Of Giving Up and Letting Go

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Fear/Doubt, Perseverance, tips, writing 9 Comments

By Melanie Rigney Is there a difference between giving up and letting go? That question was posed at a retreat I attended recently. The conversation was of particular interest to me. While others were spending the retreat in prayer, working on faith journey scrapbooks, or taking long walks, I was researching a nonfiction book that’s due to a Catholic publisher …

Encouragement for your 2025 Writing Goals

ACFWACFW, Advice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Learning, Perseverance, tips, writing 7 Comments

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 …

Giving Ourselves Grace in Our Writing Journey

ACFWAccountability, Advice, Authors and writing, business, Deadlines, Encouragement, Faith, Perseverance, Time Management, tips, writing 11 Comments

By Elle E. Kay This path we’ve chosen isn’t easy. Whether you’re indie, traditionally, or hybrid published, you have to manage your career. We all have to help with the marketing, juggle social media, send newsletters, and so much more. Keeping all those plates spinning without dropping any of them is nearly impossible. Yet, we expect to do it. And …

A New Writer’s Journey: Five Tips to save you a lot of heartache!

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Brainstorming, Critiques, Editing, Encouragement, Learning, Perseverance, POV, tips, writing 6 Comments

by Lisa Larsen Hill I wrote my biblical novel during the pandemic. Looking back at my journey, I wish I could’ve told myself, “Don’t worry. Don’t lose sleep (unless your characters are talking to you), and you’re about to start an amazing journey better than you could’ve planned. God will guide you.” Here are my biggest lessons. Learn from your …

Where Dreams Are Made Possible

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, Perseverance, writing 11 Comments

by Kelly Anne Liberto @kellyliberto Are you pressed down and exhausted from opposition? Tired from a burning passion that will not leave you but you seem to make no progress no matter how hard you work? You know the scripture burning in your spirit calling you to follow him. Yet, you see no fruit or reward after years of laboring …

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 …

Beating the Rain

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Editing, Encouragement, Perseverance, writing 3 Comments

By Chandra Lynn Smith I’m sitting at my desk this morning pretty much feeling like the weather. Pennsylvania is known for its fickleness about changing seasons. We can go from winter to spring to summer to mud all in the same day. And yes, around here we truly do feel like we have a fifth season called mud. This morning …

Just Show Up

ACFWAuthors and writing, creativity, Encouragement, Faith, Perseverance, Procrastination, writing 8 Comments

By JPC Allen I thought nothing could be more difficult than writing a novel during a pandemic. Trying to make sense of the world at that time dried up most of my creative juices. And what little that was left was consumed by becoming a teacher to my children. Was I ever wrong. I began to write my latest cozy …

The Talent of Tenacity

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Perseverance, writing 3 Comments

By Tanara McCauley @TanaraMcCauley There’s a story my father loves to tell to anyone who’ll listen. It’s an embarrassing boast of the my-kid-could’ve-been-this variety, and I shake my head whenever I hear its intro. He recounts how, when I was a scrawny eighth-grade sprinter on the track team, I missed the start of an 800-meter race due to an untimely …