By: DiAnn Mills Most people believe writers lead a solitary life. But a professional writer thrives on community. We writers can’t achieve measurable success without surrounding ourselves with others who share our goals, dreams, and values. In this context, a community is a group of people who have expertise and passion for the same interests. In a writer’s community, each …
A Little Sprig
By Terri Gillespie “For who despises the day of small things . . .” Zechariah 4:10a, TLV My husband and I knelt in the brittle, dry earth and dug a hole to plant a Cyprus tree. The event was part of an Israel tour I had coordinated. Since the 1900s, Jewish people and people who support Israel have purchased trees …
Six Tips for a Low-Stress Book Release Month
By Sarah Sundin Book releases can be the most exciting times! Seeing our books released into the wild is the fulfillment of our writerly dreams. But they can also be hectic and taxing. This week my thirteenth novel, When Twilight Breaks, releases. Here are a few tips for navigating your release month with grace—tips I’ve learned the hard way. Plan …
On Your Left
By Lynn H. Blackburn One of my family’s favorite things to do is to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail. Built on an old railroad bed, the Virginia Creeper Trail offers a unique biking experience. Seventeen miles. Downhill. Really. It’s an amazing ride. The scenery is stunning, and the trail is open to cyclists of all experience levels. As you head …
Are Your Characters Overeating?
By Patti Jo Moore At the beginning of each new year, many of us set goals that we hope to achieve during the upcoming year. One of the most common goals relates to health—losing weight. I’ve heard many writers lament that sitting at their keyboards for long stretches of time hasn’t helped their weight or health in general. If you’re …
Called to be Light in the Darkness
By Lana Christian Photo by Nathan Jennings on Unsplash John Krasinski’s program Some Good News was a light in the darkness of 2020. Between March and May, it garnered more than 72 million views and 2.5 million YouTube subscribers. We sure could use more SGN episodes (hint, hint, ViacomCBS). But 2021 hasn’t eased authors’ social media comments about lack of …
Nom De Plumes
By KD Holmberg There is a plethora of reasons authors choose to write under a pen name, or non de plume, rather than the moniker given to them at birth. I am one of those authors. My reason is nostalgic, a wistful nod to beloved relatives that have passed away, and an unusual tradition I found in my family tree. …
Writing Fiction is like Flying a Sailplane
By Frank DiBianca We had landed at the Memphis Soaring Society’s operation at the Forrest City, Arkansas, airport. My wife, Kay, a new private power pilot, had flown us in on a Cessna 172. The hangar and airfield were empty except for the Pawnee towplane, its pilot, and the ground launch crew. A sailplane instructor had just landed the two-seat …
Approval versus Love
By Tara Johnson Approval and love are not the same thing. It’s taken me a lifetime to figure that out. I desperately want people to like me. The thought of someone being displeased with me in any way causes my stomach to curdle. What’s one way to shake that cold feeling of dread? Work harder. Be more agreeable, more likeable. …
How to Photoshop Your Moods
By Kristi Holl In addition to a Covid family death, I lost two friends in December, plus my last (and favorite) uncle. Along with grieving, these losses caused a severe autoimmune flare-up for two weeks. With Christmas around the corner, I found it difficult to feel the joy of the season. And writing? That felt out of the question, so …