Craft
Saturday Morning Review: Abomination by Colleen Coble
Colleen Coble’s first hardback is hitting stores now — Woohoo! It’s even on display at Barnes and Noble. So look for it — it’s a fantastic book! A serial killer is loose in Upper Peninsula, Michigan, punishing people for their sins. One of his victims escaped with her life and small daughter. Now the race…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Using a focal character to evoke emotions
We’re all busy, whether working full-time or chasing/chauffeuring kids around all day. Yet we’re also writers, striving to get our words on paper and then polish it to a sparkle. This column gives quick fixes for fiction manuscripts specifically for busy writers. Pick and choose what works best for you! Focal characters: Readers read because…
A Central Park Writing Lesson
I sometimes sit down to write and make the mistake of “just checking a few things” before I start attacking my own work. I check email and see a note from my sister — so I write her back (real quick). Then I skim through a yahoo loop. I’m in the zone, inspired to get…
Writing Even When…
It’s one of those early fall nights. I’m sure you’ve had them, too. You’ve run all over creation during the day. All you want to do is crawl into bed and pull the cover over your head. Your throats scratchy. Your ears are plugged, and man that throat is sure scratchy. Even warm tea isn’t…
GROWING GRAMMAR: WONDER WORDS (as in…I wonder which word to use?)
Would you rather be nauseated or nauseous? This is extremely important to know. It could, in fact, make or break a relationship. If you’re nauseated, something is making you ill; perhaps the smell of your recent WIP ablaze in the fireplace where you tossed it in a moment of frustration. If you are nauseous, which…
Interview with Dean Koontz
When he was a senior in college, Dean Koontz won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition and has been writing ever since. His books are published in 38 languages. He has sold 325,000,000 copies, a figure that currently increases by more than 17 million copies per year. Ten of his novels have risen to number one…
Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing Illuminated(Thomas Nelson August 7, 2007)by Matt Bronleewe ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Matt Bronleewe is a recognized producer, songwriter and author. The former member of the band Jars of Clay, has earned numerous awards producing and co-writing albums that have sold a combined total of over 20 million copies. His…
What Is Voice Anyway?
“But what is this mysterious thing, voice? One of my favorite oxymorons is the often-repeated phrase “a writer’s voice.” Just how much sound can a bunch of black marks on a piece of paper make, anyway? I don’t know about you, but the only sounds I make as I’m writing are the tap of the…
The Evolution of Chapter One
Just when I thought I was finished with chapter one. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better. Just when I thought I had finally finished a draft worthy of submission, I get Margie Lawson’s Deep Editing Lectures in my inbox. She taught an amazing early bird session at ACFW and my head is…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Evoking emotions with the words you use
We’re all busy, whether working full-time or chasing/chauffeuring kids around all day. Yet we’re also writers, striving to get our words on paper and then polish it to a sparkle. This column gives quick fixes for fiction manuscripts specifically for busy writers. Pick and choose what works best for you! The words you use: Certain…