by Edie Melson @EdieMelson When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:4-5 (NIV) Throughout my years of teaching—whether at a Christian Writers Conference or a Bible study—probably the question I’ve been asked the most has been, “How do I know it’s really God speaking to me?” The answer is at once very simple and very hard. You can tell it’s God’s voice, because you recognize it.  ..read more

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe I’m regularly approached by novelists who want to learn how to write screenplays because they’re interested in seeing their own projects made into films. There’s nothing wrong with this. In fact, Hollywood loves pre-published material. However, adapting a novel into this medium may not be as easy as you think.  The number one reason why scripts get rejected in Hollywood is because of formatting errors. Mistakes in formatting automatically signal to the powers-that-be that you’re an amateur. It tells them that you don’t know what you’re doing. Hollywood ..read more

by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2 We’re almost a month into 2023. Do you have a plan to stay on track, submit your work on time, and organize your writing life? If not, here are five tips that have helped me.  5 Tips to Use the Calendar to Stay on Track with Your Writing 1. Use a Paper Calendar I love technology (when it works), but, for me, a good, old-fashioned paper calendar serves me better than digital records and reminders. I love being able to see every submission that’s due each month and when it will run. While I may back up my paper calendar with electronic reminders, paper t ..read more

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas In Mark 7:30-44, Jesus feeds 5,000 with five small loaves and two fish. In Mark 8:1-10, Jesus feeds 4,000 with seven loaves. Prior to each miracle, Jesus asked his disciples, “How much food do you have?” Interestingly, the twelve had no food in either miracle, but they found small amounts in the crowd. Jesus took what they found and miraculously multiplied it. In each instance, the apostles had no idea how to feed the people. In one they said the equivalent of, “It’ll take half a year’s wages to feed this crowd.” In another, they recommended Jesus sen ..read more

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We all have our revered and treasured writers who never fail to bring us exciting and quality reads. Let’s look at a few bestselling writers’ favorite writing tip(s) in alphabetical order. Janice Cantore “Learn to deal with criticism and rejection. Every writer experiences rejection at one time or another. The important thing is what they do with it. A writer who accepts helpful critiques is able to move forward and write better. Thoughtfully consider the red marks and notes from editors/reviewers. Be honest with yourself and your work. I’ve heard stories at wri ..read more

by Eva Marie Everson My husband and I decided to spend a day in Mount Dora before Christmas, to enjoy the twinkly lights, the holiday music, and the general hustle and bustle of last-minute shopping.  Mount Dora is a bedroom community about an hour north-west of Orlando, Florida known for its Southern charm, specialty shops, cozy cafes, and delectable restaurants. Everything about it screams, “Come see me!” So we did. The day was perfect weatherwise—not too hot, not too cold. The sunlight winked between the buildings and the thick live oaks, casting silver linings to the Spanish mo ..read more

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan Remember that old TV show Truth or Consequences? If the contestant couldn't guess the truth about the guest, he had to suffer the consequences and some of those consequences were hysterical. But what about in writing? If we submit our manuscripts without any critique or editing, what consequences do we face? Most obvious would be the manuscript would be rejected. If an author chooses to Indy publish, it's vital to sales to have your manuscript professionally edited.  I have two critique partners now who have been with me for several years. I wouldn't thi ..read more

by Patricia Durgin @PatriciaDurgin What Is a Lead Magnet and Why Is the Title Such a Big Deal? Lead Magnets are the overlooked heroes of online marketing. Unassuming, they stand like sentries on your Home page and social media accounts, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. We want ours to be so obviously helpful that readers can’t resist signing up to read it (trading their name and email to have access to it).  In their most basic format, Lead Magnets are 3-10 pages long and in PDF format. They include a great cover image, an enticing title (bonus points for an equally interesting ..read more

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA @DrMaryAnnDiorio Have you noticed how many things are labeled “smart” these days? We have SMART phones, SMART watches, and even SMART washing machines!  The word smart has become a household word in our culture. An Internet search for its definition resulted in this: “The word ‘SMART’ refers to ‘self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology . . . that uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analysis to provide cognitive awareness to objects that were in the past considered inanimate.’”  (Source cited: https://profoundqa.com ..read more

by Crystal Bowman As we begin another lap around the sun, we will read many posts and words of advice about setting new goals or making resolutions for the coming year. There’s something motivating about starting a new year and opening a fresh calendar with lots of blank spaces. So as writers, what can we do to fill in some of those blank spaces?  How Writers Can Move Forward This Year Attend a writers’ conference. Whether you are a published author or not, and whether you have already attended a conference or two or three—go! Attending a writers’ conference is one of the best inves ..read more