By Marie E. Bast @mariebast1 To steal the heart of the reader, a story must have a solid plot line and the protagonist must believe a lie about him or herself, which will cause obstacles and hinder them achieving their plot goal. This problem will become obvious at the inciting incident and first plot point. Each chapter, like a golf …
I love that about you!
by Julia Fenstermacher Growing up without my mother was hard. I did not realize how much I needed affirmation and acknowledgement until it came to me in my teen years. My Dad did his best to raise us three kids single-handedly. He was a purpose driven corporate ex-military man who traveled for work. When he was home, he cooked gourmet …
ACFW New Releases: March 2024
March 2024 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Contemporary Romance: For Better or For Granted by Amy R. Anguish — Divorce was never in the plans for Genevieve Stewart. Only four years into marriage, and everything has gone wrong. If only she could find her way back to the …
Travel and Fiction
by Marguerite Martin Gray How many readers and writers here love to travel? I know it is not for everyone. Some can escape in a book or a movie and be thrilled and not ever leave the comfort of a beloved chair or room. I do understand that fascinating phenomenon of feeling I have been someplace out of my reach …
What Happens When You Finally Type “The End”?
by Glynn Young @gyoung9751 It’s been more than two years since the writing began. It’s been more than four since the research started. A little over a month ago, on Jan. 16, I wrote this in my writing journal: “Reached 87,758 words. First draft completed.” Five days later, I wrote “First reread / editing completed.” It was there I stopped, …
Mesmerizing Mysteries and How to Master Them
By Sarah Sundin @sarahsundin What makes a satisfying mystery? As in all novels, we need intriguing lead characters, a captivating premise, and a setting that supports the story on both a physical and emotional level. But mysteries also have a cast of suspects and an interwoven plot with suspects and investigators acting and reacting to each other. Ideally, the reader …
What’s the Color of Love?
by Ifueko Ogbomo @inspirologos I love LOVE! As a poet and historical romance novelist, love inspires most of my storytelling, so it’s a subject I often ponder. (It definitely inspired my award-winning debut novel—A Divine Romance—which was released one year ago, today!) I’m admittedly a romantic at heart, but I daresay even the least romantically inclined individuals are forced to …
Branding: Isn’t that for cows?
by Melody Morrison Apparently, nearly everyone on the planet has some degree of ADHD or ADD. We have a society that requires it. The speed of life and volume of input is dizzying. Most of us never knew a name for it besides “scatter-brained” or disorganized or distractable. The good news discovered by educators rests in strategies. Categorizing, using planners, …
What’s in a Name?
by Janice Cantore This might be a rambling blog post. I’m not sure if every writer struggles with this subject like I do. I’ve written 14 books and I think I’ve struggled with this at some level with every single one. How do you pick names for your characters? I write suspense fiction, plot driven, not character driven, still, in …
Top Five things Christian Writers need in their Writing Toolbox
by Cindy Ervin Huff @Cindyhuff11Huff Christian writers, like secular writers, have a plethora of help available to them as they craft their books. Classes, conferences, webinars, coaches, to name a few. But Christian writers whose heart is to follow His guidance as we write have five essential tools to help us succeed. 1. Prayer It is easy to wake up …