Writing a Spiritual Arc That Feels Real

One thing that distinguishes Christian fiction from general market is the role of faith in our characters’ lives and the realistic spiritual arcs in their story. Some know what they believe and why, and they try to live accordingly. Others were raised in Christian homes so they’ve heard the Gospel. They might call themselves Christians, …

Writers Life | Seven ways to encourage an author to write more books

I never used to sign up for anything. I was a scrooge when it came to subscribing and downright anti-social on social media. Why would a ‘successful’ creative care what lil old me had to say to them? I thought. It wasn’t until I became an author I understood just how misguided that attitude was. …

Writers Life | Three Simple Tips When Starting Out

It’s taken a tragedy in my life to finally encourage me to share my writing publicly. I have always loved words but my musings on paper have always remained within the covers of my journals. Then my life was turned completely upside down and my words on paper took on deeper significance. My husband passed …

Ten Ways to Build a Writing Habit 

Can one tiny change transform your life? It’s unlikely you would say so. But what if you made another? And another? And another? At some point, you will have to admit that your life was transformed by one small change. James Clear One of the biggest questions I get from beginner writers is, ‘How do …

Marketing a Book in a Pandemic and Beyond

Becoming a debut author is a shared time of triumph and worry. This book baby is finally going to be out in the world! Yes!!! But then come all the what ifs and questions . . . Will it sell well? Receive great reviews? Secure attention from influencers and media? Land in-person book signings and …

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 …

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 …

Write Like You Mean It

I’ve been learning a lot about myself lately and what I’ve found is that when I write in alignment with my true self, I get scared. If this doesn’t sound familiar you may want to stop reading and go on with your day. If this does sound familiar, then maybe we can try and work …

What Do I Know?

I used to be a teacher and if a student asked a question, I’d do everything I could to give them an answer. Answers help us make sense of the world. Answers are important. When I was growing up in church, pastors seemed to have answers for everything. It appeared there was a Bible verse …

A New Decade

What I’m learning is that you have to stop doing a whole lot of things to learn what it is that you really love, who it is you really are. What does matter is, does it feel congruent with how God made me and called me? Shauna Niequist Take yourself back ten years in time. …