Blog and Article Ideas from the Calendar!

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Today I've decided to sneak in a post about holidays. 

So often we search for blogging and article ideas in all the wrong places. We make it way too complicated. So one of the best places to look is the calendar. But don't just assume or pick the most obvious holiday, instead, look a little deeper see all the fun things you could write about. 

Dipping the Quill Deeper—The Why Behind Our Stories

by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

Not to be Gloomy Gloria or Maudlin Mavis, but have you ever walked through a graveyard—especially the older ones, stones tilted by time, names and dates marred by the elements—and stopped long enough to read what some of the headstones reveal?

Creating Community with Writers & Readers

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

A few years ago, I took a marketing course at a writers conference. Presented by three multi-published Southern authors, Janice Thompson, Kathleen Y'Barbo, and Anita Higman, the class taught me a lot about marketing. But the one idea that really struck a chord within me was creating a tribe. The people in a writer's tribe are those who love their stories and help promote their work. 

Okay, but the conference took place less than two weeks after the release of my debut novel, Chapel Springs Revival, so while I came home with terrific ideas, I wasn't ready to put any in place. I mean, doesn't one actually need fans to have a tribe?  

Now That’s Alarming

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

I keep trying to find a friendly-sounding alarm clock. Do you have one of those alarms that shrieks at the decibel level of a tornado siren? The alarm goes off, you jolt up in a panic, heart pounding, barely catching yourself before you sprint to the nearest storm shelter. Ever find those fingernail marks in the ceiling over your bed? And my alarm doesn’t blast and then stop. No, it just keeps on shrieking. Smashing it with a fist does nothing—except cause major fist pain. Throwing it across the room doesn’t faze it. Stomping on it doesn’t do much either. Maybe you can guess why I never keep a sledgehammer beside my bed. Or C-4.

One Word At A Time: The Art of Single-Tasking and Writing Your Book

by Cathy Fyock @CathyFyock

Some time ago I spoke at the Greater Cincinnati ATD (Association for Talent Development) Conference and had the chance to attend a session led by Michael Goeke of Priority Management. In his session Michael talked about the myths of multi-tasking and how we actually work more slowly when we switch between one task and another.

Use Interval Training to Write More Effectively

By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Does your writing life ever feel inefficient, boring, slow, or uninspired?

Welcome to the club.

Sorry, I had to say it. 

Unlike glamorous Hollywood portrayals of the writers’ life, reality proves quite different. Even the most profound and prolific writers sometimes struggle to stay motivated, creative, and productive. 

Traits of a Successful Critique Group

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas

I’m sure we’ve all participated in or heard stories about horrible experiences with critique groups. I’ve had a few myself. Unfortunately, I may also have contributed to some of them. To any writers I did this to, I apologize.