How to Wait Well as a Writer

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

I’m not a patient waiter. How ‘bout you? 

As writers, we’re often in a state of waiting. Waiting for the next conference, so we can fellowship with our like-minded comrades and meet new author friends, too. Waiting to hear back from a query. Waiting to hear from a publisher. Waiting for just the right agent to give us a nod of approval. 

Collaboration: Tips for Writing with Someone Else—Publishing as a Second Language, Part 4

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

The best way to avoid problems when initiating a collaborative partnership is to make sure both parties know from the very beginning what is expected of them now and in the future. And the best way to do that is to have everything in writing. Yes, a written contract can avoid a lot of misunderstanding and hard feelings between writing partners. If you have everything in writing with a signature from each party, then you have already agreed upon the way things should be handled both now and in the future. And if one party questions that, you just refer to the contract.

Tips to Create a Worthy Opponent in Fiction & Nonfiction

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

Story happens when a character faces a seemingly invincible opponent standing between the character and his/her great need. Opponents can be human or nonhuman, a person, place, or thing, or combination of these. 

Side note: Writing nonfiction? Use these essentials to share the event in story form. 

5 Safety Tips to Prevent Writer Burnout this Christmas

by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @khogrefeparnell

Artificial or real tree? It’s one of the many choices we have during the “most wonderful time of the year.” I’ve been in both camps, and while most of us focus on the beautiful decorations, we can’t ignore the potential fire hazards our trees present. 

The holidays present a related hazard for writers: burnout. Let’s walk through a checklist for Christmas tree safety that also applies to writers, and learn how to enjoy the holidays without going up in smoke.

The Gift of Possible for Writers

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

What is impossible for mere humans is possible with God (Luke 18:27).

There are so many reasons camels couldn’t possibly walk through the eye of a needle. For one, they are clumsy and awkward. Even if the eye of the needle was the sizem of aedieval city gate, the gangly camel would have to be cajoled, pulled, and coaxed to make it through the opening. And then he would probably just stand there, impersonating a stubborn mule.

4 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block When Your Characters Go Silent

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

Lately, I seem to be going through a case of writer’s block. Not like when I can’t decide where to set a scene or why my characters are gathering for coffee/tea/burger/ballgame. But life has taken me away from my writing for a while, and now I can’t get back into it.

I asked our pharmacist. There’s not a vaccine. (She wasn’t smiling.) And supplements don’t seem to be helping.

My characters have left the building. And they don’t seem to want to return unless I promise to pay them more attention.

Maybe writer’s block boils down to a lack of trust.

What to do When You're an Exhausted Writer

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author

Being creative is fun, isn't it? Inventing characters for stories is an exercise in stretching our imaginations. Building worlds that only exist on paper, using only words to breathe them into being, is a time-intensive process that can absorb all our focus. Developing the individual voices of multiple unique people so clearly that readers can identify them by what they say or how they say it requires intentional research.

But isn't it amazing?

As storytellers, we use words to frame and create a whole world, a host of characters, and captivating cultures. And readers? Readers take those words and understand them, hook up their imaginations to your vision, and dream along with you.