“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”… -Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859) Not a bad beginning, eh? When we sit down to craft the opening line of our novel, I think almost all of us are aware of the golden opportunity before us. But do we realize we have small gems of …
Ten Tips to Help You Write More Words
By Carrie Turansky Whether you’re an aspiring author or multi-published, it’s often a challenge to meet your writing goals. Here are ten tips that will help increase your writing productivity. 1. Write with instrumental music playing in the background. I recently saw an informal survey that found those who listened to music while writing were able to write more words …
Decisions, Decisions, So Many to Make
By Margaret Daley Where do you start a story? You have a few pages (for some a few paragraphs) to catch an editor or reader’s attention. I know of some readers who will read the first page or so of a book, and if you haven’t gotten her interest, she won’t buy it. It is one of the important decisions …
ACFW New Releases – March 2012
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Love’s Sacred Song by Mesu Andrews — Young King Solomon marries a Shulamite shepherdess to quell the unrest of Israel’s northern tribes, but will this marriage become a love that sings for the ages? (Historical from Revell). Dawn Comes Early (The Brides of Last Chance …
Author Theology
By Cynthia Ruchti Many of us who write for God confess we’re learning more about Him on the journey than we could ever capture on paper. What do I believe about God’s role in my writing? Theologically speaking-or doctrinally speaking-do I act as if I believe He has reasons for how long it takes to get published? Or do I …
A Unique . . . Surprise
by Ramona Richards Senior Acquisitions Editor, Fiction Abingdon Press When asked what they look for in a manuscript, editors often answer, “A unique voice,” a frustrating answer to any writer. “A unique voice” is hard to define, hard to develop, hard to spot. It borders on trying to define what you like about a particular painting or why you prefer …
Deadlines: A Writer’s Friend
by Laurie Alice Eakes Deadline. It’s an ominous word. It has dead in it. Cross that line and one is dead? Scary. Most of us get that quaky, quivery feeling in our tummies when we hear that a deadline is looming-the deadline for the Genesis contest, the deadline for the Carol Award entries, the deadline for registering for the conference. …
Finding the Reader’s Hook
by Cathy Gohlke Some of the best writing advice I’ve ever received came from the editor of a small town newspaper: “Discover what’s going on in world or national news, then find that story on a local level.” The problem was that the hottest story in world news at the time was a widespread accusation that trusted clergy had molested …
The Perfect Ending
by Sue Brower Executive Editor – Zondervan (a division of Harper Collins) My editing world was turned upside down last week. I thought I knew what was best to deliver the “satisfying ending to a great story.” Hopefully, we want the reader, or movie-goer to sit back, hold on to the last moments and then let go a sigh. “Ohhh, …
Thinking Time
by Rachelle Gardner Books & Such Literary Agency Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Gen. 1:2, NIV) I’ve always loved that tiny pause right there in Genesis 1:2, were it says “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” It …