By Tamara D. Fickas Writing is such a glamorous life. Writers get to sleep in, play all day, write amazing pieces, and bring in the big bucks. Or not. If you, like me, are one of the those writers who has to work a day job to keep the cat fed and the mortgage paid, writing is not all glitz …
What to Do with a Negative Review
By Liz Curtis Higgs I’ve never been voted off the island, named the weakest link, or told what not to wear, but as a novelist I’ve weathered my share of criticism—constructive, destructive, and otherwise. A sharply-worded email from a disgruntled reader makes me question my calling. A scathing review on Amazon sends me back to my w-i-p with a heavy …
Sending your Submission to an Agent
by Tamela Hancock Murray Submitting your work to an agent can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. A few simple steps will help you gain confidence, regardless of your method. Unsolicited submission This is when you are querying several agents and you have no connection other than perhaps seeing their names on a list. I don’t recommend the …
SMART Goals for Writers
By Preslaysa Williams I always get excited about a new year. I have a chance to start fresh and do something new. I’ve set goals, met goals, and left others unmet. Every new year, my goal setting skills have improved. Some may ask: Why set a goal if you won’t meet it? Here are a few benefits of setting goals: …
How Brainstorming and Eating Pizza with Friends can Lead to a Book!
By Rose Allen McCauley Did you know the Twelve Days of Christmas start on December 25 and end on January 6th on Epiphany–the day the wise men first saw the Christ Child? To most people it means figuring out something, and to writers it can mean: an illuminating discovery, realization, or… a revealing scene or moment. Three of my Kentucky …
How to Make Your Writing Shine
by Liz Curtis Higgs Whether you’ve yet to be published or have a shelf full of novels with your name on the spine, here are four simple steps to improve your writing: read, write, listen, and refine. Read the best books in your genre, from time-tested classics to the latest award-winners. Study the rhythm of the words, the balance between …
Description That Draws the Reader Into Your Story World
By Ane Mulligan Description serves more purpose than simple describing a place or person. It can enhance or detract from a scene. It can be used to deepen characterization or confuse. Here’s some questions to ask yourself as you write: 1) Will the description draw my readers into the scene? 2) Can they picture it? Can you picture it? 3) …
Sabotaged!
By Andrea Boeshaar God has a purpose and plan for each of us. How do I know? God says so in His Word, the Holy Bible. (See Jeremiah 29:11) But sometimes we sabotage Divine plans with negative thoughts and fears. The battlefield truly is the mind and we can be our own worst enemies. If we allow ourselves to wallow …
Satan Hates Your Writing (A Defense Strategy)
by Natalie Monk “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 Haters gonna hate. And Satan is a hater. He hates your writing style, your blog, your book, your agent, your publisher, your librarian, your favorite football team… …
When a Writer Has Only One Month to Promote
By DiAnn Mills What puts you behind in marketing and promotion your novel? Perhaps you’ve been hit with health problems, personal issues, unseen travel, or maybe you didn’t know how or when to pre-launch a book. Don’t despair! The following eight tips will help tie up the date with a big, green bow etched in dollar signs. Even if you …