by Scott T. Barnes Christians writing fantasy literature face one unique challenge that most writers do not: how to deal with religion and spirituality in a made-up world? I provide here only partial answers and reflections, and would love to hear your opinions on this important topic. ‘Fantasy’ fiction comprises books as diverse as The Lord of the Rings; The …
The Essentials of a Well-Layered Opening
by Terri Reed When I first started on this writing journey, I attended many workshops where the speaker said to start your openings with dialogue. Other speakers touted that opening with action was best, while still others said setting is the way to go. Personally, I’ve opened books, scenes and chapters with a variety of different approaches. I don’t believe …
Your Author Voice, the Writing Rules, and—ACK!—Show vs. Tell
by Rachel Hauck @rachelhauck I’ve been at this writing game for over 30 years. This summer marked my 20th anniversary of writing full-time. Not to brag or anything, (Ha!) but I’ve learned a few things over the years, and top of the list is – I’m still learning! It never ends. As writers, we never stop learning, improving, and defining …
Five Things I’ve Learned from the Amish…
… that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian by Suzanne Woods Fisher Being Amish is not a lifestyle Amish traditions are all about faith, deeply rooted in every aspect of their lives. It’s not squeezed into a Sunday morning service but infuses everything, like a teabag steeping in hot water. …
Scene Ahead Approach
by B.D. Lawrence @BDLawrence3 Some writers are plotters. They write a detailed outline of the entire story before writing a scene. Some writers are pantsers. They write with no outline and no idea where they are going. I started as a plotter. I wrote a wonderful ten-chapter outline for my first book. But when the book ended up being thirty …
Naming the Baby
by Chandra Lynn Smith Names matter. My name is unique. In my sixty-five years I have met two people with the same name as me and know of a few others. The first person was actually my boss at a job in college and he was from India. Yes, evidently my name is not gender specific in India. The other …
Writing a Heart Attack
By Jenny Powell MD Let’s talk about heart attacks! Or myocardial infarctions, if you prefer a term that doesn’t rhyme with ‘Cadillac-ac-ac-ac-ac-ac.’ While everybody may experience heart pain differently, there are some common signs that can help us distinguish between a heart-related incident or esophageal or lung issue. I’ve even had patients who were just on the verge of a …
Book Event Basics
By Barbara M. Britton @BarbaraMBritton Recently, a debut author emailed me asking what I brought to book signings. After I finished my response, I looked at the many paragraphs in my email and considered what her reaction would be. One of dread and panic. There are numerous items that you can bring to an organized book event, but all you …
Rejoice in Rejection
By Angela Hunt When I set out to be a writer, I wrote catalog copy, articles, and whatever-anyone-would-pay-me-to-write before I even dreamed of writing a book. Writing a book wasn’t even on my radar—I just wanted a job that would allow me to help my youth-pastor husband put food on the table. I wrote and wrote and wrote, and learned …
Using Foreshadowing to Increase Tension
By DiAnn Mills Foreshadowing is an ingenious literary tool that indicates something will happen in the story. It hints or suggests what is to come and becomes a promise to the reader, a promise that must be kept. Like a road sign that shows what is ahead, foreshadowing signals tension and suspense while alluding to fear, threat, humor, tragedy, or …