Craft
Faith in our stories
By Margaret Daley One of the intricate aspects of an inspirational romance that other romances don’t possess is the faith element. Without it we don’t have an inspirational. For an inspirational it is the third element of importance to me. So how do you integrate it into your story? Make it seem effortless? Not preachy?…
The Myth of the Author
“What?!” you say. “But an author is almost like God. Authors create a universe and inhabit it with people and weave the tapestry of their fates.” Just stop, okay? Besides being borderline blasphemy, it isn’t that simple. Sure, authors have a tremendous role in the creation of their book, but they are hardly like God…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Writer’s Voice, part three
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! Developing your writing voice, part…
Don’t Always Say What You Mean, But Always Mean What You Don’t Say
Really. I mean it. Go ahead and subtext, already! Subtexted dialogue can be one of the most powerful elements in a storyteller’s arsenal. This is the art of talking around the subject, rather than head on, in order to intensify the meaning of the part that isn’t said. Sometimes it’s actually having your characters say…
A Tribute
Earlier tonight I was thinking about how critical support is to dreaming. Without my husband’s consistent and demonstrated support, I wouldn’t be writing. It would be an ember of a dream rather than a reality. Every time I would think about writing, start fixating on the hunger to do something special with words, my husband…
Mary E. DeMuth
I can’t tell you how very tired I am of boring Christian books. There exists some sort of “acceptable” content that we write about ad infinitum, but rarely do we hear from writers who dare to go out on limbs–to share what is really, really inside. It takes guts. It’s not easy. I’m not talking…
Tough Love
I’ve tried it all from authoritative discipline to non-punitive parenting, and I can say for certainty. Nothing works! At least with my kids. The back talk and arguing from my little WIPs have pushed me over the edge many more times than I care to count. The other morning we were having a discussion about…
No Fast Road to Publication
Many published authors have a story of how ultimately it took fate or divine intervention to get published. Everyone needs a foot in the door, so it seems, and all the powers that be must come together at just the right moment to create the much coveted Writing Contract. As writers who are also Christians,…
Carnival of Christian Writers #6 March 2007
It’s carnival time! This month’s carnival is sure to entertain and inform. So please keep your hands and feet inside at all times and buckle up for your safety. Enjoy the ride… Editor Mick Silva shares Conference Do’s and Don’ts at Your Writers Group. Novelist and professional organizer Cyndy Salzmann at The Packrat Chronicles shares…
My review of Blessed are the Uncool by Paul Grant
I read this book in small segments. It’s a lot of meat to digest. The subtitle of Blessed are the Uncool is “Living Authentically in a World of Show.” It describes the gist of the book very well. No one likes fake people; yet, we as Christians all struggle with being authentic. We’ve grown up…