Continue the Journey has been my tag line since I first became serious about writing and printed my first business cards.   Obviously it stems from my debut novel, Journey to Riverbend. But there’s more to it than just a gimmick to remind people about the book. (Did I mention my first book is Journey to Riverbend? Did I mention I’m working on sequels?)   While I worked on the story of Michael and Rachel, themes emerged in the characters’ lives. The themes of reconciliation, restoration, and self-forgiveness manifested as Michael and the posse pursued the kidnappers and Rachel battled...

I find myself in a bit of a transition in my writing right now. A few months ago, my weekly writing group challenged me to write a fantasy novel. (I love you, Solitary Scribes.) When I told my agent, she said I’d have to come up with a pen name because it’s such a genre switch. I’m thinking BJ Tolkien might work. Or Tim Dekker. Or Johnny C. Jenkins.   Part of the challenge I set for myself—I really can’t blame my group for this—is to write it seat of the pants. Or, organically as Steven James calls it. So, yeah, he gets some of the blame/credit for this too.   For years, I...

If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge. Proverbs 19:27 NLT So you want to be a writer? For many with the dream of being writers, the thought seems to be I can just sit down and start stringing words together. How hard can it be? After a while, reality sets in. The words don’t string together as easily as we expected. Even after we string several thousand, no one wants to buy what we’ve written. Recently, I began taking horseback riding lessons. And I quickly learned how little I know about horses. When it comes to writing, like riding horses, there is a...

  J.A. Marx loves illustrating spiritual warfare through speculative suspense. In April, Write Integrity Press released her debut novel, Destiny Defied, the first book in The Destiny Series. She has published several articles and also edits for a healthcare e-zine. Her hobbies are fitness, nutrition, and dancing the Argentine tango. She and her husband live in Texas. http://online.jamarx.net/     Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Julie’s novel. When did you know you were a writer? Since I was a little girl, I’ve had stories running through my mind like movies on the...

If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored. Psalm 13:18 NLT One of the hardest things a writer learns is to receive criticism and correction. Unfortunately, some never do. James Scott Bell refers to it as growing a rhino skin. Jerry B. Jenkins advises authors to develop a thick skin. This doesn’t mean we make ourselves immune to criticism. It means we make the time to develop the attitude of receiving criticism without personalizing it. We look at criticism and correction as ways to improve our work. The first step is to realize our...