by Mary Ellis When most people think getaway weekends, or week-long vacations somewhere warm and sunny or even day-trips into the countryside, they want to disconnect from work. But after writing a dozen books, I’ve discovered out-of-office experiences can greatly enrich my stories. As writers, we spend too much time staring at computer monitors, the wall in front of our …
An Agent’s Tips for Your Manuscript
by Mary Sue Seymour The Seymour Agency I am looking for Amish romances and also inspirational historical romances. I have never circulated an Amish romance or inspy historical I haven’t sold to a major Christian publisher. I like to see the first fifty pages, a synopsis and an author’s bio. Some authors seem to be a bit fearful about writing …
When Everything Stalls
By Sandra Heska King My first novel-to-be stalled last summer. Then I took a hammer to it. I haven’t even made writing goals for this year. Gasp! Well, except for pouring out words almost daily on my blog. June. I think June will be a good time. I had goals last year, but they dried up. I know. I know. …
Close POV
I’m a big fan of first person novels. Though it seems hard for a writer to break into the market unless we have a story with two or more points of view. Still, many first person stories receive literary acclaim. Steven James has won several Christys for his books. She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, and Robin Jones Gunn’s …
My Word for 2012: Entre-Author
by Dina Sleiman The new hot thing this year seems to be coming up with one word to encapsulate your goals. Even before I noticed this trend, I had spotted my word in a quote from Mary DeMuth on Author Media. Are you ready for it…Entre-author. A friend asked if this had something to do with an author entering, like …
Getting Published
By Terry Burns Hartline Literary There’s a concept we need to get a handle on, “Publishing isn’t a selection process . . . it is a survival process.” Really?- Yes, I believe the biggest secret to publishing is the ability to get the RIGHT PRODUCT to the RIGHT PERSON at the RIGHT PLACE at exactly the RIGHT TIME. There are …
GUM In Our Writing
by Martha Rogers As a former English instructor at both the high school and college levels, I am much more aware of the GUM of writing. That’s Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics for those who may not know. Grammar rules do change and the Chicago Manual of Style is what we all go by for our writing. However, some things still …
Using GMC To Meet Your New Year Resolutions
by Tina Radcliffe Resolution: the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc. (Dictionary.com) This is the time of year for all those writerly resolutions we add to our brand new, crisp moleskine notebooks. Our resolutions should be easy to create, after all, we are the masters of GMC. Goal, Motivation and Conflict. …
The Scoop on Research
by DiAnn Mills Writing romantic suspense is my passion. I stay awake at night planning a story in which a strong and vibrant heroine attempts the impossible, the forbidden, or the dangerous for the good of others. She meets a hero who compliments her strengths and challenges her weaknesses. Together they take the writer and the reader on an adventure. …
WIP or RIP?
by Donna L. Rich When people ask me what I’m working on right now, sometimes, I have to stop and think (and count). I wonder if I have too many ideas or too many WIP’s going on at once. The problem is if I don’t get them down on paper (or flash drive), they prod and dig and pound inside …