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I Can’t Fix This
Women are Fixers. We are always kissing boo-boos, resolving arguments, combing out tangles, and feeding our hungry little people. We run forgotten lunches up to school, and help glue things onto posterboard for projects that should have been started much sooner than the night before it was due. We know how to smooth over hurt…
Carnival of Christian Writers #13 – October 2007
Carnival of Christian Writers #13 – October 2007 This month we have an extravaganza of blog entries about the the craft of writing with a special feature booth all about the American Christian Fiction Writers 2007 Conference! Hold on to your seats people, this is an exciting October Carnival of Christian Writers! …
The Marks of Marriage
Time again, I run across some interesting patterns in marriage. Just recently I spoke to a woman whose marriage suddenly ended after 14 years to her surprise. My heart broke for her and my alert bells went off as I found another piece to the pattern. I’m not an expert, but I put my observations…
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…
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…
The Best Medicine
It’s that time of year again. School. Awanas. Colds. Flu. Allergies. Humidifiers. Soup. My childhood sicknesses always involved flat 7-Up, homemade chicken and dumplings, and sometimes milk toast for breakfast–a tradition handed down by my mom’s mom. In my newlywed days, my hubby fussed over me with a mug of hot Campbell’s soup. He even…
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…
NANO: Listen for It
On November 1st, if you open your window and listen carefully, you might hear an unusual sound. It could be coming from your neighbor’s apartment or from the high school in your neighborhood or from as far away as Australia. You walk to your computer, pondering on the strange noise, and as you start to…
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,…