True Character in the Characters You Write

by Craig von Buseck @CraigVonBuseck

Some of greatest literary characters in history are so beloved or reviled that they have become a part of our cultural consciousness. Just uttering their names transports us into their wonderful worlds—Ebenezer Scrooge, Scarlet O’Hara, Huckleberry Finn, Elizabeth Bennet, Captain Bligh—these characters and so many more have entertained us and taught us lessons that we have carried throughout our lives.

And it is not only fictional characters that have an impact. I can include in the list such notable real life characters as Elie Wiesel, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Golda Meir, Martin Luther King, Jr., Anne Frank—these inspiring true life characters have gone from stories to legends and have become engrained in our culture.

Writing That Inspires

by Emme Gannon @GannonEmme

I wonder what it would be like to escape from the daily boring routine of my life to a lovely seaside castle where one would awaken to the scent of wisteria and the soft lapping of the sea upon the rocks below? 

Advice for Writers—Eat Your Writing Peas!

by Crystal Bowman

Like many children, I was a picky eater and I especially hated peas. My mother told me to eat my peas because they were good for me. The only way I could tolerate them was to push them into a roll and eat the roll. 

At a recent writers’ conference I was meeting one-on-one with an aspiring young writer. As I gave her advice based on my years of experience, I realized that many of my words began with the letter P. She noticed it too and we laughed. As we ended our meeting, I said, “Eat your peas!”

Announcing the 2022 Winning Titles of the Christian Indie Awards

by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga

The Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA) is pleased to announce the winning titles for the 2022 Christian Indie Awards. The Christian Indie Awards honor books produced by small publishers and independent authors each year for outstanding contribution to Christian life. 

Three Indispensable Keys to Writing Bible Studies

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

A desire to write Bible studies comes from deep within. The desire to share God’s truth, to show how it’s relevant to life today. The desire to help people find more hope, more freedom, more joy. We write because we know all this is found in God and we want other people to find it in Him too. 

But passion to write Bible studies isn’t enough—we need hard work. Like learning the craft of writing. Studying our Bible passages well enough so we can explain them. Forming application of Scripture that’s rich with insight and meaning for our target audience. Adding stories and illustrations for reinforcement. Forming reflection and discussion questions that go deep but aren’t too intrusive. 

10 Things to Say to a Discouraged Writer

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson 

Writing often feels like a solitary pursuit. Truthfully, it’s the successful writers who know better than to try to go it alone. Writing in a vacuum is not a good idea—for a lot of reasons. It’s easy to lose perspective and either believe what you’re writing is perfect, or worse, that it’s junk. Having others who share the same struggles make us stronger.

Not to mention the fact that they can talk us down when we’re standing on a writing ledge. Writers can encourage Writers like no one else can. That’s what I want to share today.

Develop Beneficial Relationships for Media Marketing

by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

One of my greatest treasures as a writer are the relationships I’ve developed. Many have blessed me with helping my marketing. The purpose of networking is to exchange information, advice, and referrals that assist in attaining career goals. Exchanging implies mutually beneficial and that’s what we should strive for in building the business relationships. This includes relationships with media professionals.