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 …
Communicating Biblical Truth through Christian Fiction
By Norma Gail “You connect with your audience when they identify with your pain.” Notes I took at a workshop a few years ago resonate with every word I write. The message stayed with me because of its truth. As Christian fiction authors, we don’t just sell entertainment, we sell hope, connecting with our readers when we touch a tender …
Not Qualified? Think Again!
By Sarah Sundin “Who am I to write a novel? I didn’t major in English! I’m ‘just’ a mom/teacher/police officer/nurse.” Ever think something like this? Many of us feel our lack of literary credentials will block us from achieving our dream. However, scanning the biographies of published novelists reveals a sparkling diversity of backgrounds. Those diverse backgrounds make each novelist …
Teaching Writers
By Susan Lyttek There’s a huge difference between teaching a writing class and teaching writers. Let me explain. Most of the year, I teach writing classes to kids and teens. When teaching a writing class, you start with the assumption that the students have a limited understanding of how to write creatively. They may have written poems and stories before …
Using Psychology to Create Deep Characters
A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPING GRIP-YOUR-HEART CHARACTERS By J.A. Marx How do we write a poignant story that’s realistic, emotionally satisfying yet not watered down? After you’ve given your character a personality, a vocation, a purpose for living, and a setting contemplate the following. 1) Reality Pick an offense more exciting than stepping on toes or cutting someone off in …
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 …
Measuring Greatness
By Loretta Eidson Recently, I posted this quote by Mark Twain on Hootsuite: Great people can make you feel that, you too, can become great. I’ve heard numerous times throughout my life that if we want to be smart we should hang out with smart people. It stands to reason the same is true for greatness. But, who do we …
Double Cross – Romantic Suspense Musical?
by DiAnn Mills Writers often invent ways to challenge their minds and explore various means of creating story. Our goal is to fashion unforgettable characters and develop distinct plots. All the while we’re reading books by our favorite authors, viewing fabulous movies, and observing what’s going on in the world around us, we are constantly thinking story. How can my …
Something is Greater than Nothing
By Anne Mateer I’m not very good at math. Never have been. I still have to use cheats to add and subtract, multiply and divide. Recently, however, I did have a mathematical epiphany. (And yes, it has to do with writing!) Something > Nothing Remember that little sideways caret thing from elementary school math? It either means greater than or …