light in the darkness of 2020. Between March and May, it garnered more than 72 million views and 2.5 million YouTube subscribers. We sure could use more SGN episodes (hint, hint, ViacomCBS). But 2021 hasn’t eased authors’ social media comments about lack of …
Nom De Plumes
By KD Holmberg There is a plethora of reasons authors choose to write under a pen name, or non de plume, rather than the moniker given to them at birth. I am one of those authors. My reason is nostalgic, a wistful nod to beloved relatives that have passed away, and an unusual tradition I found in my family tree. …
Writing Fiction is like Flying a Sailplane
By Frank DiBianca We had landed at the Memphis Soaring Society’s operation at the Forrest City, Arkansas, airport. My wife, Kay, a new private power pilot, had flown us in on a Cessna 172. The hangar and airfield were empty except for the Pawnee towplane, its pilot, and the ground launch crew. A sailplane instructor had just landed the two-seat …
Approval versus Love
By Tara Johnson Approval and love are not the same thing. It’s taken me a lifetime to figure that out. I desperately want people to like me. The thought of someone being displeased with me in any way causes my stomach to curdle. What’s one way to shake that cold feeling of dread? Work harder. Be more agreeable, more likeable. …
How to Photoshop Your Moods
By Kristi Holl In addition to a Covid family death, I lost two friends in December, plus my last (and favorite) uncle. Along with grieving, these losses caused a severe autoimmune flare-up for two weeks. With Christmas around the corner, I found it difficult to feel the joy of the season. And writing? That felt out of the question, so …
There Is A Cause
By Shirley Gould This year is finally coming to a close. Can you say Praise the Lord? With Christmas behind us and a new year around the corner, it is a good time to reassess where we’ve been and make goals for the future. 2020 has numbed us into a stagnant state with its quarantines, mask-wearing, and social distancing. As …
It was a dark and stormy night.
by Lisa Loraine Baker It was a dark and stormy night. How about a dark and stormy year? Covid, lockdowns, green zones, purple zones, elections. Oh my! If any of these things affects your writing, you’re not alone. Following are a few pitfalls from this year: How can I concentrate on my story when the one in the news is …
Godward God Words
By Sally Jo Pitts As Christian writers, we search for inspiration to pen words that will inspire, touch hearts, and leave spiritual impact. I have a close friend, Jim Ward, who is the author of several Christian songs. I love the story behind the inspired words to a Christmas song that he wrote. In the late 1980’s, Jim had been …
The Wait
by Loretta Eidson The moment months of character building, plotting, and creativity end, anticipation builds. The novel is complete. With outstretched arms, take in a deep breath, shout for joy, and celebrate the success of a long writing journey. The sense of accomplishment feels grand. The next step is writing a lengthy synopsis and proposal. You tap away at the …
Beauty and Beholders
by Linda Brooks Davis Beauty is as subjective as beholders themselves. As writers, we’re tasked with showing, not telling, our characters’ traits—what we consider the good, the bad, and the ugly—-by how they speak, behave, interact with others, etc. But as readers, we may not determine what’s good, bad, and ugly. But the same images rarely emerge for both writers …