Life is a balancing act, and the words of Alex Cross, in James Patterson’s, Along Came a Spider, “Do what you are,” are a challenge when applied to our daily lives. If you were to list those things that fill your life in order of importance from least to most, how much time would you admit they occupy in your …
HUMILITY OR APATHY–The aversion to marketing.
ACFW Blog posting by Christine Lindsay author of SHADOWED IN SILK, winner of the 2009 Genesis for Historical. All of us in ACFW know the writing of Christian fiction is a ministry. And if we’ve been at it for a few years we know it is not for the faint-hearted. We know the perseverance, the faith it takes to write …
Pacing–I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can
By Margaret Daley The structure and pacing in a book is what holds the story together, moving it forward. Pacing and structure (what scenes go where) involves how you convey the characters and plot. In order to talk about pacing you also need to talk about the structure of the book. They are interwoven together. Why should a writer care …
That Inspirational-Writing Mirror: Shirley Kiger Connolly
I often wonder why Christians choose to write inspirational fiction books. Some might be sending a specific, heartfelt message. Some could be out there with that hope to eventually become wealthy. Some could be voracious readers, and hear themselves saying, “I can do that too.” What about those who simply need something to do as they sit in front of …
Real in Fiction; Choosing Actual Locations for Your Novels
By Eva Marie Everson Several years ago, after the success of the Potluck books, set in imaginary Summit View, Colorado, my editor and I decided to focus on Southern fiction because y’all, I know the South. My first Southern novels for Revell were set in the “unreal” towns of Cottonwood, Georgia (Things Left Unspoken) and Logan’s Creek, Georgia (This Fine …
Blueprint for Success: Donna Rich
A blueprint works? The bad news: I can’t give you a blueprint. The good news: I can share my experience. Overcome Rejection – I’m not wanted My first rejection came in 1978. I had submitted a nonfiction book to Baker Book House. I knew it would be a success – until the nice letter came telling me otherwise. Instead of …
Polishing Your Opening Chapters
Are you headed to the ACFW conference or preparing to submit your proposal to an agent and editor? If so, you need to polish those first three chapters until they shine. The synopsis, marketing ideas, platform and bio are important, but the strength of your writing in those chapters is what makes the agent or editor keep reading and ask …
Librarians–Authors’ Best Friends
By Mary Ellis Often writers are curious to learn which marketing and publicity ideas work for other writers and which do not. I, too, am curious about the very same thing. We blog and interview on various blog-sites; we e-mail newsletters to established fans and snail-mail publicity postcards to announce upcoming books; we FaceBook and Twitter and network and wonder …
Elevating Your Elevator Pitch
by Janice Thompson You’re wrapping up the best book you’ve ever written. It’s all you can think about. You can’t wait to go to that next conference to meet with an editor or agent. However, you realize that your face time will be brief. How will you pitch your novel in a way that will garner the attention it deserves? …
If it weren’t for writer’s conferences . . .
Maureen Lang I wonder how many authors I know, myself included, would be published today without having been to a writer’s conference? The publishing industry has always been a competitive field. According to one study I read, approximately 80% of the general public believes they have a book in them. Understandably with the advent of computers, this number is probably …