How many movies have you seen or books have you read that were laden with clichés? Think “burial on a dark, rainy day” or “snowed in for Christmas” types of scenes. As an author, you’ll want to learn how to use weather to create mood in a novel without making descriptions or situations so commonplace … Read more
Helping your novel achieve its full potential in the marketplace is part of your responsibility as an author and part of your publisher’s responsibility. You’ll discuss things like cover design, target audience, and marketing campaigns. You will also set a date to launch your new book. On the surface, you might not think it matters … Read more
Advanced technology has brought ease and convenience to life where once there was neither. For example, consider those who lived in a time when they had to haul water from a riverbank each day, wash clothes by pounding them with rocks and cook each meal over an open fire. In the writing industry, authors can … Read more
Authors want readers to enjoy their books, so much so, that they (the readers) will want to read more of their stories. It’s simple really; if they like what they read, they’ll come back for more. There are issues that can make a reader turn away from a novel without even getting to the second … Read more
Lorne Oke, former head men’s and women’s golf coach at Taylor University, used to type his mother’s manuscripts to help her prepare them for submission to a publisher. His mother began her writing career later in life and continues to create novels for her loyal and widespread fan base at age 90. Lorne once told … Read more
Even if you’re still in the earliest stages of writing a novel, it pays to think ahead. If your plan is to become a career author, it’s never too soon to begin laying the groundwork for success. Imagine that you’ve completed your manuscript and have “gone through the wringer” of the editing process. In the … Read more
Most novels do not include illustrations. Much is left to the reader’s imagination. There are several reasons, however, why authors should describe their characters’ appearance early on in a story. Creative writing skills enable authors to “show” a character’s physical appearance rather than using static, descriptive text. Rather than writing “He was a tall man,” … Read more
Not every protagonist in the Christian fiction genre is a black-and-white, cut-and-dry, upstanding, stellar character. Many heroes and heroines are flawed. In fact, most should have some type of noticeable fault to make them more believable. A flawed protagonist, however, must have some way to become endearing to your readers. This is where “Save the … Read more
As a Christian fiction author, you want to leave your readers feeling uplifted, inspired and entertained. In short, when they close the cover after reading the final paragraph, you want them to be satisfied. You also want them to want to read more of your writing. Endings are often one of the most challenging parts … Read more
Becoming an author in the “fiction” space can be both challenging and rewarding. The most prolific writers typically focus on a specific genre, although some have been known to branch out and test other waters. If you’re thinking about trying your hand at a Christian romance novel, there are several key features you’ll want to … Read more