If you enjoyed learning about former Thomas Nelson fiction editor Allen Arnold in the October issue of ACFW Journal, here is the second of two blogs that contain more information from that interview. In this segment, reporter Christa Allan and Allen Arnold look at another side of Arnold. CHRISTA: What/who entertains Allen Arnold outside of the office? ALLEN: I am …
More of Allen Arnold, Part 1
If you enjoyed learning about former Thomas Nelson fiction editor Allen Arnold in the October issue of ACFW Journal, here is the first of two blogs that contain more information from that interview. In this segment, reporter Christa Allan and Allen Arnold explore the development of Thomas Nelson’s fiction line in more detail. CHRISTA: After working with advertising agencies like …
Four Spies that Every Writer Needs and Why
by Sandra Orchard “Spies?” you say. “But I don’t write suspense.” I’m talking about spies that will give you the inside scoop on the things you don’t know, and on the things that you don’t know that you don’t know. Why? So you can write believable fiction, and give readers unexpected insider details. SciFi and Spec writers don’t stop reading. …
Writing the Author Bio
by Laurie Alice Eakes One thing authors are often asked to create is an author bio anywhere from 50 words, to 150 words. We need to introduce ourselves to a new listserve. We need to place one in proposals to editors and agents, we need one for the copy in our books, we need one on our web sites… In …
Six Things I learned (about writing) from watching my dachshunds…
By Elizabeth Ludwig Okay, so I admit it…I’m a freak about my dachshunds. I absolutely love to watch them play. So imagine my enjoyment when the two I had, multiplied to six adorable puppies! I learned quite quickly that each one is vastly different from the others, and not just in temperament. They have distinct personalities, which of course, tied …
Have You Ever Felt Small? Advice for Writing and Life
by Kathleen Y’Barbo Have you ever felt small? Really, really small? The kind of small where someone could walk right past and not even notice you? Maybe it’s the people in your world who just don’t seem to know you’re there. Or it’s a goal you’ve long since given up accomplishing because it seems there are so many others doing …
The Writing Carnival
By Kathleen Y’Barbo-Turner In a few days, I will be attending ACFW’s national conference. Other than the year I got married (2010), I have attended every ACFW conference ever held-including the tiny one in Houston in the early, early days of the organization. I can’t wait to see my writing friends, to meet with editors and my agent, and to …
Is Your Blog Secure?
by Michael Lee Joshua There have been so many incidents of hacking email accountss, but we sometimes don’t take the proper care to secure our blogs. Having built a number of blogs or websites on the WordPress platform in the past year for clients has made it obvious to me that our blogs must be secured too. You might wonder …
Words, Camera…and Action!
by Bonnie Calhoun What comes mind when I say those words? Typically someone would think of a movie set in the oldun’ days. Someone had a tripod camera and a megaphone and a snappy board with numbers on it. I want you to try this when you’re writing an action scene. The idea is to get you to look at …
Writing Older Characters
by Lisa J Lickel It’s my birthday today! I’m fifty-one. Made it-yippee. I know, thank you, I don’t look it. But of course I can’t help thinking about age, my family, my friends, and my characters. Commercial and pop fiction isn’t only about sweet early twenty-somethings. The later thirties are not very interesting because we’re too busy with normal life. …