By Lisa Jordan @lisajordan Yesterday I bought my airline ticket to Memphis for the 2026 ACFW conference, and I remembered my first ACFW in 2005—flying alone and walking into a hotel full of strangers. That initial conference was everything I’d hoped for and more. I formed friendships, realized how much I still had to learn about the writing industry, and …
I Can’t Write
by Cynthia Hickey My days have passed, my plans are shattered. Yet the desires of my heart 12 turn night into day; in the face of the darkness light is near. Job 17: 11-12 Writing is a tough business. Someone once told me you can learn the craft of writing, but to be a storyteller is a gift from God. …
Are You in the 16%?
by Linda Glaz (Linda S. Glaz Literary Agency) Well, are you? In 2026, the stats tell us that only 16% of the population reads for pleasure. This includes audiobooks. These dismal figures are down from 28% in 2004. And why is this important to know? All of us as writers are collectively seeking that same market—a market that is dwindling …
What Award-Winning Manuscripts Have in Common
By Tisha Martin One of the first stories I wrote won an editor’s choice award and was published in an anthology. But it probably wouldn’t have been considered if I hadn’t included one small but valuable ingredient. Fragrance. The theme of the contest was “fragrance,” but my story didn’t mention it at all. So, at the advice of an early …
Authoring Freedom
by Christine Sunderland @Chrisunderland Today is Independence Day, July 4. This year, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, signed by Congressional representatives of the thirteen colonies on July 4, 1776. In this document, we celebrate our freedom from Great Britain, birthing our nation under God: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for …
To Write, or Not to Write
by Melissa Wardwell For most of my life, writing has been a constant companion. In middle school, a friend and I would craft poetry during science class, exchanging one-liners instead of focusing on the lesson—though somehow, we managed to pass. English class was another outlet, where “journal time” became a space for short stories about sea creatures, underwater adventures, and …
Headline News Meets Mountain Heart
by Georgia Curtis Ling @GeorgiaCLing Every morning, I climb out of one dream only to crawl into another—trading the velvet drip of sleep for the blue glow of my computer screen, where I spend my days dreaming up a story for my next novel. The surrounding bluegrass countryside is peaceful outside my window when I begin, coaxing storylines out of …
How Dreams Can Change
by Cynthia Hickey I’ve enjoyed mysteries from a young age, devouring every Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Hardy Boys book I could find. There’s something irresistible about pitting your wits against a thief or killer that kept me turning pages long past bedtime. Now, mysteries have given me the joy of staying home and writing what I’ve always loved to …
Allie and the No Good Very Bad Workload
by Allie Pleiter The past three months served up the most challenging workload of my 20+ year career. For the first time, I experienced what most people might call “writer’s block” because so much was being asked of me by so many people that it spawned a sort of creative paralysis in my brain. I was acutely aware of what …
When You Hit a Writing Drought
by Glynn Young Since the time I was a reporter for my college newspaper, longer ago than I care to admit, writing has been an integral part of my life. I’ve been a reporter, editor, newsletter editor, speechwriter, public relations manager, novelist, short story writer, non-fiction book author, blogger, book reviewer, essayist, poet, and more. Writing has been central in …