by Elle E. Kay @ElleEKay777 Book sales and page reads are useful metrics to track. They help us determine what advertising is working and where we’re wasting our money. They can offer clues about whether a book or series is resonating with readers. They can also show our progress year over year when we might otherwise get discouraged. Yet some things can’t …
I Wanted To Be Hidden. Then God Gave Me The Mic.
By Valerie Carr I remember the first time I had to use a microphone on a stage in front of a large group of lunching ladies. All eyes were on me as I announced the winners of the raffle we had held for the charity we were supporting. For most people, this would not have been an issue. They would …
The Conference Butterfly Writer
By Darlene Corbett @darlenemcorbett I love butterflies. I love writing. And I love conferences. What does one have to do with the other? To make it simple, I’m like a butterfly who flits to as many writing conferences as possible. My wings flutter as I immerse myself in the nectar of learning. On closer examination, complexity streams through the parallel …
Behind A Writer’s Books
By Dr. Dwight David Croy Life-changing events are priorities to be told. As a Christian writer, my first priority is to tell how I was saved by Jesus Christ. When invited as a guest speaker at a church, I often start with how I came to Christ because that is my authority for speaking. A book is like a platform …
Writing Contests: Stepping out of the Boat (Part 1)
by Linda Dindzans My writing journey began in early 2013 when I decided that what I had planned as a sabbatical from my ENT practice was actually retirement. The call to put down my scalpel and pick up my pen was clear, but the journey ahead was entirely uncharted. Early on, I committed to developing my craft through conferences, online …
Overcoming the Messy Middle of Writing and Life
by Lana Christian @LanaCWrites As authors, we have a love-hate relationship with the messy middle of our novels. We can’t wait to get past it. We wonder how we’ll get through it. (Sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it?) In the messy middle, our characters often make wrong choices. Barriers block their goals. Their lows get lower. Revelation and resolution …
I Wasn’t An Author, Until God Said, Write
by: Valerie Carr The story came onto my heart rather suddenly. It wasn’t something I had purposely prepared for or even considered writing. But I had a story in my head, and when I went looking for something like it in a book, I couldn’t find what I was searching for. If I came close, the story often contained content …
Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice
by Elle E. Kay @ElleEKay777 It’s conference time once again. On Saturday night, many of us will gather at the annual ACFW Gala and await the announcements of the titles that will receive the prestigious honor of a Genesis or Carol Award. I didn’t expect much when I watched a clip of the announcements to see who finaled. I’d never heard my …
Don’t Hold Back
By Chandra Lynn Smith This past weekend I did something new. And I was more than a little bit nervous about the endeavor. I don’t know about all writers, but I have a feeling many—maybe even most—of us are introverts. I recently learned a new personality type: extroverted introvert. People who are basically introverted but can adapt extroverted traits when …
To The Ones Who Help Us Write
by Jeffrey Friedel @JeffersonRiede Later this month, writers will arrive at the ACFW conference carrying laptops, business cards, carefully rehearsed pitches, and enough nervous energy to power downtown Memphis. We come ready to talk about protagonists, platforms, proposals, and plot twists. But behind nearly every writer is someone who helped carry a load that never made it into the conference …