By Tanara McCauley Earlier this year my husband took me to see Andrea Bocelli in concert. Already a fan, I thought I knew what to expect from the world-renowned tenor whose voice makes even my six-year-old close her eyes in appreciative awe. I was mistaken. Accompanied by a host of musicians, Mr. Bocelli conducted half of the concert in English …
The Value of Your Day Job (Other Than the Obvious)
By Ramona Richards A day job gives you money, a connection to the world, and a routine. Freedom from financial stress also means freedom in your art. —Austin Kleon, Steal Like An Artist Along with “Write what you know,” “Don’t quit your day job” is the most overused–and misused–piece of advice new writers receive. And yet…quitting our day jobs to …
A Long Time Comin’…and Going
By Robin W. Pearson When the Crusader left for college I thought saying goodbye to him would kill me–it was harder than labor, eating okra, passing my college philosophy class, or even moving to New Jersey. After all, he’s our first child of seven, our first homeschool graduate, our first to flit from the nest; his transition marked the end …
When the Story Falters
By Tamara D. Fickas Sometimes the story falters and the words refuse to come. They bottleneck inside your brain and tangle until it’s as hopeless as Christmas lights that were so neat and orderly last year. In those moments, as the tale wanders off the page and down a dark alley where you fear to tread, it’s easy to give …
5 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Guilt
By Natalie Monk Many of us experience writing-related guilt. Not writing enough, writing too much, neglecting “X” in order to write, not making enough money by writing, having too little to show for years of work, and my recent favorite, “What if I’m investing my life in something ‘good’, but not God’s best for me? Am I really called to …
So Long, Perfection
by Kariss Lynch I came back from the Deep Thinkers Retreat a few weeks back with my story plotted, my characters vetted and chattering in my head, and excitement brewing about my story. I sat down in the evenings after work and began to whittle away the word count and fill out my story. Then, I came to a crashing …
#NotWriting
by Kathy Harris I recently read a quote from bestselling author Nicholas Sparks. It said, “You can’t be a writer if you don’t write.” While I don’t disagree in theory, I do believe we will all eventually come upon a season when we can’t write. I’m not talking about an occasional bout of writer’s block or the dreaded ‘dry spell.’ …
Sacred Story
By Christine Sunderland On Easter Sunday Christians celebrated the great turning point in the story of mankind: the resurrection from the dead of God-made-man, Jesus the Christ. It is a story of faith and wonder, suffering and defeat that turns into one of faith and glory, and triumph over death. It is a story mirrored in each of us, a …
What do you do with Rejection?
by Patricia Bradley I met a writer once who kept every rejection letter she ever received. Over 10,000 letters. I was thinking about her the other day, and not just her, but all the writers out there who keep writing through rejections. I was one of those writers. I never received 10,000 rejections, mostly because I didn’t send my manuscripts …
When Jealousy Interferes with Spiritual Growth
by Mary Ellis Writers often create characters with some rather profound lessons to learn. If we’re smart we can learn those lessons along with them. Working in the competitive world of publishing, I often struggle with ego and pride. Authors are asked to blog and Facebook, tweet and pin, to draw attention to their books and ultimately to themselves. Available …