This past weekend I had the privilege of teaching two classes at the Roanoke Texas Writers Conference. I tasted once again the enthusiasm of writers eager to learn, to share their own experiences and to help each other. I was reminded once again of the communities we writers form—communities as …
Sometimes all of us, writers included, get in a state of being that’s been called many things. Some call it a funk. Others call it the valley of dry bones. Or the valley of the shadow of death. Recently, one blogger called the dark night of the soul. In baseball, …
After you read the blog, continue down the page and check out the new feature I’m thinking of adding. I’d appreciate your thoughts and feedback on it. We’re all familiar with proverbs either in the Bible or in the secular world. The other day I was reading in the book …
Recently, a reader asked me what authors have influenced me the most. Who have I learned from? I think every author I’ve ever read has influenced me in some way. Either as examples of how to write or how not to write. I’ll focus on the positive side of the …
There’s a verse in the Bible that reads, “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?” Luke 14:28 NLT Pursuing the dream of writing can be expensive. …
How do we build characters our readers want to follow? How do we engage the reader at an emotional level to where she will want to stay with them through the entire story? There are a slew of books, articles, workshops, podcasts and other forums that address this element. Let …
At a recent conference, someone posed this question: Am I a Christian author who writes fiction? OR, Am I an author who writes Christian fiction? I’ve talked with authors who want to write Christian fiction to reach the lost, not realizing that the lost may be the group of readers …
I’ve just returned from my first Realm Makers Conference. In a way it was like attending my first conference ever. Complete with the nervousness of pitching and my introversion on high alert. These people didn’t know me. How would I fit in? What was I thinking when I signed up? …
How do we convey nonverbal communication to our readers? For the first installment in this series, click here. Nonverbal communication applies to more than dialogue exchanges. Look for ways to use the physical senses. In a project I’m currently working on, one of the characters in a dialogue scene said, “Tell …
Someone once said, without characters we really don’t have story. As writers, we strive to craft complex and compelling characters who will engage the reader for the journey of the story. We do this through action and external and internal dialogue. We also use their relationships with other characters, their …
