by DiAnn Mills When I wrote The Chase, the first book in the Crime Scene: Houston series, I thought I’d never have that much passion for a story again. But I was wrong. The Survivor brought just as many tears, if not more. But why would I want to write a story that did not slice my heart raw? The …
Layering Your Creation With the Good Stuff
by Bonnie S. Calhoun Okay…chocolate does come to mind…but not this time. Remember the famous saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Go one step further, “No great book was built in one writing.” By that I mean many authors hamstring themselves by trying to include everything in their first go round. Character emotions, allegories, red herrings, hidden meanings, clues, …
The Secret to Getting Published
by Richard L. Mabry, MD Gotcha! How many of you clicked on this post thinking I’d give you the magic formula for turning dross into gold? Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. Let me tell you my own story. My first writer’s conference was an absolute disaster. I felt as though I’d been dumped into a foreign land without knowing …
No Shortcuts to Developing Gift and Craft
by Tina Radcliffe I firmly believe in the philosophy of happily-ever-after, hard work paying off and that eventually everyone who pays their dues will graduate from the school of hard knocks. I don’t believe there are short cuts to success for authors. Writing is a gift and a craft. Gift is that immeasurable package of God-given talent you were born …
Writing in the Rain
by Telena Tanara Contreras I am a planner down to the last detail, organizing my life much like I organize my family’s travels. When a trip approaches, I map out the events, orchestrate the timeline, gather the supplies, and instruct the participants. I make sure my perfect little plan is in picture perfect order before bags can be loaded and …
Day Job?
by Beth Shriver I’ve always admired writers who also have another job as well as their writing. I was a social worker before my daughter was born and started writing soon after, but now that my youngest is off to college I’ve ventured back into the work force. I’m still learning how to balance the two. The first thing I …
FIFTEEN MINUTES TO FAME: How to Complete Your Historical Novel Without Quitting Your Day Job
By Kathleen Y’Barbo We historical authors are an interesting breed. Those of us who have answered the call can attest to the fact that there are no shortcuts in penning novels set in past eras. As with any other type of writing, plotting, planning, and research take time. If you’re a fulltime writer who has no trouble fitting your writing …
Why Do We Torture Ourselves?
By Vickie McDonough The first goal I can remember having was to grow up and marry a rancher. I loved horses, and I guess that my pre-teen mind reasoned if I married a rancher I could have all the horses I wanted. In the mean time, I read every book I could find with a horse on the cover. Years …
The Long Wait
by Dani Pettrey If nothing else, writing for publication produces patience. It takes time to learn to craft a novel, time to write the novel, and then, when you finally feel you’re finished, you often face years trying to find a home for your babies. It takes time to find an agent, time to find an editor, time to get …
Casting Notes For Character Auditions
A Novel Writing Exercise by Janet Chester Bly My husband, Steve, dictated these sketchy notes to me in the hospital on May 21st, 2011, concerning his novel, “Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot”. He passed away a few weeks later . . . Willamette Valley orphan farm Lair Apishamore, a character in Hawthorne Miller dime novel Romal Vug, a character in Hawthorne …