By Jennie Atkins Marketing and online presence, whether we like it or not, have become a large part of what an author must do to succeed. Our writing time now includes posts to social media websites, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Instead of adding pages to our work in process, we’re adding posts to our blog. Authors need to …
On Descriptive Writing: Something…Out There!
By Lanny Smith Today is a wonderful day for me. My novella, The Christmas Beacon, is set to be released in a matter of days and I have my copies in hand. This story is special to me because it glorifies God and deals with issues of faith, hope and miracles. I want to bless as many people possible so …
Take the NaNoWriMo Challenge!
By Susan May Warren Can you write a book in a month? YES! We had a conversation about this last Thursday during the MBT OPEN HOUSE webinar. Writing a book in a month is a great way to jumpstart a new idea, get a head start on a longer story (you only have to write 50K for NaNo) or to …
Love Does Stay True
By Martha Rogers Today is our 55th wedding anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than to tell how my novel, Love Stays True, came to be. It’s a story loosely based on my great-grandparents love story after the Civil War. The idea sprang from three letters my dad gave me in 1995. His father had given them to him …
There Is No Magic
by Eddie Jones When it comes to book promotion there is no magic. Authors may think a version of pixie-dust can be purchased and sprinkled on their book, but they are mistaken. The book buying business is mysterious but the formula for success is not. Write a great book and get it into the hands of influencers of that genre. …
To Fight or Be Still
by Brenda S. Anderson The writing life is a battle. Raise your hand if you feel like you’ve been fighting hard at this writing business. You’re doing everything the right way, but still you’re getting nowhere, and you’re losing. You’re going to conferences, taking classes, getting critiques, yet no publisher or agent wants you. Or you’ve written a fabulous book, …
Invest in Your Writing Dreams
By Donna K. Rice My other career is as an estate planning attorney. In that capacity, I’ve spent many hours visiting with clients about what will happen when they pass away. To me, the personal matters, family values, and legacy development are most important, but money is what most people think about when considering estate planning. With that in mind, …
Beating the Post Conference BLUES
By Susan May Warren Are you home from the ACFW conference? Finally unpacked? I hope you came home filled with encouragement and new ideas on how to make your writing breathtaking. Now what? Conferences can be overwhelming, between the requests for proposals or full manuscripts, new story ideas, craft lessons, marketing epiphanies and loads of new friends. Where and how …
Every book deserves a party
By Judy Christie With the launch of my eighth novel, I’m in the mood for fried pies. Make that chocolate fried pies. That’s what the protagonist cooks–and what I’ll serve to say thanks at my upcoming book party at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in northwest Louisiana. As authors, we spend lots of time talking about the serious business of writing …
Six Verses to Anchor Your Thoughts During the ACFW Conference
by Beth K. Vogt “The stars may fall, but God’s promises will stand and be fulfilled.” J. I. Packer, (1926-), theologian People start talking about what they’re packing for the ACFW conference weeks before they print off their boarding pass. What are they wearing to their 15-minute appointments? The genre dinner? The gala? Are their pitch sheets and business cards …