Posts
Do Aliens Exist?
Sadly, God’s people have a history of trying to straddle the fence between the kingdom of God and the world around us—we long to fit in and belong. Though it was forbidden, the ancient Israelites even paid tribute to the pagan gods to open the door for trade and political power. They didn’t want to…
Are You a Writing Tortise or Hare?
I’m revisiting an old question that I wrestled with a few years ago when trying to figure out why it was taking so long to get published. My thoughts then and now seems to ring true for me. How about you? I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter how fast I run this…
The Evolution of Distractions (and Wasted Time)
My distractions have evolved many times over the course of my writing journey. At first they were obvious: toddlers. I had two kids under the age of two and clearly could not write while either were awake. This offered a crisply defined line between writing and everything else. Naptimes provided neatly packaged blocks of time…
Time for God
“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17 Christian writers have to make time for God – it’s part of the job description. What do you do when you get a story idea while reading Scripture? I know how some would answer…
Writing Big and Trimming the Fat
When I first began writing fiction, I was taught by one of my brilliant teachers to write BIG. (Which actually means big in word count.) He told us to plug in the research, to write lengthy descriptions, and just let the words flow. So that’s what I usually do. When I finish, I step back and…
3 Tips for Beating Discouragement in Your Writing Career
Sometimes I’m discouraged at the long road behind me and the longer road ahead as I seek to build a career as an author. I’ve now sold my first article, but it’s been months and no new bites. When I’m discouraged I find these tips helpful. Pray for Perspective: Re-evaluate my purpose and where I’m…
How do YOU Celebrate After Hitting Send on Your Manuscript?
It’s official! I hit send on my Rosie manuscript…again. Well, technically I hit send again on the proposal since my manuscript is not finished. And while it’s a BIG relief having that off my shoulders, there’s still work to be done. Yet, sometimes you just have to take a break and celebrate little successes. Yes,…
Interview with Allie Pleiter
An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction.The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie spends her days writing books, buying yarn, and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie hails from Connecticut, moved to the midwest to attend Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois. The “dare…
Pacing in a Story
Tuesday Teachings from the archives: I’ve been going back through the wonderful content on Writer…Interrupted and wanted to share the relevant teaching from past posts! Hope you enjoy this new Tuesday feature!- Gina Where do you start a story? You have a few pages (for some a few paragraphs) to catch an editor or reader’s attention.…
A few last tips for cutting a synopsis
Tip#8 to cut a synopsis—cut modifiers Adjectives and adverbs are usually the easiest to cull from a synopsis. Sometimes you don’t even need to change the noun or verb. Other times, a stronger noun or verb is needed. She determines to win without interference from her meddling friends. vs. She determines to win without interference…