Lessons to Learn From Writing Mistakes & Failures

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

I haven’t met a single person who enjoys making a mistake or failing in some way. 

I certainly don’t. 

But I’ve learned to look at certain mistakes & failures from a slightly different perspective. 

That change has helped me continue to grow and blossom in an industry that can be brutal.

Dipping the Quill Deeper: The Moment that We Soar

by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

In her book, The Writing Life, Annie Dillard penned these words:

Putting a book together is interesting and exhilarating. It is sufficiently difficult and complex that it engages all your intelligence. It is life at its most free. Your freedom as a writer is not freedom of expression in the sense of wild blurting; you may not let rip. It is life at its most free, if you are fortunate enough to be able to try it …

A few days ago I took a few moments to chat with a fellow author. We had no agenda. We were not trying to encourage each other or critique each other or any of the other things that takes place when writers manage to find the time to chat. We were simply talking.

The Writer's Job is to Help Readers Experience Fiction

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

We’ve all read novels that held us tightly engaged from page one to “The End.” Then we’ve read others that while good, we could read a chapter and put it down. There can be various reasons, but I believe when we can experience the story not just read it, we overlook a multitude of possible problems.

Working Out and Working In - God's Spiritual Routine

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

I may not stick with a new exercise plan very well, but if I got points for all the plans I’ve started, I would have some serious points. Not aerobic points. Just points. I’m in with the gym membership. Then out. In. Out. In. Out. At least it sounds aerobic. Still, I am the Hokey-Pokey of gym members.

Changing the World—One Word at a Time

by Cathy Fyock @CathyFyock

Authors make a difference. We change the world, one word at a time.

Glimpsing God in the Frustrations of the Writer’s Life

By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Do you ever wonder what in the world God is doing in this crazy writing life?

God, why did I work so hard on that article only to have it rejected? 

God, why was that piece chosen, but the one I really love not selected? 

God, why did I spend nine months of my life on that project, only to have it sit in my computer going nowhere and reaching no one?

What Makes a Writer Successful?

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas

I was sitting and chatting with a group of writers the other day and one asked, “What makes for a successful writer?” People started to bubble up with definitions and dropping names on both sides of the question.

10 Tips for Writing the Red Herring

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Mystery and suspense writers value the challenge of a red herring, a clue designed to deceive and mislead the characters and readers. 

How to P.R.E.P. for a Great Writing Fall!

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel

Summer 2018 will soon be only a memory… Labor Day will have come and gone.  Whether you are back into the routine of filling backpacks and lunchboxes or at the stage of filling your calendar with work or volunteering, FALL can be a season of fresh beginnings. 

The breath of God in our Lives

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Your name will no longer be Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations . . . God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. Genesis 17:5, 15

So often we become God’s children, long before we allow Him to breathe life into our lives. Our hearts belong to him, but we often resist the changes He wants to make in us.

The Radiance of the Humble Writer

by Emme Gannon @GannonEmme

The writing life is often one of solitude as we barricade ourselves behind closed doors and weave words into story. If we stay in our writing cave too long without social interaction, we run the risk of what I call the hibernation syndrome. We grow inactive and our mind turns to mush. We’ve used our stored energy and need to escape to enjoy a meal of sumptuous literary food.

Professional Polish for the Indie Publisher Step Two: Become an Expert

by Traci Tyne Hilton @TraciTyneHilton

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.

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. 

Fleshing out Article Ideas – One at a Time

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

When pondering one great writing idea what’s the best thing to do? Turn it into many ideas!

Last month I talked about choosing ideas form the millions that are constantly circulating around us in Swimming in a Sea of Article Ideas. But once you “grab” one of those ideas and decide that will be your next writing topic, why not turn it into multiple articles.

Book Launch Teams –10 Activities to Keep Your Team Engaged

by Cynthia Owens @EfficiencyADict

All summer we’ve been talking about book launch teams—how to choose members, design your team, and stay sane in the process. With pumpkin spice lattes just a few weeks away, it’s time to wrap up. But now that you have this fabulous book launch team, what do you do with it? How do you motivate your team members, sell your books, and create raving fans in the process?

How to Find Your Social Media Easy Button

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Social Media—so vital and yet so frustrating.

As of this moment, there are 200+ social networking sites out there. If you do a search for the top sites, you’ll get listings of anywhere from 7 to 20.

And none of those numbers is manageable when it comes to building a viable online presence.

Words in the Windstorm

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

Have windy words no limit? Or what provokes you that you keep on talking?(Job 16:3, NRSV)

The wind along the shore was relentless. We were vacationing on a narrow barrier island off the shore of North Carolina, a wild and uninhabited place, its rustic cabins offering a view of the sea in front and grassy inlets behind. The constant, untamed wind gave our getaway a sense of thrill and adventure for the first two days. By the third morning, however, we were battered and weary. We could not hear each other speak over the howling. We could not easily walk along the beach against its pummeling. We certainly could not build a fire or grill out. We could not relax outside. Discouraged, we withdrew indoors while the wind howled on relentlessly.

Writing From Challenging Times

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

Last month, I wrote about the different means available to us for telling a story. My post last month is How Can I Tell My Story?

This time, I want to look at sharing a story that comes from pain, from the heartbreaks in our lives. Whether it’s Alzheimer’s, divorce, loss of a loved one, etc., life is full of times that challenge us. And it is often these stories that we feel compelled to share.

How the Batching Method Inspires Writing Creativity

by Cathy Baker @CathySBaker

Batching is simply a form of time management that allows a person to maximize concentration and decrease distraction. As a result, it increases your productivity, creativity, and mental sharpness, while decreasing fatigue, procrastination, and stress. Batch processing is the grouping of similar tasks that require similar resources in order to streamline their completion. – Michael Hyatt

The method of batching is relatively new to me so perhaps together we can learn a few ways to give it a try.

The Connection Between Rest & Word Count

by Lynn Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

Take a break.

As you read these words, I will be chilling out on a beach enjoying a long-anticipated, and—dare I say it—much deserved vacation.

The Art of Writing Intimacy, Part 1

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Intimacy. What a suggestive word. It immediately brings up images of satin sheets, steamy love songs and sweaty bodies.

But that’s not all of it. In fact, love-making is only one aspect of intimacy and may even have nothing to do with it.