by Robin Johns Grant Whether you’re a published author or still on the road to publication, you’ve probably been asked to identify books that are similar to yours. Publishers want to know that you can identify your target audience. But this can be tricky. Have you ever noticed that there’s something a bit mysterious in the way you feel about …
Are You Imprisoned?
By Donna K. Rice In Ephesians 3:1, Paul describes himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles. Paul was Jesus’ prisoner. The Apostle proclaimed himself void of options in career pursuits. His love for Jesus bound Paul to his calling as securely as if ropes bound his hands and feet. Paul understood his purpose, too. He was to …
Permission to Noodle
by Anne Mateer Confession time. For all my aversion to math, I thrive on measurable productivity. A number of words written. A number of pages revised. The number of books read in a week, month or year. The amount of time spent research-or even cleaning house or running errands. It all signals productivity. A worthwhile expenditure of time. And yet, …
Finding Inspiration in the Oddest Places
by Connie Stevens Writers are asked all the time, “Where do you get your ideas?” The answers vary based on the genre. Some might hear a news report about an unsolved murder or a case of corruption. Others might gaze at the stars and dream of futuristic possibilities. Still other authors may find a fascinating tidbit of trivia and allow …
Fiction and Reality
by Deborah Rather I write contemporary Christian romance. As soon as people find out that I have written numerous novels (nearly 80 now), they almost always ask the same question. “Where do you get your ideas?” This bewilders me. I always want to come back with something pithy like, “Don’t you pay attention to what goes on around you?” Most …
On the Road
by Kathleen Y’Barbo I’ve had a love affair with long, aimless drives well before I found love with a man who shared that passion. Sliding behind the wheel, plugging in the iPod or adjusting Pandora radio, and then pointing the car toward an unknown destination has long been my idea of a grand day. If the weather’s nice, the top …
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 …
Off To A Strong Start
by Maureen Lang Sometimes the place your story starts isn’t always the place to open your novel. There are three choices: •Just Before the major problem/conflict comes up, with a hint of the iceberg ahead. •Just As the conflict arises. •Just After the hero or heroine has a first glimpse of that looming iceberg in their path. Just-before openings allow …
Practice Makes Perfect
by Fay Lamb My son was once an accomplished violinist, but when he first started to play, his tutor, a first string with the local symphony orchestra, struggled with keeping him on task. One day my son Corey walked into practice. “Igor, I don’t want to play violin. I want to learn to fiddle.” Igor stood back in his old …
Ten Tips For Better Characterization
by Maureen Lang 1) Realistic, natural dialogue. Like a musician with an ear for notes, be a writer with an ear for conversational rhythm. Read your dialogue aloud to be sure it sounds like what you hear around you-only better! Real life might afford extraneous “ums,” repetitions, and unclear meaning but the written word allows only clarity and tight communication. …