Circle the Wagons

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

Coffee and donuts. They go together like love and marriage. Someday I’d like to write a poem and I’d like to start it with the line, “Coffee and donuts, sittin’ in a tree.” I’m not sure where to go from there. I get that far and all I know is that I want to be in that tree.

I confess I’ve had a few too many donuts. Sad to say, the bough on that tree would be bending pretty low about now. That’s why I decided to go on yet another diet recently. Also sad to say, I’ve already fallen off the wagon.

Living in the Moment

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Forever is composed of nows. - Emily Dickinson

In these days of instant access to cameras and social media, it's easy to get caught up in recording the moment instead of living in the moment. How do you combat that danger?

Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

I invite you to use this image any way you like online. Post it to your blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, anywhere you'd like. All I ask is that you keep it intact, with my website watermark visible.

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Writers Are A Strange Lot

We writers are an odd lot.

by Lori Hatcher  @LoriHatcher2

My husband puts up with a lot.

He’ll be the first to tell you that living with a writer is, shall we say, different. He knows writers are a strange lot. We can be physically present but mentally light years (or centuries) away. While it may appear that we’re talking to ourselves, if you ask us, we’ll deny it.

“Oh no, I’m not talking to myself. It’s the characters in my head who are talking. I’m just moderating the discussion.” Uh, yeah, I think there’s medication for that.

Facing The Dreaded Critique Group - Part 1

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas

You’re about to submit your writing to a critique group for the first time.

You haven’t felt this nervous since your first job interview.

Or the time you proposed to your spouse.

Or the time Old Aunt Mary visited and the dog was using the sweater she knitted you as his sleeping spot.

5 Singing Lessons for the Writer

5 Singing Lessons for Writers

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

Every time I hear an incredible Christian soloist, I think, I want to write like they sing. The power in their voice, the soul-stirring words, the motivation I feel to live for God—it’s inspiring. I’ve always wanted to be a singer; however, God didn’t bless me with a singing voice. But He has called me to write.

Have you ever read a book, an article, or a blog post, and heard a “song” in it? Did the words powerfully stir your soul? Could you hear the melody behind the lyrics? Did the message stick with you like a favorite song? We can write like that. The question is how.

How to Fight the Comparison Battle

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel

• “Why did she get a book contract before me when I’ve been writing longer than she has?”
• “I sent the retreat committee my topics and video clips, but they chose a much younger speaker with almost no experience.”
• “Our books were published the same month, yet his already has 300 Amazon reviews and I haven’t even hit fifty yet.”
• “I don’t understand why I wasn’t asked to return as faculty when John serves at the conference every year.”
• “I love rooming with my friend Jane at writers’ conferences, but it’s hard when she tells me every night about the editors and publishers who are interested in her projects.”
• “We have the same publisher, but they spent a fortune on her marketing and I was pretty much left to fend for myself.”

Because a Picture Really is Worth a Thousand Words—Even for Writers

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMoJo68

Quick! What gets your attention faster: words or images? It’s the images, right? Those bright, colorful, brilliantly-captioned memes and photos.

As a writer, you may think photo-based social media sites are less helpful to your career, but it’s just the opposite. Capturing the moment can boost your readership, and give your fan base a quick idea of what you’re about.