By Bonnie S. Calhoun Telling vs. showing has always been one of the great debates of modern fiction writing. Telling an emotion feels detached and impersonal, and keeps the reader at arms length, by not sharing the emotion with them. To draw your readers into the new world, to make them feel what the characters feel is the goal of …
Can Readers See Your Heart?
By Lisa Godfrees As writers, it’s safe to say that we all have a heart for a good story. Otherwise, why do we write? And why would writers be some of the most avid readers? As Christian authors, what we give our readers has to be more than a great story. People read Christian fiction because of the hope it …
Change is a Good Thing
By Shelley Shepard Gray A funny thing happened on the way to writing my twenty-fifth Amish romance for Avon Inspire. I became rejuvenated. For a variety of reasons, I had to switch editors after I finished my last contract. When I started working with Chelsey, I must admit I was a little nervous. I write four books a year for …
When Life Gets in the Way of Writing
By Kathy Harris So you dare call yourself a writer… when you haven’t written anything other than a grocery list or the occasional blog post in a few weeks? Or even a few months? Your intentions have been to write, but somehow you’ve not found the time. Or the inspiration. What now? Maybe it’s time to quit. It would be …
One Purpose of Historical Fiction
by Mary Ellis Soon after I began researching my stories, I realized many historians take a dim view of fiction, and the idea of historical romance makes their left eyes twitch. When historians sit down to read about their favorite period, they choose scholarly works such as biographies or firsthand battlefield accounts complied from soldiers’ diaries and letters home. I …
Birthdays, always a time to reflect…
By Charlotte Snead Many folks my age are retired, traveling the world or content with their laurels. Some of my friends have died. I’ve reared five incredible children who are making contributions to society, and one foster daughter, who says she wouldn’t know Jesus if we hadn’t been her mama and papa. (She’s my best salesperson, as a beautician, she …
A Season for Every Activity
By Jennifer Sienes Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that there is a season for every activity under heaven. I believe season is the key word in this passage. As writers, we go through seasons – seasons of struggle to find just the right words to create story, carving out the necessary time to do so, and, God willing, those moments when …
The Purpose of Fictional Sidekicks
By Lisa Jordan Lone Ranger & Tonto. LaVerne & Shirley. Lucy & Ethel. Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson. Batman & Robin. Shaggy & Scooby. Frodo & Samwise. Lorelei & Sookie. These names may sound familiar, but what do they have in common? They’re all fictional main characters with their sidekicks, or close companions. Just as real people have sidekicks-friendships with …
In the ‘Just Before’
By Elizabeth B. Elliott I love the time “just before.” Just before starting a project, just before opening a new book, just before sitting down for a long-awaited conversation with an old friend. So it is no surprise that the week just before the New Year is my favorite week of the year. There are few commitments and fewer expectations. …
10 Tips for Feeding Your Writer’s Soul
by Edie Melson Writing is hard work, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We spend hours at a computer, neglecting exercise and proper posture. Beyond that, we pour our hearts and souls into the words we arrange into stories, articles, even blog posts. We spend time and money learning how to write, constantly improving our skills. Then, when it seems like it …