by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Dear writerly friend, promise me that this year you won’t open the unwanted gift of stress. The package is easy to recognize—the black paper and black bow with an attaching-grabbing tag, Open Me December 1 will spoil your celebration. Oh, it’s tempting, but please don’t give in. You’ll recognize the weighted items inside: Writer, cut short …
The Garden Theory of Writing and Publishing
By Cynthia Ruchti @cynthiaruchti A writer and an agent were chatting over lunch one day. The writer had been at it a long time, had planted many different kinds of stories, but nothing had taken root. The agent asked, “What do like most about gardening with words?” The writer said, “Being in the garden.” “It is beautiful here, isn’t it? …
For Such a Time
by Maureen Miller Why’s it taking so long? This was my frequent cry. My frustration regarding my WIP’s publication process spilled over like coffee in a Starbucks cup sloshing over speedbumps. Similar to crickets from my content coach, God, too, often seemed silent. Over time, my inquiry changed. Is there a greater lesson to apply to my writing life? That’s …
Keeping the Muse
By Neva Bodin I spoke at a writers conference a couple of years ago about keeping the muse. I’m thinking all writers must have one. What is a muse? One source said the word originated in Greek literature and was introduced by Chaucer in his writings. It is “Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom …
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 …
Curveballs
By Martha Boswell Scripture: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways…” ~Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV) Growing up, I had three brothers who played baseball. Since my dad was a pastor and a sports enthusiast, our lives revolved around worship services and practice schedules. My first word—after ‘Mama and Daddy’—was ‘ballgame.’ Most afternoons my stroller was …
Who Does the World Say You Are?
By Tara Johnson Writers, let me ask you a question today: Who does the world say you are? In her book The Wind in the Door, Madeline L’Engle explores a powerful truth: names matter. In the story, she shows that when someone misnames you, when they call you something other than who you really are, it diminishes you. It strips …
When Your Muse is Hurting
by Chandra Lynn Smith When I scheduled my blog post dates for the year, of course I had no idea about what topics I might choose. Initially, I thought it might be about the changing of the seasons and how while summer is my favorite season and I am not a fan of pumpkin spice—yes I typed that—I might share …
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, …