By Angela Hunt When I set out to be a writer, I wrote catalog copy, articles, and whatever-anyone-would-pay-me-to-write before I even dreamed of writing a book. Writing a book wasn’t even on my radar—I just wanted a job that would allow me to help my youth-pastor husband put food on the table. I wrote and wrote and wrote, and learned …
Why Writing Matters
by Jenny Erlingsson Focusing on writing during stressful seasons sometimes seem like the last thing we should do. My family recently made a huge move from Iceland to the states for a season, and it has been a whirlwind these past few months. Even with the recent book launch of Her Part to Play and lots of book ideas brewing, …
Gold Medal Writers
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 …
Just Write Already
by Mark David Pullen Have you ever sat down to write and hit a mental roadblock? Maybe it was for your new manuscript, an article, or that guest blog spot that could change the course of your career as an author forever. In any case, writer’s block is never a welcome state of mind. Most writer’s block cases can be …
Applying real life to your books
By Cindy Ervin Huff There is always at least one real-life experience from my life or someone I know in every book I write. Those scenes from my past add depth and realism to my stories. The research I do for my novels add another layer of realism. Historical events, people, or documents strengthen descriptions and help me add realistic …
Creating Authentic Cause and Effect
DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Bestselling stories explode from powerful emotions that push a character into authentic cause and effect. The process is the backbone of fiction. A character is deeply motivated and commits skills, time, energy, and knowledge to pursue something tangible or intangible. The something is valued, meaning sacrifices are expected. The reader will feel cheated if the character is …
Seven Components Required to Create a Compelling Character
by Rachel Hauck @RachelHauck This August I’ve been writing full time for twenty years. I quit my job—cutting our household income by two-thirds—with one little $2,500 contract and a big deposit of dreams. While other contracts followed, my books didn’t fly off the shelf, win awards, or create buzz at my publisher. In many ways, I had a wrong idea …
Save Your Editorial Cuts and Deleted Scenes
by Glynn Young @gyoung9751 I had several pieces of a novel-in-progress that I’d set aside from the manuscript. Two fell outside the overall timeline; I’d cut several others because, while they were interesting, detracted from the main flow of the story. One was most of an entire scene; one involved a character than I’d cut; and one simply had way …
Where Dreams Are Made Possible
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 …
Discipleship Through Writing
by Dwight David Croy Presently as a co-pastor of a church with a congregation of many teachers and writers, my mind turns to discipleship in writing. As a Christian writer consideration of the second part of the great commission should be pondered. Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the …