April

In a post on Author, an online publication dedicated to the creative writing process, writers are warned against “zombie” words. These are words most writers use at some point, perhaps not realizing just how often. We will refer to “zombie” words as “dead words” to make this post less terrifying, lol. No matter what you … Read more

It’s easy to see how an automobile has changed, adapted and advanced from its original form. In the writing industry, terminology sometimes evolves or changes in time just as inventions or products might do. There are words and phrases that are commonly understood to mean certain things among writers; however, such meanings sometimes change. Such … Read more

Most of us are familiar with major publishers, such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, and more. These companies provide readers with best-selling material from iconic authors, such as Tom Clancy, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, and others. However, if you’re writing niche books, and especially if you’re a new author, you might want … Read more

Students who study composition are typically familiar with basic essay or creative story writing skills. If you’re thinking of becoming an author, some of the lessons you learned in composition class may come in handy. One of the skills your instructor probably focused on at some point is “writing outlines.” Writing outlines helps authors organize … Read more

Is it possible to take your novel from manuscript to “book available for purchase” on your own? The overall answer is “yes,” although it might not be the best fit for you. Before jumping into those (often turbulent) waters head first, it’s wise to learn more about self-publishing as it compares to the traditional publishing … Read more

If you’ve been following this blog for a while now, you’ve no doubt read posts that mentioned “character development” as an integral component of quality writing in the fiction industry. Readers must believe your characters and must be able to relate to them. One of the most challenging characters to develop, especially as a new … Read more

Authors are human beings, just like everyone else. They come from all walks of life, economic statuses, faith backgrounds, races, ethnicities and geographical locations. They’re affected by “the human condition,” which can sometimes include a personal crisis. If you’re an author whose current work in progress (WIP) is suffering because of personal problems, this post … Read more

After deciding that you want to be an author, you must also choose a writing niche, although it is possible to write books in multiple genres. You’ve probably noticed, however, that most best-selling or prolific authors typically home in on sci-fi, romance, historical fiction, thrillers, mystery or other categories. Christian fiction is currently a booming … Read more

If you’ve ever attended a writing workshop, the instructor may have taught that it’s always best to allow your readers to experience the events and scenes in your stories, rather than simply telling them what’s happening. Providing information has its place, as does “setting the scene” through the author’s descriptions. Throughout a story, however, and … Read more

The answer is yes. Some people mistakenly believe that, because Christianity includes belief in “objective/absolute truth,” that fiction stories in this genre must be based in real-world ideas and events. In fact, Christian authors are as free as writers of other genres to “build new worlds” in their stories.  It would, of course, become problematic … Read more