by DiAnn Mills Christian writers are often posed the questions: “Why fiction when you could be writing nonfiction?” “If you feel writing is a ministry, a calling from God, then why are you putting your time and effort into story?” “A real Christian would be writing something with real sustenance, not fiction.” I used to swallow my displeasure with those …
Don’t Quote Me on That
By Crystal Laine Miller I’ve been collecting quotes I like for a long time and have a huge, unorganized file. Here are some quotes dealing with writing that speak to me. Maybe they will speak to you too. “Writing a novel is like jumping out of a plane with some yarn, then trying to knit a parachute before you hit …
Movies That Inspired Me
by Ruth A. Douthitt I grew up in the 1970s as a “child of the television age”. Most families had more than one TV set in the house and had it turned on all day long…even during dinner! I grew up during the summer of blockbusters, a term created after the movie JAWS set box office records that summer of …
Purpose in Pain
by Jennifer Sienes I lack imagination. A bold confession for a writer, wouldn’t you say? It’s true. That’s why I don’t do fantasy-don’t write it, read it, or watch it. “What do you mean you’ve never seen Lord of the Rings?” my husband of seven years asked me. “But you’ve read the trilogy, right?” Sorry to disappoint. But, no. I’ve …
GMC. And the greatest of these is: Conflict
by Maureen Lang There have been countless books, blogs and workshops devoted to the topic of conflict, mainly because of the three biggies in fiction writing, Goal, Motivation and Conflict, the greatest of these is conflict. Without conflict, the goals of your character would come too easily, with or without proper motivation. And then where would your story be? Over …
More is More
by Michelle Arch Lately I’ve struggled with the word constraint of a guest column I write. No matter how concisely I try to present my ideas, I’m routinely asked to cut between twenty and forty words from each submission. Not long ago, I spent a painful weekend pruning over 4,000 words or roughly fifteen pages from a complex essay that …
Parasail Writing
By Loretta Eidson If you’ve ever been parasailing, you know the exhilarating feeling of the wind in your face, the serene solitude of flying through the air, and the breathtaking scenery of the ocean below. If you’re a writer, you envision the many ways parasailing can relate to the creative mind in the development of an intriguing story. Whether you …
Creating Careers for our Characters
by Lisa Jordan Last week I requested career options for the hero in my next book on my Facebook author page. While reading through my fans’ posts, I was amazed by the diverse occupations they suggested-boat builder, hospital administrator, youth pastor, zoo manager, etc. Meeting someone for the first time, one of the first questions you may ask is, “What …
Writing After Sixty
by Diana Wallis Taylor Someone wrote a book about “Geezers”, older guys who love to read books. A friend said, “I don’t consider myself a geezer! I always thought that when we got older, we just got better.” I shared that with my husband and he thought a moment and said, “Well, if older is better, then I must be …
Take a Stand
by Suzanne Kuhn I recently worked a return engagement with a regional charity that hosts an annual Book and Author Dinner. This event features four New York Times best selling and/or sought after regional authors. The first year I participated in the event, I asked the charity if I could provide the authors with my SuzyQ fine-tip, autograph Sharpies to …