By Lana Christian Most, if not all, authors have at least one manuscript buried in a drawer. Maybe it was the first book you wrote. Secretly, you kept rooting for that underdog, hoping it would see the light of day. Maybe it can. The biblical story of Samson brims with lessons about giftedness, redemption, second chances, and the fact that …
Don’t be afraid to smash your story
by Bettie Boswell Jeremiah 18:4 “ And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”(KJV) Sometimes writing can be like creating something beautiful out of a muddy and unco-operative piece of clay. I first experienced natural clay on …
The Twelve Days of Revisions
by Tammie Fickas Since the conference is just around the corner, I thought we should all get in the spirit with a rousing round of conference carols. What? You’ve never sang conference carols before. Well, that’s okay because I can help with that. Here’s one for you to practice with. The Twelve Days of Revision* On the first day of …
Keeping On Keeping On
By Donna L.H. Smith Isaiah 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the LORD, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint.” Currently, we need to rely on God and persevere in order to improve our craft and our chances of getting published. We …
Killing Your Darlings
By Kariss Lynch “Quoting the great William Faulkner, in writing you must be willing to kill your darlings,” my hippie poetry professor imparted one class. I remember thinking he was crazy. If you really think a scene or a line is that great in your story, why in the world would you cut it? Over the years, I believe his …
Making It Real with Deeper POV
by Gail Gaymer Martin I have learned that deep POV brings a story to life. Deep POV is the pure viewpoint of the character in a scene. First person is more personal and provides the deepest form of POV possible. Yet authors create the feeling of deep POV by avoiding phrases such as I believe and I think and even …
Leaving Your Manuscript Alone
By Lynn Hobbs It’s finished. You’ve reread your manuscript, checked for typo’s, and tightened sentences. The next step is as important as getting your story written, and written well: leave it alone. Let it sit idle for at least two weeks. This is what I do. You may have a better alternative, but this works for me. No matter if …
What Do You See?
By Loretta Eidson Remember the old saying “there are two sides to every story”? It’s difficult to see reason or understand another point of view if the full picture isn’t clear. Last Sunday my pastor gave this example during the sermon. He held the back side of his hand out toward the congregation and asked David, one of the church …
“Passive” Mania Blues
By Loretta Eidson I’m a high school graduate who majored in Home Economics and Math. English and Literature weren’t necessary to me at the time. Remembering how to dissect a sentence or conjugate a verb lasted about as long as ice cream on a hot summer day. So goes active voice and passive voice. Oh, my! Wish I’d paid more …
“Passive” Mania Blues
By Loretta Eidson I’m a high school graduate who majored in Home Economics and Math. English and Literature weren’t necessary to me at the time. Remembering how to dissect a sentence or conjugate a verb lasted about as long as ice cream on a hot summer day. So goes active voice and passive voice. Oh, my! Wish I’d paid more …