by Vickie McDonough Since I was first published in 2004, I’ve gone through two long seasons without a contract. The first lasted fifteens months, and the most recent lasted eleven. During my first dry desert time, I remember wondering if I’d written all the books that God had for me. Was I done writing for publication? It was a real …
Say Goodnight, Gracie: Seven Secrets to creating the Perfect Ending
by Janice Thompson There’s nothing worse than a book with an unsatisfying ending. The reader deserves a solid wrap-up. Otherwise, he’ll feel cheated. (After all, he plowed through 300+ pages of your book, assuming the ending would leave him satisfied!) Knowing how and when to conclude your story is key. It’s also an art-form. With that in mind, I’ve come …
ACFW New Releases: November 2012
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. A Wild Goose Chase Christmas by Jennifer AlLee — An heirloom quilt, secret messages, a hyper dog, and a possible treasure make for an unforgettable Christmas. (Contemporary Romance from Abingdon Press). Freefall by Jodie Bailey — A soldier teams up with a retired commando, an …
Energy…the better-than-caffeine kind
by Melissa Tagg Marketing. I think a lot of writers hear the word and do a little scary-movie shudder. Or maybe a full-on horror-flick scream. Me, not so much because a) I’m more of a nervous laugher than screamer and b) I happen to work in marketing at a good-sized nonprofit. And I’ve realized something in the past few years. …
40 Days of Prayer: Day 17
Day 17 Clarity of speech for those pitching projects Philippians 4: 13–I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Father God, we thank You for our salvation in Jesus Christ and Your Holy Spirit that guides us. Please give all the writers at the conference wisdom and the right words to communicate the message You have given them …
ACFW New Releases: September 2012
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Love Reunited by Renee Andrews — A soldier returns home to find the love of his life is single again, but he also learns that she’s blind…and that his confession of love may have cost her a marriage and her sight. (Contemporary Romance from Love …
To Err is Human
by Marcia Gruver While teaching a creative writing class, I passed a little card around the room and instructed the students to read aloud the following sentence: Now is the time for all good men to come to the the aid of their country. One by one, the eager scholars misread it. Until I pointed out each word on a …
Should a Christian Market Themselves?
by Jordyn Redwood Over the last six months or so, I’ve been reading a lot about marketing to help support the release of my debut medical thriller, Proof. Strangely, I came across an attitude among certain circles that it is unchristian like behavior to market your novel-essentially claiming that “pushing your product” is prideful and therefore sinful. This is how …
“Technology is what existed before you were born.” (Alan Kay)
by Julie Gwinn B&H Publishing Group We had a digital summit at B&H recently to try to get our heads around the changes taking place in the publishing industry. It was two days of information and presentations with some startling statistics: In 2006, there were 296,352 books published. In 2010, that number jumped to 3,092,740. Thank goodness I am in …
Pitch Sessions: An Editor’s POV
by Ramona Richards Abingdon Press Sue Brower had some terrific advice last week about preparing for a writers conference, especially ACFW. One piece of advice she gave made me want to give her a cheer: • DON’T go to editor and agent appointments unprepared. Now…that may sound like common sense for most of you, but I thought I’d share a …