by Michelle Arch Last month I attended the Orange County Christian Writers Conference. Having attended the event previously in 2012, I had vacillated before registering earlier this year. My experience three years ago was a high point in my writing life, as an excerpt from my developing novel caught the attention of publishers and editors and won three fiction awards. …
Three Writing Challenges That No Longer Scare Me
By Kathleen Y’Barbo This year, I celebrate fifteen years in as a published author and ten years with my fabulous agent, Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency. Next year, in 2016, I will celebrate twenty years as a writer. I am closing in on sixty books published and two million books in print, and in a few days …
Called or an Offering?
By Ian Acheson I’ve always found the topic of “one’s calling” fascinating. We all wonder at times in our lives what our specific calling is and it’s a topic that has consumed many pages of books, blog posts, conference notes and so on. It’s often used in discussions around vocations and careers. When I started to meet writers I was …
Who’s Afraid of the Multiverse?
By Bruce Hennigan Recent successful series such as Stephen Lawhead’s “Skin Map” books utilize one of the most common staples of fiction, parallel worlds. The idea is not a new one. George MacDonald in “Phantastes” used such a device in his works. And, his writing influenced C. S. Lewis to develop Narnia. In recent years, there has been an explosion …
Lessons I Learn While Watching Television Shows
By Kariss Lynch I am an avid reader. I am also an avid television consumer. Why? Because ultimately I am a story lover. I still firmly believe that the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, but there are times when I love to shut the book, turn off the computer, and watch a story unfold on screen. My roommate …
The Rhino in the Writer: Thick Skin & the Value of a Critique Group
By Hannah Conway Join a critique group. Yes, that’s some of the soundest advice given to me regarding the wonderful world of writing. Yet, the next part of that advice? Well, it’s more on the strange side. Develop rhino skin. Join a critique group, and develop rhino skin. Let that sink in. I’ll wait while your nose finishes up that …
Ten Writing Productivity Mistakes Every Writer Should Watch Out For
By Edie Melson There are a lot of tasks we must master as we make writing a priority. But with these additional tasks, our productivity may drop. Learning how to juggle this multi-tasking is part of becoming a professional writer. Today I’d like to share 9 Productivity Mistakes to Avoid. 1. Multi-tasking. This one is a biggie. Yes, we have …
Keeping It All in Perspective
By C. Kevin Thompson Among the many hats I wear, I am a Gospel for Asia Blogger. Started by K. P. Yohannon years ago, Gospel For Asia has been a stalwart missionary agency for Asia, bringing the gospel to a region of the world many of us just wouldn’t understand. When Dalits (otherwise known as “Untouchables”) rummage through garbage, looking …
Three Tips for Writing a Book Blurb
By Melissa Tagg First of all, can we talk about how the word “blurb” is kinda funny? I mean, say it enough times and it sounds like you’re trying to mimic an animal. What animal, I don’t know. Nor do I know why a person would sit around saying “blurb” over and over. But still. Recently several friends and I …
So What’s the Payoff?
by Kathy Harris “You could make a lot more money in a different career.” Those were the words of the industry professional who recently spoke at a local writers conference I attended. Everyone in the audience laughed and nodded knowingly. I suspect there were no millionaires in the room. If there were, it would be safe to say they hadn’t …