By Suzanne Woods Fisher @suzannewfisher My husband, Steve, isn’t just serious about making ice cream; he’s practically a scientist about it, especially when it comes to vanilla. He’ll pore over textbooks, drive hours to source the perfect vanilla beans, and doesn’t hesitate to spend a bit more on top-notch organic dairy from small farms. Whenever friends come over for dinner, …
What Happens When You Finally Type “The End”?
by Glynn Young @gyoung9751 It’s been more than two years since the writing began. It’s been more than four since the research started. A little over a month ago, on Jan. 16, I wrote this in my writing journal: “Reached 87,758 words. First draft completed.” Five days later, I wrote “First reread / editing completed.” It was there I stopped, …
Travel Inspiration
by Marguerite Martin Gray As a reader I can travel to the ends of the earth in nay era through the pages of a good book. Imagine how many countries and cultures I have traversed since I am of a certain age. I crave learning about countries, real or imaginary with facts that answer my questions. Through the words that …
A Fresh Start
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
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 …
Historical Research and Fiction
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 …
Researching Beyond the Internet
By Cindy Ervin Huff I write historical and contemporary romance and research is the key to getting details right. If you are placing your story in a town that exists now or at the time of your story, you need to get the geography right. Those details give readers you-are-there feel. I’ve learned the internet is not always the best …
When You Face Too Many Ways to Open a Novel
By Glynn Young How many openings can a novel have? Let me count the ways. I’d never experienced the problem of too many ways to open a novel. Five novels, and five fairly straightforward beginnings, meant that I never struggled over how to open a story. Somehow, I always knew, and it wasn’t an issue. Until now. I began to …
How to Time Travel for Research
By Barbara M. Britton When I asked my local ACFW chapter what they would like me to write about for this blog, one member wanted to know how I organized my research. I don’t organize my research well, but I have found facts and information that make me an expert on a specific time and place. How was I going …
When A Town Becomes a Character
By Lisa Schnedler There are towns that you visit—or perhaps ones you have lived in—that are so unique, so special, that they seem to have a personality all their own. When a town has a distinct personality—and is the backdrop of a novel—the town itself becomes a “character” in the story. Bentonsport is such a town and is the setting …