By Davalynn Spencer I recently turned in my fourth contracted novella and I’ve learned a thing or three about writing these delightful little gems. Emphasis on the word “little.” My first novella developed from my traditional pantser perspective. It was a stand-alone and I could have all the words I wanted just so I didn’t end up with a full-length …
Continue the Journey
By Henry McLaughlin Continue the Journey has been my tag line since I first became serious about writing and printed my first business cards. Obviously it stems from my debut novel, Journey to Riverbend. But there’s more to it than just a gimmick to remind people about the book. (Did I mention my first book is Journey to Riverbend? Did …
Three Writing Challenges That No Longer Scare Me
By Kathleen Y’Barbo This year, I celebrate fifteen years in as a published author and ten years with my fabulous agent, Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency. Next year, in 2016, I will celebrate twenty years as a writer. I am closing in on sixty books published and two million books in print, and in a few days …
Pruning
by Cynthia Ruchti If fascinates me that the Bible not only inspires and encourages writers, informs the character growth of the writer, but teaches writing techniques, too. The edits for my May 2015 novel-As Waters Gone By-brought that thought into clear focus. As I worked through the notes my editor made, I noticed throw away words or overgrowth that needed …
5 Steps to Meeting Your Deadline The Chunky Way
By Allie Pleiter The high volume of production demanded from a category romance author has made me a student of creative productivity. Wrangling an uncooperative muse to meet a deadline is one of the ongoing struggles of every writer, and we need all the help we can get. I’ve been teaching the Chunky Method all across the country for several …
3 Writing Cues from The Flash
By Beth K. Vogt “The Flash” is must-watch TV in the Vogt household. On Tuesday nights, my husband, teen daughter, and I hunker down in the family room eager to see what’s going to happen in Central City, home to Barry Gordon, a.k.a. The Flash, as well as his friends and enemies. I walk away from every episode thinking, “I …
Love the WIP You’re With
By Sarah Hamaker The idea comes to you in a flash of brilliance. The plot, the setting, the characters all jumble together like a kaleidoscope of words just waiting to be brought into focus by you. You eagerly sit down in front of the computer, fingers poised over the keyboard and a fresh, blank document open on the screen. Is …
Ten Writing Productivity Mistakes Every Writer Should Watch Out For
By Edie Melson There are a lot of tasks we must master as we make writing a priority. But with these additional tasks, our productivity may drop. Learning how to juggle this multi-tasking is part of becoming a professional writer. Today I’d like to share 9 Productivity Mistakes to Avoid. 1. Multi-tasking. This one is a biggie. Yes, we have …
Tips to Supercharge Your Story
By DiAnn Mills When our stories lack a certain edge, we’re back to the drawing board looking for what we’ve missed. Our novels are like well-oiled machines, each part has to be fine-tuned to work effectively. When are skills, methods, and storytelling abilities creak and moan, the whole novel comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes we’re able to reach into …
Switching it Up
By Carolyne Aarsen I am a self-confessed, unabashed outliner. I need to figure out my characters, fill in my character charts, use a beat sheet to lay out the story outline. I need to know where my story is going every step of the way. I discovered this over a forty some book career that if I let myself ‘write …