Craft
When Times Get Tough
I was writing a blog this weekend because I was tagged to participate in a game that Mary DeMuth started. What were you doing 10-20-30 years ago? This got me to thinking (sometimes a dangerous thing) about what I was doing. Ten years ago I was just starting to sell again after an eight-year dry…
Amy Grant’s Mosaic
Book Description: One of America’s most popular music artists shares beautiful pieces of an unforgettable human mosaic, revealing pieces of a life in progress.With her unmistakable voice and honest lyrics, Amy Grant has captured a unique place in American music. As the bestselling Christian music artist of all time, a crossover pop sensation, and the…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Showing emotion with dialogue
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! Be wise in using dialogue…
Inspired by the Great Oudoors
Chrysanthemum, King, Emperor of Autumn, who will rule while you sleep? (from Siri Mitchell’s Moon Over Tokyo) I love October. I’m starting to think it might be my favorite month of the year. Finally, a reprieve from our hot, sticky Georgia summer. Nearly every week, I’ve joined other photo-snapping parents on field trips to farms,…
Growing Grammar: Planting Words So Sentences Can Sprout
One of the most challenging lessons for students to learn (and for me to teach them) is that diction (word choice) and syntax (how words are arranged in a sentence) are crucial in understanding the piece we’re reading. Truly, the most difficult perception to hack away at is the notion that writers just don’t pay…
Bringing Evil to Life
If you write suspense, somewhere along the storyline you’re probably going to introduce the bad guy, the evil creep bent on mayhem or bloodshed or carnage of some sort. But these bad dudes pose a challenge for many authors. How bad is bad enough? Or too bad? How do I bring my antagonist to life?…
Dreaming with God
Last week was the ACFW National Conference. Many of us here at Writer Interrupted wait with expectation for each conference. And this year was awesome! Over the last two years, the conference has become a highlight of my year. I love the opportunity to meet so many people, reconnect with old friends, and soak in…
Taking Your Writing Up a Notch
So you’re finished with the first draft (at least I am) not it’s time to polish. Where do you start? Here are some things to look for when you start the editing process: Look for ways to make your verbs stronger. Below is a list of passive verbs, but not even an active verb can…
Authors and Speaking
I was once asked to give a speech at a ribbon cutting ceremony when I was about fifteen. I was invited to speak because I had somehow managed to enter and win the local Miss Hometown pageant. Maybe it was because during the interview I said my favorite TV personality was Geraldo and I…
My Debut Novel
I want my first published novel to be amazing. Something worthy of one of those medals they put on the front of the really good books. I don’t want it to be something I cranked out that fits into a publishable mold. Reality check! If that’s the case I’ll probably be fifty before I’m published!…