by Roxanne Hicks My husband and I live on the edge of the Rocky Mountain range and are blessed with abundant wildlife which also call this home. On any given day, we’re likely to watch a variety of animals scamper, or amble, through our pastures. One morning while sipping my coffee, I witnessed a good-sized flock of wild turkeys pick …
Small Things
by Lisa Kelley @LisaKelleyWrite Sometimes, it can seem nearly impossible to find time to put words on the screen. If you have a full-time job like me, the hours you have to devote to writing may be few. Often, I set aside my vacation time as dedicated writing hours. Such was my plan this past December. I struggled last year …
Five Tips for the Tight Pacing That Will Engage Your Reader
by Allie Pleiter Every writer’s goal is to engage and enthrall their reader. We want them pulled deeply and quickly into the story so that they can’t wait to turn the page. Accomplish this, and you’ll have won a loyal fan who not only follows you to the end of your story, but eagerly await your next book. But how …
Travel and Fiction—An Awesome Duo
by Marguerite Martin Gray Are you an avid traveler? I’m an avid traveler and reader. These activities easily go hand in hand in my life. If anyone says “Let’s go!” I’m there with my bags packed and full of enthusiasm. It really doesn’t matter the destination—local, state, national, or international. I’ll lead or follow as long as I’m going. Traveling …
Redemption Arcs
By Diane E. Samson Do you find certain themes popping up in your work? In writing for young adults, themes such as self-discovery, love and acceptance often emerge from the pages. But my favorite is a good redemption story. No matter the genre, if there’s a lost character who finds his way, I’m all in. (I’m looking at you Ebenezer …
Gettysburg Revisited
by Jenny Powell MD Despite the legend that Abraham Lincoln procrastinated and scribbled his most famous speech while on the train headed to the Gettysburg battlefield, the original copies are in his careful script. Lincoln thoroughly thought out his speeches and would not have rattled this particular one off the cuff, as is suggested. He knew how important this speech …
Chasing Perfect Optimism
by M.D. House @real_housemd Jesus was an optimist. That seems a trite thing to say, doesn’t it? It was easy for him to be positive all the time, right? He was the Messiah, for heaven’s sake. He had a direct line to God, and angels were on call to help him. And yet, he often wept—not just for what was …
Why Hospitality Toward Our Readers Should be on Our List of New Year’s Resolutions
by Donna Wichelman @DonnaWichelman Several years ago, while listening to a webinar hosted by Thomas Umstattd, Jr., he made a statement that impressed me and motivated me to write two questions on a Post-It note that still hangs on my computer monitor today. How do you throw a banquet for your readers? How do you serve them if you don’t …
REST in Your Writing
by Susan Lyttek @SusanLyttek Today, as this posts, is my birthday. As with most of us, even if I vow not to, I compare the current me to the me of a year ago. Did I accomplish what I planned? (absolutely never) Did I grow closer to God and family? (almost always) Do I like the person I’m becoming? (never …
Encouragement for your 2025 Writing Goals
by Chandra Lynn Smith “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) It’s Christmas Eve as I sit here writing this post. My heart wants to get back to the cooking and cleaning and wrapping. But, I must first write this post for …