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Don’t Let the Fear of Winter Steal Your Joy in Fall
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Being future-focused can stifle writing.
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Stormy Weather
It never rains but it pours, and you can hear the thunder coming, see the clouds forming...
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Writing That Transforms
I thought, “How cool is that? The idea that acceptance, simple grace, is the first step in a transformation.” The implications of that idea are mind-blowing...
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Write Regularly (Here’s How…and Why)
We all have those hours somewhere, we just don’t take advantage of them because resistance tells us they’re not enough – we’re not enough. But it will be enough, and so are you.
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Write for Yourself, First
Don't be afraid to write down the ugly, either in content or craft. God is in the business of bringing beauty from ashes. So write it out. He isn't afraid of bad spelling or grammar any more than he is of your honesty.
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The End
“The opposite of the happy ending is not actually the sad ending. The sad ending is sometimes the happy ending. The opposite of the happy ending is actually the unsatisfying ending.” ~ Orson Scott Card “Just look at the language we use to talk about endings. Nobody ever accuses the beginning of a story of being a “cop-out,” or a “cheat,” or of “falling flat.” Beginnings don’t have to pay off anything, or explain everything. The beginning of the story hooks us, and makes a bunch of promises — and then the ending has to deliver on all those promises. So perhaps it’s not surprising that it’s slightly easier to…
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Only You Can Write Your Story
New writers can feel scared to share their stories. But ideas are not worth as much as the work. And the spirit a writer imbues is more valuable than you realize.
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Grit for Breakfast: The Writer’s Choice
You’re writing and on top of the world. Words flow smoothly and you’re the best writer, ever. Then, something happens...
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Bring Characters To Life
This is Sarah. Sarah is a tall blonde biker chick who wears black leather and a ridiculously bright bum bag. This bum bag makes me very happy, and I started taking pictures of it. I even suggested it needs its own photo album. Now, when she travels, Sarah takes pictures of the bum bag on the beach, or on the mantle of a fireplace in a Victorian restaurant. She calls her photo collection, “Fanny Pack Adventures.” So whenever the people I ride with are supposed to be getting on our bikes to go, Sarah might be missing, taking pictures, and the road captain points at me. “You started this.” I…
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Overcoming Doubt: The Writer’s Joy
The novel writer’s journey comes with doubt. What if they don’t like my story? What if I’m not a good writer? Sometimes the concerns attack like a chihuahua nipping at your ankles. At other times, it feels as if a wolf pack is hunting you down. Even a seasoned novelist who is about to launch their 80th novel feels trepidation. There are two major issues about these feelings. Imagining troubles ahead is often a problem. You’re borrowing the possibilities of tomorrow to disrupt the flow of today. And yet, these emotions of doubt are real. That’s why the Bible gives us a powerful prescription on how to deal with these…
