By Joni M. Fisher @authorjonimfisher Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Suggest, don’t tell all. Let the reader connect the dots. Great fiction is more like impressionist artwork than still photography. Beginning writers underestimate their ability to convey meaning, so they repeat a concept, explain it, or otherwise beat the reader over the head …
ACFW New Releases: January 2026
January 2026 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Action/Adventure: Fire Between Two Skies by R.F. Whong — Two eras. One relentless quest for truth amid desires and temptation. Across the centuries, two men are bound by parallel destinies that echo through time. Book 3 of this dual-time odyssey delves deep …
Encouragement for Your 2026 Writing Goals
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” ~ Galatians 6:4 (MSG) Much of this post I shared with you last year in my New Year’s blog post. I did not set out to repeat myself this year, but as I read last year’s words they spoke …
What Is Christmas? A Writer’s Reflection
by Donald L. Reavis What is Christmas? In the process of developing a novel, we often ask rhetorical questions like this. Questions that linger in the air, shaping theme, tone, and character. But this one isn’t only for fiction. It’s a question that pulls me backward through time, into the places that formed me. At its core, Christmas is a …
Finish Faithfully: A Christmas Call to Writers
By Jeffrey Friedel @JeffersonRiede December is a funny month for writers. You start with good intentions—maybe even a spreadsheet, a new candle, and a Christmas playlist that doesn’t distract you too much. But then come the gift lists, the travel plans, the church rehearsals, the cookies (so many cookies), and before you know it, your manuscript is buried under tinsel, …
Writing Authority Figures. Who Has The Power?
By Barbara M. Britton @BarbaraMBritton Whether you are writing about kings, military officers, or an elementary teacher, authority figures contain layers of intrigue. The struggle for power that comes with authority can add conflict and tension to your novel. Let us look at the P-words that are associated with fallen, human authority figures. Power. Who bestowed power on your …
The Magical Gift of Imagination
by Ann H. Gabhart “When you start writing, the magic comes when the characters seem to take on a life of their own and write the words themselves.” — Alice Hoffman One of the questions writers often get when talking about their books and writing is what comes first when you are ready to start out on a new story …
Holidays for Authors
by Linda Glaz (Linda S. Glaz Literary Agency) Let’s ask ourselves what the holidays mean for authors: book sales, contracts, a wonderful endorsement of their book? I guess it doesn’t take a genius for us to want all three, right? But what can readers (and other authors) do to help all of these dreams come true? The rest of us …
Tips to Write Effective Silences
by Linda Dindzans MD Writers want readers to savor every word—but sometimes our words pile up, rush ahead, and leave no room for reaction or reflection. Yet there are moments when silence is not only desirable but essential. What do I mean by “silences” in writing? Anything that makes the reader, the character, or the action slow… pause… stop. Why …
Visible Virtues: Judging Justice
by Christine Sunderland Today is December 7, a “date which will live in infamy” as President Roosevelt stated in his address to Congress and the nation, speaking of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. This catalyst propelled our nation into World War II, hesitant as we were to get involved until then, despite the Holocaust and the rise of …