The Publishing Scam I Almost Fell For (and What It Taught Me About Pride)

From Edie: Heidi McGill shares how a publishing scam almost fooled her. Discover the warning signs, learn how scammers target writers with flattery, and see what this experience taught her about pride and discernment.

The Publishing Scam I Almost Fell For (and What It Taught Me About Pride)

by Heidi McGill @HeidiGrayMcGill

I nearly got flimflammed this week, and pride is the only reason it almost worked.

I’ve deleted the emails claiming Oprah wants to feature me, Reese Witherspoon’s book club found me, and Steven Spielberg wants to option my next release. My Christian historicals don’t land on those desks, and I’m not well known enough to pretend otherwise. Most days I spot the spam before I finish the subject line.

This one didn’t read like the others. It opened soft and specific and... flattering, in a way that felt earned instead of scripted.

Ready to Quit Writing? Encouragement for Writers Who Feel Discouraged

From Edie: Andy Lee shares encouragement for those who are ready to quit writing. Find biblical encouragement for discouraged writers, overcome doubt, and rediscover God's purpose and calling for your writing journey. I'm so excited about Andy's next book—From Failure to Faith. Be sure to check out the description and link at the end of the post!

Ready to Quit Writing? Encouragement for Writers Who Feel Discouraged

By Andy Lee

The call to be a writer does not come without its difficulties. Sure, compared to the prophet Ezekiel who had to lie on his side for 390 days to bear the sin of Israel and forty days to bear the sin of Judah, being a scribe for the Lord doesn’t look so bad. But the writing life can be discouraging. We wonder if we heard God correctly, especially when rejection after rejection comes our way. 

Dipping the Quill Deeper: What Words We Leave Behind

From Edie: Eva Marie Everson share how simple invitation to church changed two lives forever. Discover how God can use your words of faith to leave an eternal legacy you may never see.

Dipping the Quill Deeper: What Words We Leave Behind

by Eva Marie Everson @EversonAuthor

I want to tell you a story.

I grew up in church. My parents did as well. So, hearing about Jesus from an early age is part of my story. Sunday school. Church. Wednesday nights and VBS. These were all a part of my childhood.

Back in the late 1950s/early 1960s, the wives and mothers in my little hometown joined “Circles.” These were faith-based social gatherings complete with finger sandwiches, sweet tea, coffee, cake, and devotions. My mother hosted many in our home and I, being such the precocious child, often regaled the ladies with recitations from the Bible. 

7 Common Myths About Traditional Publishing (and the Truth Behind Them)

From Edie: Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes shares the truth behind 7 common myths about traditional publishing and learn what publishers really look for when evaluating authors and book proposals.

7 Common Myths About Traditional Publishing (and the Truth Behind Them)

by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @KHutch0767

When I first ventured into publishing, I wasn’t chasing a book contract or dreaming of bestseller lists. I wanted to make a difference. Years ago, I independently published my first Bible study with one goal in mind: to raise enough money to help send a family to the mission field. By God’s grace, we reached that goal. I celebrated, thanked the Lord, and moved on to the next project. What I didn’t realize was that I had unintentionally created a publishing résumé.

How Writers Can Avoid Burnout: 18 Digital Soul Care Habits That Restore Creativity

From Edie: Feeling overwhelmed by the digital world? Discover 18 practical soul care habits to help writers avoid burnout, protect creativity, and stay rooted in God.

How Writers Can Avoid Burnout: 18 Digital Soul Care Habits That Restore Creativity

By Edie Melson @EdieMelson

As writers today, we face a unique kind of stress—digital stress.

Much of our work happens in front of a screen. We write on computers, answer emails on our phones, meet with clients on Zoom, build communities on social media, and now we're also learning how AI can help us work more efficiently. While these tools are wonderful gifts, they also create an "always available" culture that can quietly drain us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Why Your Story Feels Flat: The Difference Between Emotional and External Conflict

From Edie: Zena Dell Lowe shares insights into why your story may feel flat. Learn the difference between emotional and external conflict and discover how to write fiction that grips readers from beginning to end.

Why Your Story Feels Flat: The Difference Between Emotional and External Conflict

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe

Writers know they need conflict. They understand instinctively that scenes require tension, pressure, obstacles, and stakes. But instead of allowing the conflict to emerge naturally from the emotional and relational dynamics already present in the story, they often manufacture external problems that are far less compelling than the conflict they’re avoiding. 

Why Writing in Faith Can Be Our Place of Greatest Victory

From Edie: Lori Hatcher helps writers discover how writing in faith helps Christian writers persevere through ordinary days, trust God's timing, and find lasting victory in faithful obedience.

Why Writing in Faith Can Be Our Place of Greatest Victory

by Lori Hatcher

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

My husband, David, and I were walking across a grassy baseball field one sunny afternoon when he pointed to a huge nest sitting atop one of the light poles that ringed the field. High above the nest soared two red-tailed hawks. 

As we watched, a third hawk climbed to the edge of the nest and leaped. It flapped its wings, caught an updraft, and gracefully rose to join the others.