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Your Writing Voice: Read To Write
“Peter, I haven’t read a single book about how to write.” The load of books I carried flew from my hands. Like missiles, they launched into the air. “You’ve got to be kidding me! I find that impossible to believe.” I was at a book signing, and next to my table was one of the world’s leading authors. I’d been setting up my table when she dropped the bomb. And now, as I looked past raining copies of my book, Gideon’s Call, I saw shame and embarrassment in the author’s eyes. How to fix this? Being a beginner in the author world, I couldn’t afford to offend. “Your books read as…
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Labeling Your Skills: The Essential Tool for Growth as a Writer
How you talk about yourself as a writer is essential. You could stunt your writing growth if your words about yourself aren’t accurate. We could list every writer here and find something good about their work. Ernest Hemingway, with a journalist background, made every word hold vital importance. John Steinbeck could charm the reader through the plot and use cynicism to destroy the reader’s hope in human goodness and decency. William Faulkner tested the waters with a 1,288-word sentence, and his book was still published. Elements of excellent or interesting reading are found in any work. There is some redeeming quality in every piece. Of course, you’re on the list…
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Variety in Your Novel: Spicy Dishes Served with Relish
Variety is the spice of life, so Tums antacid comes in fruit, berry, cherry, orange, and peppermint flavors. What does this mean for our novels? I love an excellent spy-action or sweet-romance novel. Yet, if the book has 86,000 words of bullets flying, explosions erupting, and blood pooling on every page, we grow fatigued. We also get tired of 38 chapters of a couple arguing. Something else must happen, or the work is tedious. Variety allows for a better flow for the reader. Here are a few pointers about variety to keep in mind. Add variety to keep your reader connected to your story! You’ll not be sorry! And before…
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The Oldest Myth: Storytelling Lessons From a 5000-Year-Old Writer
The oldest story that has survived is about 4,725 years old. Yet, despite the passage of nearly five millennia, Gilgamesh still stands as the timeless benchmark for storytelling. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to cater to the very essence of human storytelling. As a king, Gilgamesh was wild and untamed. The people, desperate for a change, prayed for help, and the gods responded by sending a man to wrestle with him until he learned to behave. In a twist of fate, they become best friends and embark on a series of adventures. However, tragedy strikes, and Gilgamesh is forced to confront his own mortality, leading him on a…
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Writer, Keep the Faith: Courtly Love and Reading Trends
On her Facebook fan site, Strong Readers, Angela Ruth Strong waxed philosophical when she asked a pressing question for writers. The news for writers today is troubling. Readership is down. Book purchases are down. Bestselling novels are a portion of what they used to be. Conferences and reading summits are closing. And what’s worse, the price of paper, pencils, and chocolate are up. In general, interest in books is falling, with it, sales and slots for authors to sell their books. Angela asked what’s next for the Christian market? I want to answer. The medieval world holds the answer. Yes! Kings, queens, nobles, King Arthur, courtly love, chivalry, guilds, and,…
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Horses, Chariots, and History: The Writer’s Unstoppable Passion
Our vision, so focused one week ago, has hazed over. The finish line isn’t quite as appealing now that we see the distance and the hills. Our productivity falls short of the goal.
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Write Bravely: Dare to Live Your Dream
“Writing begins and ends with loving Jesus.” Gregory Coles Idahope Christian Writer’s Conference taught us to write bravely. We learned we can break the industry formula or master writing forms with conviction. We not only write bravely but also edit and market with confidence. Greg Coles offered six powerful thoughts on bravery. To write bravely, we must remember that our vulnerability as writers is a gift to believers and ourselves. Our writing comes from the heart; thus, it begins and ends with loving Jesus. Write bravely! Not all views expressed are those of every member of ICW.
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Values and Doubt: The Writer’s Glory
My daughter searched her purse, pulled out her phone, and glanced through her messages. “Ah, here it is. I wrote it down last night.” I set down my fork and sat back. “Lay your wisdom on me.” “Okay. It just seemed like something you might need during hard times.” “Interesting. Sure, let me hear it.” She glanced over her screen. “I’m not sure how helpful it is.” “Won’t know until you tell me.” “Because sometimes thoughts that come at night aren’t always brilliant.” “And sometimes they are.” I sipped my iced tea. “But we’ll never know until you tell me.” “The trouble is, I don’t know if anyone will like…
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Generate Your Author Voice: The Wordsmith’s Feud
At a writer’s conference, I spotted a famous author who had five minutes before attendees joined her at the dinner table. In her hands, she clutched an E-book reader. I peered over her shoulder and saw a vast array of titles. She snatched a few moments to read a couple of pages. I’m happy to report I didn’t interrupt her. However, she was reading her colleague’s work, her competition’s book. Interesting. At another conference, I sat at a table with famous authors whose combined sales were over 50 million copies. No, I didn’t dare speak. However, their conversation circled books they’ve read and writers who know their craft. All were…
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Fuel the Writer: Confidence from a Conference
I know someone who finished a manuscript and shared the premise with me. “Isn’t that the best book you’ve ever heard about?” I read the Optimist’s first chapter and, well…not so much. I know someone who finished a manuscript and shared the premise with me. “I know it’s not very good, but I wrote it and decided it would be a shame if no one read it, so could you maybe take a peek at the first chapter? You will probably loathe it, though. Detest it. Abhor it.” I read the walking Thesaurus’s entire manuscript and couldn’t put it down. Both kinds of people were looking for feedback, and both…
