by Maureen Miller Why’s it taking so long? This was my frequent cry. My frustration regarding my WIP’s publication process spilled over like coffee in a Starbucks cup sloshing over speedbumps. Similar to crickets from my content coach, God, too, often seemed silent. Over time, my inquiry changed. Is there a greater lesson to apply to my writing life? That’s …
Forgetting All the Illustration I Studied for a Non-Illustrated Book
by Glynn Young My historical novel Brookhaven has no illustrations. I spent an estimated third of my research time hunting for them. The novel is set in two different time periods – the Civil War and immediately after, and then 50 years later, in 1915. From the beginning of the first draft, I quickly learned that I had to see …
Speed Writing
By Joni M. Fisher @authorjonimfisher I challenge you to write a novel in a month. It sounds impossible, but hear me out. How many best-selling authors publish a book every year? Barbara Cartland, the Queen of Romance, wrote over 700 novels. Isaac Asimov wrote 500. Nora Roberts has written 225. James Patterson has 100. John Grisham has over 50. Calculate …
ACFW New Releases: November 2025
November 2025 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Amish Romance: A Daughter’s Choice by Kelly S. Irvin — Henrietta Miller loves animals—especially her goats. She wants to marry and have children someday, but right now her goal is to have her own business selling snacks made from goat’s milk and …
Four Tips for Creating a Teen Detective
by JPC Allen Since 2018, I’ve spent every day with my teen detective Rae Riley. She’s had a cameo in one short story and been featured in another as well as three novels. After working with her for so long, here are four tips for creating an engaging teen detective. A Reason to be a Teen Detective It’s better for …
Tracking Your Progress
by D’Ann Mateer Almost 25 years ago, I attended my first writers conference at Mt. Hermon. It was the second big step toward my writing dream—the first being finishing my first full-length novel. Of course, I soaked in all the classes and interactions with editors and agents and fellow writers, but probably the most lasting thing I took home was …
The Power of the First Line
by Rachel Hauck “One of the most difficult things is the first paragraph… In the first paragraph, you solve most of the problems of your book. The theme is defined, the style, the tone. At least in my case, the paragraph is a kind of sample of what the rest of the book is going to be.” — Gabriel García Márquez, …
Keeping the Muse
By Neva Bodin I spoke at a writers conference a couple of years ago about keeping the muse. I’m thinking all writers must have one. What is a muse? One source said the word originated in Greek literature and was introduced by Chaucer in his writings. It is “Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom …
Comparison – The Thief of Joy
by Steven Rogers @SRBooksForHope For the last fifteen years, I’ve been a member of a men’s Bible study group. During our meetings, a common theme often emerges—comparison. Based on the contributions we see from others, we worry that we’re not doing enough. For example, we might be reading about the Apostle Paul, marvel at this commitment and accomplishments, and then …
A Christian Writer’s Prayer
by Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans Since I became a writer, my prayer life has changed. Writers who sense God has called them to write—though our genres, audiences, and purposes may differ—share this one thing: we are called to pray. We pray for His will to be done and His glory to shine through our words. Called to Write My journey began …