By Teresa Tysinger You guys! Can you believe the ACFW Conference is just a few short weeks away? It’s like a trip to Disney World for Christian authors. (If you think that’s overstating, then you’ve obviously never been to one.) Like many of you, I’m working hard to prepare. Here’s a glimpse at my to-do list in progress: • Sketch …
The Dumbest Thing I Ever Did at a Writers’ Conference
By Cynthia Ruchti If this were survey results, and I’d polled hundreds of past conference attendees to ask their answer to the question, “What’s the dumbest thing you ever did at a writer’s conference?” your answer might show up on the list (If you’re a first time attendee, take heart!): • Brought two suitcases. I’d packed underwear in neither of …
The Fallacy of Free
By Hallee Bridgeman Typically speaking – and every publishing house is different and contracts can vary – these are the royalties for an author with a major publisher: Hardbacks: 10%-15% Paperbacks: 8%-10% eBooks: 25% The majority of the earnings for any book goes to the publisher. Why? Because that publisher has paid for working people to acquire the manuscript, edit …
Quirky Sources to Add to Your Characterization
By DiAnn Mills I live and breathe story–most writers do. And we’re always looking for ways to ensure our characters and their predicaments are exciting and unique. Some of the places we look can be a bit . . . different. But the exploration is worth it. Here are a few areas that I’ve delved into to add idiosyncrasies to …
Why Every Author Needs a Detective
by Amber Schamel Every author needs a detective. It’s elementary, my dear Watson. Not sure you believe me? Very well, I will explain. Wednesday afternoon, a quarter past one. I was at lunch with my brother. We were casually talking while dishing out homemade spaghetti. My brother was sharing about his work and the various construction projects he was selling, …
ACFW 2016: Social Advice from an Autistic Author
by Patricia Beal Conference is thirty days away! Can you believe it? I get fired up about our yearly gathering. This will be my third ACFW conference, and I can’t wait because the seeds we plant during ACFW grow for years. Lives change. How can we not get excited about it? My first ACFW conference was in St. Louis in …
Tips to Help on Your Journey toward Publication
By Amy Clipston People often ask me what the secret is to getting published. I don’t believe there is a secret to getting published, but I do have a list of things that will help writers on their journey to publication. 1. Join a Writers’ Group I accidentally found the website for a local writers’ group while in search for …
Help! I’m Lost and Can’t Find My Way
By Ane Mulligan I’d hit the 43,000-word mark in the fourth book in my Chapel Springs series. I knew the characters like I know myself. Better even, since I don’t pretend they don’t have faults. But the story stalled on me. It lacked the usual “feel” of its sister books. It was missing the heart. I had to force myself …
Dress for Success and Corrie Ten Boom
By Carol Hamilton Today’s authors should be speakers, also. To become more comfortable before an audience and to allow your audience to be more at ease with you, learn to dress for success. When you stand on a stage, the crowd sees more of your feet than they may want. Women, be sure heels aren’t too spiked. They could get …
Story Structure
By Katherine Reay As I begin a new story, my mind turns to structure. No matter how much I say I’m an “organic” writer, I need solid hooks on which to hang my musings. I can get lost easily if the basics of the road aren’t cleared in front of me. Whether you think the “rules” of structure are important …