A Fresh Start

ACFWAuthors and writing, Friends of ACFW, Outlines, research, Story Structure, tips, writing 1 Comment

By Darlene L. Turner Every writer loves to type “THE END” on their latest work-in-progress, but that dreaded flashing cursor on a blank “Chapter One” page sends tremors down our spines. Can I get an amen? However, starting a new manuscript doesn’t have to be daunting. Authors can make it fun. How, you ask? Maybe change your process up a …

When Research for Your Historical Novel Changes Your Understanding

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By Glynn Young For more than a year, I’ve been researching / writing/ researching / writing a historical novel set during the American Civil War. It’s loosely based on the experiences of my great-grandfather, but the more I write and research, the looser it becomes. I thought I knew the basic story of the war. What I soon learned is …

Living the Story of Faith and Freedom

ACFWAuthors and writing, Faith, Friends of ACFW, writing 1 Comment

By Christine Sunderland Christian novelists are tasked with a great responsibility in today’s world. They must civilize the state with the church, freedom with faith, and the present with the past. They must tell the truth about man and God, as best they can, and do so in a manner layered with meaning, woven with texture. They have been given …

Historical Research and Fiction

ACFWAuthors and writing, Friends of ACFW, research, writing 3 Comments

By Marguerite Gray My life long journey and love of historical research began with a solid foundation within my family. My father is an architect with a preservation and historical emphasis. We spent a few years in England when I was a preteen while he studied for an advanced university degree. My sisters and I had the unique experience of …

From To-Do to Ta-Da!

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By Sarah Sundin We work hard to craft excellent novels. We nurture relationships with editors, agents, and fellow writers. But one common way writers undo years of reputation building is by missing deadlines. We don’t want to do that! So how can we avoid missing deadlines, little and big? How can we wrestle that overwhelming, overflowing to-do list into submission? …

Stretch Your Brain for Creativity

ACFWAuthors and writing, Characters, creativity, Encouragement, Friends of ACFW, POV, tips, Voice, writing Leave a Comment

By Terry Overton As a new writer curious about the craft of writing, I aspired to learn all aspects of writing fiction.  Authors’ voices, writing styles, and uniquely developed characters are fascinating. How was Hemmingway’s writing different from Fitzgerald or Austin? How are the styles of contemporary fiction authors different from writers of years past? How can authors have such …

Mismatched in the Yoke

ACFWAuthors and writing, Friends of ACFW, marketing, Social Media, writing 13 Comments

by E.V. Sparrow With all the social media ads, gurus, and writing organizations flashing their beacons before us every time we do searches on any platform, how do we choose which ones are good for us as authors? Instead of flashing neon words telling us things like, “Stop here, we promise you success, or we love all authors, and will …