Why I Tried to Quit Trying­

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by Victoria Buck The last book in my trilogy released in October. Soon after, panic struck. Had I wasted years writing three books for the Christian market on a subject not widely understood or appreciated by Christians? Why would I do that? Why couldn’t I just write sweet romance or Amish fiction or one good historical saga? My WIP, though …

Time to Say Goodbye

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by Dennis Ricci Six months ago, my literary life was riding high. My debut novel, Perilous Judgment, had just produced its first four-digit sales month, thanks to a BookBub promotion arranged by my publisher. The month-after sales embers were still hot, and I was praising God for the discoverability breakthrough and its apparent staying power. One Sunday in May after …

Pay It Forward

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By Patricia Bradley In my writing journey I’ve met some of the most amazing people, writers who have taken the time to help me along my journey. Some have been critique partners, some have been teachers at different conferences or on-line classes I’ve attended, and some have been judges in the contests I’ve entered. This week I’ve been thinking about …

Book to Movie?

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by Michael Hicks Thompson What author doesn’t want their book made into a movie? It’s what launched John Grisham’s career. Remember The Firm? How’d Grisham accomplish that feat? Serendipity, for one. He took his manuscript to Willie Morris, the famous author from Yazoo City, Mississippi. At the time, Willie was Writer in Residence at Ole Miss. Grisham asked Willie to …

Total Recharge

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By Darlene L. Turner Josiah trudged along the narrow path. He stopped, shifted his backpack, and forced himself to keep moving in spite of the shooting pain coursing through his leg. He kept his mind focused on the solitude of his mountaintop destination. The agony of the climb would be worth it. It had been a rough six months with …

Paying It Forward

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By Lenora Livingston “Paying it Forward” is an expression for describing the recipient of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor. What better way can a person show their thankfulness than to participate in the rippling effects of goodness. At age 78, I wish I could go back and thank my teachers who most …

Learning to Write Mannascripts

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By Bethany Turner A few days ago, my son asked, “Is there still manna?” I said, “What do you mean? It’s not manufactured, if that’s what you’re asking…” “Well, no,” he laughed. “I didn’t mean like at Manna-R-Us, or something.” (He’s eleven, and a little too smart and witty—and sarcastic—for his own good, sometimes.) “I mean is there any left?” …

Making it right….

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by Roxanne Rustand When someone refers to their “writing journey,” I think back to my own journey and my own misconceptions back in the early 1990’s.  It all seemed so clear back then. Write. Be dedicated. Absorb everything I heard at writers’ conferences, study my books on writing and the scores of writing workshop tapes I listened to endlessly.  It …