By Donna L.H. Smith Isaiah 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the LORD, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint.” Currently, we need to rely on God and persevere in order to improve our craft and our chances of getting published. We …
Killing Your Darlings
By Kariss Lynch “Quoting the great William Faulkner, in writing you must be willing to kill your darlings,” my hippie poetry professor imparted one class. I remember thinking he was crazy. If you really think a scene or a line is that great in your story, why in the world would you cut it? Over the years, I believe his …
Making It Real with Deeper POV
by Gail Gaymer Martin I have learned that deep POV brings a story to life. Deep POV is the pure viewpoint of the character in a scene. First person is more personal and provides the deepest form of POV possible. Yet authors create the feeling of deep POV by avoiding phrases such as I believe and I think and even …
Leaving Your Manuscript Alone
By Lynn Hobbs It’s finished. You’ve reread your manuscript, checked for typo’s, and tightened sentences. The next step is as important as getting your story written, and written well: leave it alone. Let it sit idle for at least two weeks. This is what I do. You may have a better alternative, but this works for me. No matter if …
What Do You See?
By Loretta Eidson Remember the old saying “there are two sides to every story”? It’s difficult to see reason or understand another point of view if the full picture isn’t clear. Last Sunday my pastor gave this example during the sermon. He held the back side of his hand out toward the congregation and asked David, one of the church …
“Passive” Mania Blues
By Loretta Eidson I’m a high school graduate who majored in Home Economics and Math. English and Literature weren’t necessary to me at the time. Remembering how to dissect a sentence or conjugate a verb lasted about as long as ice cream on a hot summer day. So goes active voice and passive voice. Oh, my! Wish I’d paid more …
“Passive” Mania Blues
By Loretta Eidson I’m a high school graduate who majored in Home Economics and Math. English and Literature weren’t necessary to me at the time. Remembering how to dissect a sentence or conjugate a verb lasted about as long as ice cream on a hot summer day. So goes active voice and passive voice. Oh, my! Wish I’d paid more …
Making it right….
by Roxanne Rustand When someone refers to their “writing journey,” I think back to my own journey and my own misconceptions back in the early 1990’s. It all seemed so clear back then. Write. Be dedicated. Absorb everything I heard at writers’ conferences, study my books on writing and the scores of writing workshop tapes I listened to endlessly. It …
Self-Editing
by Lynn Hobbs The technique I use on self-editing a novel is different when I self-edit a short story. Seems like it should be the same, right? For many it is. Whatever works best for you is what I recommend. On a short story, I write the first draft, use spell check, and print the pages. I look for repetitive …
Rough Drafts are Like Mud Pies
By Hannah Conway How rough can a rough draft be? The answer makes me wince, turn my head to the side, and look down at the freshly printed version of my work in progress, which happens to be the definition of a rough draft. I stare at it, grimace growing on my face. Look at it, y’all. It’s so, so, …