By Melanie Dickerson I get a lot of emails and messages from teen writers asking for writing tips. The two questions I get asked most frequently: “Where do you get your ideas?” and “What do you do when you get stuck?” Since many of my novels are fairy tale retellings, I start out checking into the original fairy tale and …
Two Tips to Get Past “I Can’t Write”
By Beth K. Vogt I’m on deadline. Being on deadline means writing is mandatory for me. I’ve signed a contract that includes a due date to submit my manuscript to my publisher, which is an author’s ticking clock that creates tension in our lives, just like we create tension in our characters’ lives. Barring some unforeseen catastrophe, such as an …
My Trip to the Moon and Other Forgotten Miracles
By Patricia Beal Last week a reporter asked me if I ever thought my novel would get published, and that’s when I remembered the moon story. Someone once told me that getting a book published was like shooting the moon. “What are you really going to do with the rest of your life?” The conversation had bothered me, but I …
Keep the Energy Going
By Cathleen Armstrong Anyone who has ever attended a conference knows the feeling. You come home exhausted with a notebook full of workshop handouts and a head full of everything you’ll need to take your writing to new levels. You come home with names and email addresses and Facebook contacts of writers with the same goals and aspirations you have …
Pay It Forward
By Mary Manners “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” ~ Colossians 3:12 ~ I have been writing since I was old enough to know that words tell a story…about four years old. I have such vivid memories of standing in my basement in Chicago, leaning against the washing …
Do You Have Unrealistic Expectations?
by Kathy Harris A familiar feeling nagged as I walked out of my office one recent Friday afternoon. I was late, as usual, and I hadn’t accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish that week. An important work project still languished, half-finished, on my desk. A blog post was imminently due. And I desperately needed to finish the edit of my …
What’s Your Biggest Struggle as a Writer?
By Henry McLaughlin This is a question with as many possible answers as there are writers. Some struggle with finding time to write. Some with aspects of the craft like dialogue or characterization. For others it might be show, don’t tell. And what on God’s green planet is the difference between lie and lay? My biggest struggle right now is …
Sharpening Your Ax
By Donna L.H. Smith I heard a story by a former pastor many years ago. It’s a somewhat familiar tale, and you’ve probably heard it before. Two woodsmen start chopping trees into firewood. After a couple hours or so, the first woodsman stops and takes a break, while the second woodsman continues to chop. They chop wood all day. About …
That One Time My Writer Brain Caused a Hiccup on a Date
By Kariss Lynch So we planned a lazy Sunday afternoon date with Netflix and quiet conversation. He scrolled through our options, interested in a documentary. As titles moved past, I noticed a low-rated show that blew my mind – Wife Swap. “Who would do that?” He shrugged and kept scrolling. “I honestly have no idea how anyone could do that.” …
Writing When There are so Many Books
By Rondi Olson Most people are encouraging when I tell them I am a writer, and that my debut novel is about to be released. Often they congratulate me, and some have assured me they will look for my book when it comes out. A few others have been less generous. “People need to stop writing books,” one lady told …