Name that Christmas Movie!

ACFWcreativity, Friends of ACFW 3 Comments

By Dana Mentink Christmas gives me ALL the feels! Every year I find myself wanting to relive all those special nostalgic moments from holidays past. Certainly Christmases have changed lately, with several tragic losses in the Mentink clan. I’m sure we’ve all got stories about holidays missed and mourned. Nonetheless, I persevere in hanging onto those precious holiday moments of …

Christmas Quotes by Writers

ACFWACFW, creativity, Friends of ACFW, writing 3 Comments

By DiAnn Mills Have you ever read what other writers have said about Christmas? Curiosity, like a writerly-child (I made that up), propelled me to explore several quotes. These are so special that I wanted to share twelve of them with you. “Do give books—religious or otherwise—for Christmas. They’re never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal.” ~Lenore Hershey “Christmas! ‘Tis the …

The Problem with Fantasy

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Faith, Friends of ACFW, Plots, tips, writing 11 Comments

by Scott T. Barnes Christians writing fantasy literature face one unique challenge that most writers do not: how to deal with religion and spirituality in a made-up world? I provide here only partial answers and reflections, and would love to hear your opinions on this important topic. ‘Fantasy’ fiction comprises books as diverse as The Lord of the Rings; The …

Dream Big, Dear Writer

ACFWACFW, Advice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Friends of ACFW, writing 3 Comments

by Susan Lyttek @SusanLyttek Lately, I’ve been doing a series on my personal blog about Dreams and Memories and how God works in each of them to grow and develop us. When we dream and remember the way God would call us to, we become not only better Christians, but better writers. Having taught many generations of beginning writers, I’ve …

Gold Medal Writers

ACFWAuthors and writing, Contests, Encouragement, Friends of ACFW, writing 4 Comments

by Dana Mentink As we experience another summer Olympics, I’m enjoying learning about new sports I’d never imagined before. Break dancing? Did you know that was a sport? Skateboarding? Climbing? Wow! It makes me wonder about my favorite sport (calling/profession/obsession) WRITING! When you think about it, it can be a struggle of epic proportions to get those books out into …

Why Read or Recommend a Biblical novel?

ACFWAuthors and writing, Books, Friends of ACFW, marketing, writing 5 Comments

By Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans First let’s review from my previous blog Why Write a Biblical Novel? the definition of a biblical novel. The vast cast of biblical characters is both historic and religious. They are not fictional. Their lives, faith, and teachings are accurately recorded in scripture. A biblical novel is not scripture. The tale is generated in the “offstage …

Fingerprint of Worship

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Fear/Doubt, Friends of ACFW, Prayer, tips, writing 8 Comments

by Jenny Erlingsson @jennyerlingsson I tiptoed up the stairs and closed the small bedroom door behind me. One hour. I had one hour to start working on the book that had been pulsing in my heart for a couple of years. It felt like a life message I needed to share, even if it was just for my family. I …

Planting Season

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Fear/Doubt, Friends of ACFW, Perseverance, writing 2 Comments

By Janet Morris Grimes It’s that time of year again. Time to get our hands dirty. Time to prune old branches and brush to make room for new growth. Time to attempt to add splashes of color or garden vegetables or frame our yard with budding trees. Time to dig a hole in the ground, cultivate seeds, and come up …

Love on a Whim

ACFWAuthors and writing, Friends of ACFW, research, writing 1 Comment

By Suzanne Woods Fisher @suzannewfisher My husband, Steve, isn’t just serious about making ice cream; he’s practically a scientist about it, especially when it comes to vanilla. He’ll pore over textbooks, drive hours to source the perfect vanilla beans, and doesn’t hesitate to spend a bit more on top-notch organic dairy from small farms. Whenever friends come over for dinner, …

Take Aim: Finding Your Target Audience

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, creativity, Editing, Friends of ACFW, Reading, revisions, tips, writing 4 Comments

by John Matthew Walker  @jdubmd If you’ve ever been to a writers conference or critique group, you’ve heard the phrase “target audience.” But what does it really mean? Who is your target audience? And why is it so important? Imagine yourself taking up a new hobby. It sounded crazy. You didn’t really want to do it, but you reconnected with …