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 …
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 …
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 …
The Greatest Short Story Ever Told
By Michael House @real_housemd I’ve had people tell me at events where I’m displaying my books (all novels) that they only read non-fiction, because fiction is frivolous and not “fact-based.” Well, I believe Jesus himself would beg to differ. He presented many teachings in the form of parables, and he has inspired so much great (and useful!) writing from the …
Good Things Come in Small Packages
By Julia Fenstermacher First sentences. The moment our hero walks into the room. The “meet cute.” These are the small packages that if done well, grab your reader, pull them close and say, “you’re not going anywhere.” We long to develop the craft of hooking our readers and scour books upon books on “writing the novel that sells.” What if …