Posts
Top 5 NonMarketing Things I Learned from the MacGregor Literary Marketing Workshop
As I get ready for the MacGregor Literary Marketing seminar in Chicago this weekend I’m reminded of that first MacLit gathering a few years ago in 2011. And while looking for some content to fill my blog while I’m away I found this half finished post from 2011 in my draft folder and decided to…
Monster Mash Book Bash
It’s back! The second annual Monster Mash Book Bash will commence on Tuesday, October 29 -31st. That’s tomorrow! What is the MMBB? Glad you asked. It’s a group of mystery/suspense/thriller authors who will gather for discussions on “shedding light in a dark world” and offer book giveaways. There are all sorts of discussions and time…
The Heart of a Lonely Writer
Sometimes I swear I’m masochistic—committing to a career fraught with rejection, with anonymous spews disguised as reviews, and a wait that rivals the time it took to build the Great Wall. Still. I’m here. I’m in this. And I’ll be the first to admit it can get insanely lonely. Yes, social media has provided wonderful…
Just Go with the Flow
As I race toward a self imposed deadline, I’ll be posting some “Oldies but Goodies” on Mondays, unless inspiration hits! Be sure to read until the end for my thoughts today! Nov 26, 2006 I’m not an early riser. I covet a good night’s sleep, and I’ve been known to hit the snooze for an…
Recognizing Lies and Beating Them with Truth
If you write fiction, you may know all about crafting lies that drive your characters, but have you ever had to beat the lies in your own real-life story? As I write this, my head and heart are full of the lessons and fellowship of my first ACFW national conference. It is both a spiritual…
Moral Premise Workshop Week 1 – Ironic Hook
by Ron Estrada I’m going to spend the next few months going through the story creation steps outlined in Stanley Williams’ excellent book, The Moral Premise. For those of you who’ve been following me, you know that I’ve become a student of Story Structure this year. This is my next educational step in my writing…
Life’s Transitions: When the Writing Slows Down
Sometimes interruptions in life bring about transition. Sometimes the transitions are welcomed like a new baby or bigger home, other times they are devastating like the loss of a job or loved one. As a writer…interrupted, it’s inevitable that life’s transition may cause us to slow down on writing. It may even seem like writing…
The Mid-Point Moment
by Ron Estrada Your novel’s midpoint is often compared to the center pole on a circus tent. Without it, you get a long, sagging middle supported only by the first and second plot points, which are too far apart to hold your reader’s attention. Larry Brooks, author of Story Engineering, suggest the midpoint be a…
Interruptions that Recharge: Dancing the Weekend Away!
Yep, that’s right. I missed a Monday post again. But I have a darn good reason. I was taking a much needed swing dance weekend (Last one was over a year ago,) and I just drove into town today in time to pickup my kids from school! I don’t have the words to describe the awesomeness…
The Moral Premise
by Ron Estrada Up until recently I associated “premise” within the field of debate. It’s important to understand your premise if you are going to argue a point. For example, it’s fairly common for a Christian to argue the truth of Jesus’ claims based on what is written in the Bible. The problem is that…