By Norma Gail Rejection. As writers, we all receive it. We all expect it. It’s never pleasant. However, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I was positive they would accept my second novel. It was a sequel. The publisher wanted it. I had worked my heart out. Rejection came out of nowhere. The editor couched her refusal in …
It Was Not You Who Sent Me Here
By Bethany Turner Today is deadline day. Not for a book. There are no edits to sift through, no dialogue to tighten, no scenes to mourn as they are mercilessly wisely slashed. But I’ve got to get this blog post done today if I am to even dream of staying on schedule with everything else in my life, and for …
Help for the Time-Starved Writer
By Joanna Davidson Politano “How on earth do you find time to write a book?” This question came from my local librarian when I told her my debut was releasing soon. I had a baby in one arm and held my toddler’s hand with the other hand. I was a naptime novelist, I said, and we made it work. In …
Our Journey
by Christa Kinde Travel takes courage. Away from home, without the comfort of familiar things, surrounded by strangers, we wander. Not all that long ago, my husband and I were in a foreign city, trying to navigate dark streets with nothing more than the tiny map from the back of a brochure. Drizzle added a wet sheen to the streets, …
I Have to Stay Home from the Conference
By Tamela Hancock Murray (Editor’s Note: ACFW congratulates Tamela on being named the 2017 Agent of the Year at our recent conference). As I mentioned in several recent posts about conferences, sometimes your best decision is to stay home. For example, if you missed ACFW’s conference last week, not to worry! You can become a traditionally published author, or maintain …
Ten Things to Do If You are Missing the Conference
by Chandra Lynn Smith I love musicals. I also love thrillers and mysteries. I even love sappy romances and intense drama. If you saw my arms loaded down when I left the library or looked at the array of books on my Kindle it would be obvious my reading choices are similar to the movies I like. This past summer …
The Blog Post for People Who are Going to the ACFW Conference . . . and for People Who Aren’t
by Beth K. Vogt Two types of people are reading this blog: People going to the ACFW conference in Grapevine, Texas from September 21-24 People not going to the ACFW conference in Grapevine, Texas from September 21-24 This post is for you – no matter whether you’re packing a suitcase and looking forward to attending workshops and connecting with other …
Five Lies Every Character/Writer Believes
by Angela Arndt Every good character has obstacles to keep him from reaching his goals. Whether your heroine is a nuclear scientist creating a secret device to save the world or a receptionist who’s secretly in love with the town doctor, any lie she believes that keeps her from reaching that goal must be exposed. It’s part of the plotting …
When Writing Stops Being Fun
By Rondi Bauer Olson I had so much fun with my first baby. I dressed him up in the cutest outfits, played with his baby toys while he drooled on them, and took enough pictures to fill multiple scrapbooks. Then, when he was twenty-two months old, I had twins. Three boys under two years old. Playing mommie stopped being fun. …
Attacking Atychiphobia
By Andrea Boeshaar What’s Atychiphobia? In my book My Heart Belongs in The Shenandoah Valley: Lily’s Dilemma, I address atychiphobia or the fear of failure. One of my two main characters, Mac Albright, is terrified to fail. For him, it’s not an option. He intends to prove that he’s not the “ne’er-do-well” that Alexandria, Virginia’s elite have come to believe. …