By Janice Cantore What do you do when you’re stuck at a spot in your manuscript? As you sit in front of the computer you seem to be hitting delete more than anything else, or worse, you’re staring at a blank page. Does that make you get up and find something else to do? When I get the urge to …
Setting…perhaps more important than you think!
By Roxanne Rustand Where do you start, on your journey toward a cohesive and sellable story? There is no single right or wrong way. Ask most writers, and they will say they use a consistent starting point each time they start a book. Some to start with a general plot idea, as in “I want to write a book about …
Being Equipped
By Henry McLaughlin God has a will, or a plan for each of us. Psalm 139:16 (NLT) tells us, You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Each of us is on this earth for a specific reason. We may …
Writing like David
By Melissa Tagg So…King David. I kinda love him. I’m talking about David in the Old Testament. The one who took down Goliath. I love the guy and it’s not so much his giant-slaying ability that warms my heart as much as his vulnerability and brutal honesty. He has big ups and big, big downs (and yeah, some not-so-shining moments, …
Creating Characters: Who Will You Be?
By Johnnie Alexander I rested in a vinyl chair, weary and in pain, pensive and in love. My day-old daughter nestled in my arms, her thick black hair brushing against her shoulders. “Who will you be?” I whispered. In that moment, I couldn’t even imagine a toddler “her,” let alone a grown-up “her,” and yet I was so curious. Would …
Are You a Marlin or a Dory?
By Allie Pleiter Hand any writer multiple tasks, and you will find out a lot about their personalities very quickly. Some of us tend to be the kind of people who determinedly hammer at a single, linear task batch until it surrenders. Others of us nimbly shift from one task to another depending on where we see possible progress. How …
Writing: A Gift From the Lord
By Kim Gilliland Writing. I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me to put my thoughts on paper is a driving force. However, if no one reads my words, is it like the proverbial tree in the forest – when it falls, does it really make a sound? If no one else reads my words, then what good are …
Setting – the First Character You Create in a Story
By Mary Ellis What first comes to mind if someone mentions the television show, Hawaii 5-0? The muscular actor who plays Commander Steve McGarrett, or perhaps a clever plot twist in an episode involving identity theft? More likely it’s a visual of tanned young surfers riding the perfect wave to the shores of Waikiki, or perhaps a volcanic peak rising …
Earning a Reputation
by Christa Kinde As an author, I have a reputation. I’m not ashamed of it, but it isn’t really the sort of label I had in mind when I set out to tell stories. Now, I’m not talking about those snazzy accolades we plaster on dust jackets. “Best-selling.” “Critically-acclaimed.” “Award-winning.” “Highly-anticipated.” I’m talking about the words readers choose. Do you …
Myth: BUSTED!
By Elizabeth B. Elliott If you have ever watched the show MythBusters on the Discovery channel, then you know the goal of co-hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage is to prove or disprove the veracity of commonly held beliefs. Putting these ideas to the test and sometimes under a literal microscope has paid off for them – their 11-year-old show …