By Cynthia Herron Most writers will tell you the in-between seasons are the hardest. Because I’ve promised to tell you the truth, I won’t sugarcoat it. They are. Waiting (especially a prolonged season of waiting) is like a knife to the weary writer’s heart. As each hope-filled day passes, so does a tiny bit of our resolve. We struggle to make sense of …
Of Brides and Books
By Laurel Blount My daughter is getting married in October, so our family’s immersed in a chaotic whirl of wedding planning. Coincidentally, while I’m launching my oldest child into her “happily-ever-after,” I’m also celebrating the launch of an entirely different sort of “baby”! Love Inspired released my newest “book baby,” (aptly titled A Baby for the Minister), in September. So, …
For Those of Us At Home
By Chandra Lynn Smith I sit at my desk on Tuesday morning, two days before the ACFW Conference begins. Many of you may be traveling today. This is the first year since 2012 I have missed the conference. It’s funny, before I started writing this morning I read my blog post from last September in which I wrote the top …
The Blank Page
By Henry McLaughlin Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good. –William Faulkner How many of us hesitate to start writing? Even authors who have been at it for a while have this hesitation. This is sometimes referred to a writer’s block. Which I think is a falsehood. …
Mixing Truth in Fiction
By Jodie Wolfe As a reader and writer of historical romance, I’m one of those people who read the author notes at the end of the book to discover which part of the story is based on various historical happenings or true stories. There’s always a risk as an author when you use real tales and events. I tend to …
Confessions of a Research Fanatic
By Kathleen Denly Most campers pray for clear skies and pleasant weather. The summer before my senior year of high school, however, I was fervently praying for a rainstorm. Not just any rainstorm. I wanted a gully-washing downpour that would cause the nearby river to wipe out our current tent site. You may think this was because I hated camping …
Am I a Real Writer?
By Christa MacDonald In the news recently an actor who had been on a successful TV show was seen working at a grocery store. Someone took a surreptitious picture of him and posted it online saying how surprised they were to see the actor working such a lowly job. Then the shaming began. The only thing social media loves more …
Three Boredom-Busting Tips
By Linda W. Yezak “The only rule I have found to have any validity in writing is not to bore yourself”—John Mortimer. If you follow Mortimer’s rule not to bore yourself, chances are good you won’t bore your reader either. So how do you make certain your reader stays hooked throughout your novel? The basic answer is to have a …
Achievable Believable Character Transformation
By Donna L.H. Smith Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This verse says a lot about our character as people. It should also be the basis for your …
If I Could Start Again Writing Christian Fiction
By H.L. Wegley A few months ago I was asked what I would do differently, as a novelist, if I could start again—a complete do-over. In answering this question, most of us would include starting to learn the craft at an earlier age. Now that I am beyond my three-score and ten and into those years Moses called “labor and …