by JPC Allen Since 2018, I’ve spent every day with my teen detective Rae Riley. She’s had a cameo in one short story and been featured in another as well as three novels. After working with her for so long, here are four tips for creating an engaging teen detective. A Reason to be a Teen Detective It’s better for …
The Power of the First Line
by Rachel Hauck “One of the most difficult things is the first paragraph… In the first paragraph, you solve most of the problems of your book. The theme is defined, the style, the tone. At least in my case, the paragraph is a kind of sample of what the rest of the book is going to be.” — Gabriel García Márquez, …
Comparison – The Thief of Joy
by Steven Rogers @SRBooksForHope For the last fifteen years, I’ve been a member of a men’s Bible study group. During our meetings, a common theme often emerges—comparison. Based on the contributions we see from others, we worry that we’re not doing enough. For example, we might be reading about the Apostle Paul, marvel at this commitment and accomplishments, and then …
A Christian Writer’s Prayer
by Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans Since I became a writer, my prayer life has changed. Writers who sense God has called them to write—though our genres, audiences, and purposes may differ—share this one thing: we are called to pray. We pray for His will to be done and His glory to shine through our words. Called to Write My journey began …
Visible Virtues: Prayerful Prudence
by Christine Sunderland @Chrisunderland A note from Christine: This post is dedicated to Charlie Kirk and his family Today is September 11, or “Nine-Eleven” as we recall it twenty-four years later, when the infamous and horrific attack by radical Islamists on New York’s World Trade Center buildings woke America from her sleep. It was a path chosen by those pilots, …
Deadlines Can Be Deadly!
By Neva Bodin With great fear and trepidation (how’s that for cliché?) I signed up to do two blogs for ACFW! I am a writer, although I swallow loudly, labeling myself as one. It feels like saying that sets me up for all kinds of expectations I might not be able to meet—expectations from others and myself. However, in searching …
The New Ending Interruption
by Janice Haburn Shober How would you write a new ending to your book? This question arrived in my inbox when an editor said, “I don’t like your ending. Change it.” Certain scenes are crucial to a book, and the ending is one of them. I can recall endings to many of the multitudes of books I’ve read, even if …
How Understanding Hebrew Concepts May Revolutionize Your Storytelling
by Donna Wichelman In recent months, I’ve discovered the rich Hebrew concepts of Tohu V’Vohu and Shalom, which have revolutionized how I’ve started to think about my storytelling. This comes at a time when I’m starting to develop a World War II slip-time novel, called the Power of the Thorn, which takes place at a time in human history when …
Events Are Worth the Extra Effort
by Allie Pleiter Let’s face it…a working author must be as much marketer as writer these days. And for a largely introverted community, the challenge of hosting an event can feel too large. Still, events have many advantages and can be worth the extra effort. And they can even be fun! Here are several thoughts on how to host events …
Every Writer Needs a Room of Strangers
How I Learned to Stop Relying on Favors and Start Finding True Fans by Fayla Ott When I first started this journey, I imagined that one day, everyone I knew would be utterly amazed that the literary genius they’d overlooked would rise from the ranks of the ordinary. And no, I wasn’t picturing myself dancing with Patrick Swayze. That would …