Tips for Creating Meaningful Takeaway for Your Reader

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

We buy books because we’re hungry—hungry for a good story, hungry for an encouraging message.

When I consider buying a nonfiction book, I read the back cover and flip through the pages looking for the takeaway. What good things can I “take away” from this book? What message, hope, or practical advice does the author share? I also find out whether the author has a conversational voice and good lead-ins. (For that last one, it’s the writer in me kicking into gear.) But I care the most about the takeaway. Do you?

What You Can Do for Writing Conference Faculty

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

I’m tired. Really tired. But it’s a good kind of tired. Conference season is over for me. After eleven conferences (and 12k logged miles), some back-to-back, my suitcase is finally emptied and stored in its place. As I climbed the ladder to store the suitcase, I found myself a little sad that it’s done for the year.

Plotting Your Social Media Course: Know Where You Are & Where You Want to Go

By Edie Melson @EdieMelson

When I teach social media, I encourage people to relax and not take on too much at once.So today I want to back up and start at the very beginning. Because social media can reach millions, it’s way too easy to think of it as mass marketing. In reality it’s about one-on-one relationships.

That is the beauty and the dichotomy of the medium. It can be overwhelming—this building relationships with millions—especially when our goal is writing, not advertising. Now the good news: social media is not as difficult as it seems.

Go. Write. Love.

by Sarah Van Diest @SarahVanDiest

Do you know that what you do matters? 

Do you understand that the way our Father speaks through you is unique? That there is no one else who can carry his message and his love like you can? 

I want you to hold that idea in your mind as you read today’s story. What you do makes a difference. 

Take Another Look

by Beth Vogt @BethVogt

My husband and I delved into photography the past few years. You can credit our interest to a couple of different things.

The first would be my personal blog. Yes, that blog is all about quotes, but I pair the quotes with images, preferably my own. And now, whenever my husband Rob goes snowshoeing or backpacking or fishing, he takes along a camera and promises, “I’ll bring back some photos for you!”

Stealth Words: A Writer’s Overlooked Weapon

by Marcia Moston @MarciaMoston

The title did it. Compelled me to halt the project I was intent on and head straight to the library. I was familiar with The Secret Life of Beesand The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, but The Secret Life of Pronouns?What on earth could these unremarkable little words be doing behind the scenes that warranted such attention? 

How Drinking Enough Water can Impact Your Writing Life

Edie here. Today I'm super excited to introduce you to a woman who inspires me. Not only is she inspiring me to move into a healthier lifestyle, she's an incredible writer. Her latest book,
7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, is already dog-eared and well-loved. I asked her to come on The Write Conversation and give us some tips to write healthy. So give her a warm welcome (and check out her book).

How Drinking Enough Water can Impact Your Writing Life

by Susan Neal @SusanNealYoga 

It is hot this summer, so it is essential to stay hydrated. However, we shouldn’t appease our thirst with sugar-sweetened beverages because they fog up the clarity of a writer’s mind. Instead, we should drink the fluid God gave us—water. Our bodies desperately need water to flush out the toxins and prevent dehydration. Also, you will have more energy to write when you consume an adequate amount of water.