By Allie Pleiter Series are the big thing in fiction these days. Readers love them, publishers want them. It seems as if Netflix has taught us all how to binge-watch, so if we weren’t ready to binge-read before, we are now. As a writer, I like series because building a world and cast of characters is hard work, and it’s …
When the Story Falters
By Tamara D. Fickas Sometimes the story falters and the words refuse to come. They bottleneck inside your brain and tangle until it’s as hopeless as Christmas lights that were so neat and orderly last year. In those moments, as the tale wanders off the page and down a dark alley where you fear to tread, it’s easy to give …
Without a Word
By Cynthia Ruchti Two passages diverged in a yellow wood. And I… I took the one with subtext And that has made All the difference. (with apologies to Robert Frost) When writing, critiquing, judging, or editing a story, attention to subtext can make all the difference. It deserves another look. When writing instructors talk about the elements that mark the …
So Long, Perfection
by Kariss Lynch I came back from the Deep Thinkers Retreat a few weeks back with my story plotted, my characters vetted and chattering in my head, and excitement brewing about my story. I sat down in the evenings after work and began to whittle away the word count and fill out my story. Then, I came to a crashing …
Love Your Editor
By Ian Acheson It was finally finished. I’d just typed “The End.” Now what do I do? September 2003. Yes all those years ago. I’d set out on a mission to write that novel that I was always going to write. The previous December I’d read Stephen King’s “On Writing” (it’s excellent BTW – part memoir, part lessons on writing). …
#NotWriting
by Kathy Harris I recently read a quote from bestselling author Nicholas Sparks. It said, “You can’t be a writer if you don’t write.” While I don’t disagree in theory, I do believe we will all eventually come upon a season when we can’t write. I’m not talking about an occasional bout of writer’s block or the dreaded ‘dry spell.’ …
How to trick your brain and create the perfect writing environment
By Melissa Tagg Here’s the thing: I wish I could do ALL my writing on languid Saturday mornings…slow and relaxed and unencumbered by things like, oh, you know, the need to actually get dressed and go into the office and interact with the real world. But once I signed my first publishing contract, I realized in order to do that …
Modern Issues or Cookie Cutter…
By Lynn Hobbs Recently, I attended a ladies luncheon from several churches in my area. One woman had an out of state friend visiting her, and we welcomed her to the group. Upon learning I was the author of a Christian fiction series she had read, she discussed the ending of the last book in the series. She loved the …
The Magic Triangle: Exploring Wounds for Deeper Fiction
By Connilyn Cossette Have you read a book in which the characters seem flat? Lifeless? I certainly have. The plot may be great and the writing lyrical, but if the characters do not leap from the page the story will either leave readers unsatisfied or end up in the graveyard-of-unfinished-books. Since our goal is to provide an experience where readers …
How to Light a Fire to Your Writing Career
By DiAnn Mills When writers realize the embers of their careers are dying, stomping out the few remaining flames is not the answer. Instead, effective writers look for new ways to promote themselves that explodes with ingenuity and creativity. Is your career on the verge of smoldering? Try adding a spark to your marketing and promotion plan with these ideas. …