April

We’ve all heard stories about “the dreaded writer’s block,” where an author sits in front of a blank screen. Fingers on the keyboard, eyes straight ahead, yet the ideas never come; there are no words on the page. It can be challenging to create new characters and storylines. It’s even worse if a block arises … Read more

Many authors, especially those who write Fantasy or Sci-fi, build stories around people and places that don’t exist in real time. Skillful execution can make characters and settings “feel real” to readers. For example, Lord of the Rings fans become familiar with Middle-earth, although it is a fictitious world.  J.R.R. Tolkien created a fictitious world that is … Read more

Fiction authors typically must learn to write about all sorts of personalities when developing their characters. This can be challenging. For example, if an author is a highly confident person, he or she might find it difficult to write about an introverted, shy character. Perhaps your next novel has a character in it who has … Read more

Have you ever read a Christian fiction novel that “left you hanging” at the end? Perhaps the author left a major issue unresolved or didn’t connect all the dots on the relationship between the two main characters. Maybe there were just too many questions left unanswered. At any rate, you walked away feeling like there … Read more

If you plan to earn a living as an author, then boosting creativity will no doubt be a top priority in your life. Writing is a creative process.  We’ve all read horror stories about writer’s block, something every author hopes to avoid. Developing hobbies (outside of writing) is a great way to engage your mind and spark … Read more

If you were to interview all the prolific authors in the world, you’d undoubtedly discover that no two writers have the same daily routine. There are “last minute” authors, who work best under pressure and love plowing through a manuscript when a deadline is looming just ahead. On the contrary, many writers like to approach … Read more

Christian fiction isn’t limited to stories about Jesus. In fact, while many novels include characters who are believers, as well as various ideologies within the faith, some authors choose to take a more subtle approach when telling stories based on Christianity. For example, an author in the Christian fiction industry might write a book in … Read more

No two authors are exactly alike. One might swear by using outlines, while another has never created one or used one for a novel. Each writing process is unique. However, there are several tips that can help most writers move from start to finish in a productive, smooth-as-possible manner.  Most authors have, at some point, … Read more

Today, phrases like “Dream big” and “Go big or go home” are core mantras that guide young adults through their academic and professional careers. Advanced technology, as well as countless resources, enables people to accomplish goals, such as writing a novel, which might not have been possible long ago. One of the primary decisions authors … Read more

November is a highly competitive month for fiction authors. This time of the year is known as “Q4” or “the fourth quarter” in the publishing industry. Authors can gain an edge over competitors by adopting a “Christmas in July” strategy.  Whether a current manuscript is specifically a Christmas novel or romance, mystery, fantasy, etc., isn’t … Read more