By Angela Hunt When I set out to be a writer, I wrote catalog copy, articles, and whatever-anyone-would-pay-me-to-write before I even dreamed of writing a book. Writing a book wasn’t even on my radar—I just wanted a job that would allow me to help my youth-pastor husband put food on the table. I wrote and wrote and wrote, and learned …
Using Foreshadowing to Increase Tension
By DiAnn Mills Foreshadowing is an ingenious literary tool that indicates something will happen in the story. It hints or suggests what is to come and becomes a promise to the reader, a promise that must be kept. Like a road sign that shows what is ahead, foreshadowing signals tension and suspense while alluding to fear, threat, humor, tragedy, or …
Why Writing Matters
by Jenny Erlingsson Focusing on writing during stressful seasons sometimes seem like the last thing we should do. My family recently made a huge move from Iceland to the states for a season, and it has been a whirlwind these past few months. Even with the recent book launch of Her Part to Play and lots of book ideas brewing, …
Gold Medal Writers
by Dana Mentink As we experience another summer Olympics, I’m enjoying learning about new sports I’d never imagined before. Break dancing? Did you know that was a sport? Skateboarding? Climbing? Wow! It makes me wonder about my favorite sport (calling/profession/obsession) WRITING! When you think about it, it can be a struggle of epic proportions to get those books out into …
Just Write Already
by Mark David Pullen Have you ever sat down to write and hit a mental roadblock? Maybe it was for your new manuscript, an article, or that guest blog spot that could change the course of your career as an author forever. In any case, writer’s block is never a welcome state of mind. Most writer’s block cases can be …
The Value of Creating White Space in Your Life
By Lisa Jordan @lisajordan One of the first writing rules I learned was to be sure there was plenty of white space on the page. At that time, I wasn’t quite sure what it meant, but as I grew in my craft and my abilities, I learned it meant having a good balance of dialogue and narrative to ensure the …
Reasons to View Writers as Athletes
By Linda Dindzans, M.D Billions of people viewed the Paris Olympics, and I enthusiastically joined them. While watching, it occurred to me that writers could be viewed as comparable to athletes and writing could be considered a sport. While most Olympians will not take home a medal, and most writers will not become worldwide best sellers, both groups have entered …
Applying real life to your books
By Cindy Ervin Huff There is always at least one real-life experience from my life or someone I know in every book I write. Those scenes from my past add depth and realism to my stories. The research I do for my novels add another layer of realism. Historical events, people, or documents strengthen descriptions and help me add realistic …
Creating Authentic Cause and Effect
DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Bestselling stories explode from powerful emotions that push a character into authentic cause and effect. The process is the backbone of fiction. A character is deeply motivated and commits skills, time, energy, and knowledge to pursue something tangible or intangible. The something is valued, meaning sacrifices are expected. The reader will feel cheated if the character is …
Seven Components Required to Create a Compelling Character
by Rachel Hauck @RachelHauck This August I’ve been writing full time for twenty years. I quit my job—cutting our household income by two-thirds—with one little $2,500 contract and a big deposit of dreams. While other contracts followed, my books didn’t fly off the shelf, win awards, or create buzz at my publisher. In many ways, I had a wrong idea …