January: A blank page filled with potential

  For last year’s words belong to last year’s language And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. (Little Gidding) T.E. Eliot New Year is a time when we reflect on the previous year and make resolutions or plans for the next. As a writer, I …

A Moment of Doubt, a devotion by Keona J Tann

Early November 2021 I had a real moment of doubt. I am currently attempting my Diploma of Ministry and I received barely a pass on one of my assignments and I felt utterly devastated. Studying has been a real struggle for me on many different levels but I’d put so much effort into my assignment …

Fiction Friday – Upon a Midnight Snow by Tari Faris

Narelle here. Today for Fiction Friday I’m sharing my book recommendation for Tari Faris’ new Christmas novella, Upon a Midnight Snow, from her Restoring Heritage series set in Michigan, USA. The Restoring Heritage series is one the best contemporary Christian romance series I’ve read this year. I enjoyed reading Upon A Midnight Snow, that chronologically follows on …

Create Through the Storm

In order to realize the worth of the anchor we need to feel the stress of the storm. Corrie Ten Boom Sometimes we writers want all our ducks lined up in a row–all the papers laid out in neat piles on our desk, all our family members occupied doing something else, the sun shining, and …

Writing Twisty Twists

There’s nothing like a good twist. Chubby Checker’s on the stereo and everyone’s writhing to ‘Let’s Twist Again’. No, wait! Not that kind of twist. I’m talking about those dazzling twists in novels that leave you gasping in amazement at the author’s brilliance. What about that twist in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None …

Throwback Thursday | Thirteen #badwritingadvice Tips to Winning NaNoWriMo

We are in the middle of National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo), which means many of our members are in the middle of their last-ditch attempt to win Nanowrimo 2021: by writing an original manuscript of 50,000 words or longer in the calendar month of November. To help, I’m reposting my thirteen foolproof tips to …

The Description Sweet Spot in Fiction

I love reading novels where beautiful descriptive passages transport me into the story. However, description can also be a snore-fest that beckons me to skim to the exciting part. There’s no magic percentage that tells you how much description you should have in your novel, though genre can give a clue. If you’re writing fantasy …

Writers Life | 28 Content Ideas To Mix Up Your Author Newsletter

Please welcome guest blogger Jen Richards to our blog today to talk about Author Newsletter. Author newsletters are an important way to connect directly with readers. Unlike social media where (increasingly) you have to pay to make sure your audience sees your content, newsletters are a reliable way to supply information about book launches, promotions …