Blooms and Baggage in “A Year in Flowers”

ACFWEncouragement, Faith Leave a Comment

by Suzanne Woods Fisher @suzannewfisher Picture this: three best friends, teenage girls, elbow-deep in petals and dreams, working alongside their mentor in a cozy flower shop. Then, bam! Something terrible goes down, and they bolt, leaving behind a trail of shame. Shame packs a punch, doesn’t it? Call it what you will—personal insecurities, perceived flaws, secrets, mistakes, unconfessed sins— it …

Be Yourself

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, tips, writing 5 Comments

By Loretta Eidson @lorettajedison Did you ever think you could become an author? I didn’t. Well, not until the tug in my heart pulled me in that direction. Who was I to join the team of such an overwhelming, impressive profession? Who knew the journey would be so challenging? Starting at the bottom forced me to face my fears of …

What’s the Color of Love?

ACFWcreativity, Faith, writing 1 Comment

by Ifueko Ogbomo @inspirologos I love LOVE! As a poet and historical romance novelist, love inspires most of my storytelling, so it’s a subject I often ponder. (It definitely inspired my award-winning debut novel—A Divine Romance—which was released one year ago, today!) I’m admittedly a romantic at heart, but I daresay even the least romantically inclined individuals are forced to …

Branding: Isn’t that for cows?

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, creativity, Faith, marketing, writing 2 Comments

by Melody Morrison Apparently, nearly everyone on the planet has some degree of ADHD or ADD. We have a society that requires it. The speed of life and volume of input is dizzying. Most of us never knew a name for it besides “scatter-brained” or disorganized or distractable. The good news discovered by educators rests in strategies. Categorizing, using planners, …

Top Five things Christian Writers need in their Writing Toolbox

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by Cindy Ervin Huff @Cindyhuff11Huff Christian writers, like secular writers, have a plethora of help available to them as they craft their books. Classes, conferences, webinars, coaches, to name a few. But Christian writers whose heart is to follow His guidance as we write have five essential tools to help us succeed. 1. Prayer It is easy to wake up …

Singing the Song of Truth

ACFWAuthors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, writing 1 Comment

By Christine Sunderland @Chrisunderland Christians have long sought to portray truth. They look to Moses and the Ten Commandments etched into tablets of stone on Mt. Sinai that became the foundation of their worship and life together, the Ark of the Covenant. The Ninth Commandment forbids false witness, for God’s law leads to God’s truth about who we are and …

Bless You and Keep You

ACFWAdvice, Encouragement, Faith, writing 2 Comments

by Julia Fenstermacher The day after Christmas, “Poetry Moment” on NPR (National Public Radio) featured a poem I wrote. The poem came to me this past year out of a time of frustration. I was very busy with good writerly things: my new author newsletter, attending the Write to Publish conference, serving as our local ACFW chapter VP, and creating …

The Mysteries of God in the Fantasy-verse

ACFWACFW Volunteers, Advice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, writing 1 Comment

by M.D. House @real_housemd The modern world is awash in fantastical speculations about a multi-verse. In part, this is driven by natural human curiosity and creativity, but it has also become another off-ramp for those who still contend, despite advancements in modern science, that God (or an intelligent designer) can’t exist and that life popped into existence through random processes. …

Doing Big, Crazy Things

ACFWAuthors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Fear/Doubt, marketing, writing 3 Comments

By Sara Davison Have you ever made the spontaneous decision to do something you know is crazy but that you also know is absolutely the right thing to do (but it’s still scary)? That’s how I felt a few weeks ago when I decided I was going to release a book, The Color of Sky and Stone, this November that …

Average, But Obedient

ACFWACFW, Advice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Fear/Doubt, writing 9 Comments

by Heidi Gray McGill How do I stand out and reach the top in the Christian Indie world when I’m average? There are authors with English degrees and years of experience under their belt. Others don’t need to choose between paying for an editor or rent. I have a decent number of followers on social media, but Twitter and TikTok …