by Ramona Richards Abingdon Press It’s clichéd but true: One of the greatest joys for an editor is to find that new voice, that special talent that leads to a long career. We love discovering new writers, which is why we slug through hundreds of proposals every year and travel to dozens of writers conferences. The old bromide about romance …
Pregnancy, Birth, and the Writing Life
PREGNANT My best friend is 38 weeks pregnant. As I’ve walked alongside her through this miraculous journey, I’ve been struck by certain similarities between pregnancy, birth, and the writing life. PREGNANCY – My friend now waddles when she walks. Her hip hurts all the time. And when her seven-pound baby kicks, she sounds like a football player after a major …
I Second That Emotion
by Bonnie S. Calhoun That title is a line from one of my favorite songs. And I know it dates me but the thought is what counts. When you are crafting a scene, one of the necessary elements is the stimulating of our senses to facilitate emotion. Now granted, sometimes it is hard to get all the senses into a …
Stopping for a Story
by Rachel Hauck Over on Southernbelleview where I blog with a fine host of southern writers, our Friday Belle, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, wrote, “The whole world stops for a story.” Her words hit me square in the heart. How true! The world does stop for a story. A news story. Or a book. A movie or play about the heroism …
What Should I Write?
by Sandra Bishop MacGregor Literary What should I write? What should I do next? “What’s Hot?” Should I write that? I get this exact litany of questions often. And while we’re an agency that prides itself on career management and guiding our authors in their writing journeys, I’ll confess, answering the “Should I write what’s Hot?” question in is not …
Achieving the Next Level
by Kathy Harris Let’s talk about transitions. Not transitional words – like but, and, either, and or – but the kind of transitions that take our writing to the next level. On Sunday afternoons, I often tune into Motivational Coach Micheal Burt’s radio show. Coach Burt recently spoke about transitions. Any of us who have experienced a transition, in or …
You’re a published author . . . Now what?
By Diane Moore The first book is published, ongoing media interviews, book signings, and social media networking fill your schedule, further outward signs that you’ve made it, Congratulations. So, why do you have that gnawing feeling of unfinished work still looming? For many of us, the second novel (and beyond) is more challenging because we have something to live up …
“The BE-happy-ATTITUDES for Christian Writers”
by Eileen Key During this holiday season, a week after Thanksgiving, I feel so FULL of thanks. God’s done such amazing things in my life and in ACFW. I ran across this list from my wonderful writer friend Janice Thompson and decided to share it. Be happy, be blessed my friends. “The BE-happy-ATTITUDES for Christian Writers” by Janice Thompson Blessed …
Does your story passion match your life story passion?
by Melissa Tagg I like to think of myself as a fairly confident person. I mean, I’ve not pulled a Julie Andrews and gone singing through the streets of Salzburg about my confidence or anything. But I’ve not generally been all that self-conscious… …until recently. In the past few months, I’ve been writing-and wincing and replotting and rewriting-my second contracted …
Four Ways to Rise to the Top!
by Tamela Hancock Murray The Steve Laube Agency Since agents receive more proposals than they have time to represent, a huge obstacle for new authors is getting their manuscripts to the top of the stack. Every week I review excellent proposals from writers I would be proud to represent. If only I could double my hours in a day! This …