Friday, July 31, 2020

The Crown of Excellence for Book Marketing Contest

by Susan G Mathis @SusanGMathis 


Don’t we all want a marketing crown? One that lets us know we’re successful as an author with all the marketing efforts we do? I sure would. But how can we measure that, see that, know that? 

Last year’s debut CAN Crown Awards did just that, and our winners showed us some wonderful results for their work. You can, too.

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Writing with Disabilities



by Kathy Neely @NeelyKneely3628

“Disability need not be an obstacle to success.” Those words were spoken by Stephen Hawking, a great physicist who had ALS, a debilitating disease. He not only spoke the words; he lived them and achieved great accomplishments in the world of science. However, I would phrase it differently. I would say that disability need not prohibit success. It doesn’t eliminate the obstacle.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Mini Memoir Moment: Family Legends—Are Memories True?


by Marcia Moston @MarciaMoston

After playing baseball in high school, my father played in a semi-pro league in the ’30s. He picked it up again in the ’50s after returning from war. He was a catcher and apparently a good hitter with a .436 batting average, although does admit to striking out against the great Satchel Paige. 

Each of my siblings and I have a mental image of Dad bending over home plate with a big rip up the seat of his uniform. Whether this is from an old newspaper clipping or from one of his games we might've attended as young children, I don’t know. But the picture doesn’t seem to exist. It makes me wonder if it were a family story, told so many times we collectively imaged it.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Dipping the Quill Deeper: Finding the Path the Light Shines Upon


by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

Send forth your light and your truth, David wrote in the 43rd psalm, so they may guide me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain and to your dwelling places (ISV).

I could spend hours—literally hours—digging into the Holy Writ. With each line of verse, I stop to peer into the original text. What Hebrew or Greek or Aramaic word was used here? What do those particular words mean? How are they applied to the text? What was going on when the words were originally penned or penned about? 

Monday, July 27, 2020

The Story Behind the Story: In High Cotton


by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

My critique partners say it's my best writing. Early reviews are confirming it, thrilling me (and scaring the fire out of me). It's my 10th published book. I recently read an article that says it takes that many books to break out. Break out of what? Jail? All I truly know is I love the story and had so much fun writing it. 

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Where do We Turn When the World is Upside Down


by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. Psalm 119:136

Everywhere I turn I see believers crying out, looking for answers. Many are looking for our governments to step in and save us. And while I do have personal opinions about events of these days—what I’m truly mourning is the fact that we’re no longer looking to God for salvation, but to man.

Friday, July 24, 2020

Are You Wearing Your Writing PPE?


by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Before COVID-19, most people had never heard the term PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Now PPE has become part of our everyday vernacular. I’m a dental hygienist who has worn PPE for 35 years, but COVID-19 has taken the concept of personal protection to a whole new level.

Medical and dental professionals aren’t the only ones who need to wear PPE. Writers should, too. Let me explain.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

When A True Story Becomes A Book

Edie here. I'm super excited to announce a new regular contributor here on The Write Conversation! I'm sure you've enjoyed the guest posts from Crystal the past few months and now we're going to hear from her every month. We're blessed to have her, so give her a warm welcome to our TWC crew!


When a True Story Becomes a Book
by Crystal Bowman

When people have a life experience they want to turn into a book, it can be challenging. Even though the experience may be book worthy, it still needs to meet the literary requirements of  a professionally written story. So how true does a story need to be to be a true story?

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Five Ways Writers Can Waste Money


by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Most writers would not knowingly squander money on anything related to their personal or professional writing life. We write because we have something to say, and a goal is for readers to find value—and for us to earn a little money. 

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

When Writers Need to Pivot…


by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel

This week I attended an online panel of publishing personnel discussing how our industry is having to pivot during this time of upheaval with many of the usual communication platforms out of commission due to the world pandemic. In other words, when our product or the normal delivery of such is no longer meeting the need, we must change—pivot—and try new things. 

Monday, July 20, 2020

Tips to Add Marketing Pizzazz to Your Publishing Plan, Part 1


by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

No one adds sparkle, pizzazz, or builds experiences that beckon us to return like Disney. Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service written by the Disney Institute shares secrets of success for their marketing to customers. Let’s apply those ideas to book marketing to add WOW factors of service, cast, setting, and more. 

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Writers and Writing Prompts


by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTammy

Writers often receive emails for writing prompts. They can come in handy and I’ve used them, too. 

But they’ve not worked for me. I’m not sure how you’ve dealt with the effects of the shelter in place, but as an extrovert, it’s been different. I’ve been grateful that my FOMO (fear of missing out) has been kept at bay knowing nothing was happening—for anybody—so I wasn’t missing anything.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

When Fear Paralyzes Your Writing


by Emme Gannon @GannonEmme

I thought I’d adapted to the idea of empty pews and store shelves and closed businesses, as well as loss of relationships with others and my church family. That all changed when a wasp took over my mailbox and stung me several times on my hand when I went to retrieve the mail. By evening my hand had doubled in size and my indomitable spirit had crashed. Fear took over.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Saving the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference


by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

The Christian publishing industry received sad news several weeks ago—The Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference was closing. For those of us who've been part of the industry for years, this was the granddaddy of all events. And it's been on my bucket list for years. 

Evaluation of Annual Writing Plan


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

We are halfway through the year, and it’s time to do a midyear writing/business goal assessment. It has been a tumultuous year for everyone. If you launched a book in 2020, you might want to reassess how to navigate the new climate. Consumer disposable income is scarce. Where are you with your writing business?

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

10 Tips for Irresistible Writing, Part 4


by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

The heart of irresistible writing is how the message applies to the reader. I’ll come back again and again to a blog if I know I can find something that speaks to me. I’ll keep buying books by an author if I know he or she will show how Scripture is relevant to what I’m going through. 

Takeaway is key. And so are titles. 

In this last post of my series on ten tips for irresistible writing, I want to share some ideas for how to benefit the reader in every piece of writing with takeaway and grab their attention with a stellar title. Where should we put takeaway in our writing? Where can we find ideas for a great title? Here are the last two tips. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

The Power of the Writer's Descriptive Eye


by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted

When I began my writing career, a dear friend put his arm around me and said. “Cindy, you write beautifully. The words you choose are different and new but. . .”

Don’t we all hate the but? I cringed as I waited for him to finish. “But it’s like you keep your readers at a distance. The words are on the page in front of me, but you won’t let me step in to see and feel. You need to learn to bring your descriptions to life. Make the reader feel the scene.”

Monday, July 13, 2020

Speaking Tips for Authors to Switch from Live to Virtual


by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1

The live training of the past is now virtual in many cases. It may remain so because of the pandemic, its side effects, and the savings from travel expenses, hotel, and meals. That savings increases attendance. Given the situation, how can we present professional virtual trainings?

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Carrying the Load


by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NLT

The bundle loomed larger…and his arms grew heavier. 

My wife and I, along with another couple, were enjoying our final camping trip with our two oldest grandboys before they moved to another state, ten hours away. Both of us had already experienced a few sobbing spells, but we were careful not to let the boys see us. Not yet anyway. Maybe on moving day.

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Overcome Uncertainty and Write the Best Book You Can


by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt

As I mulled over the topic for this blog post, I found myself wondering about you. 

Yes, you.

The writer reading these words on Saturday July 11, 2020.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Bible Verses to Transform Your Writing Career



by Joshua J. Master @JoshuaJMasters

The life of a Christian author should be rooted in faith. Scripture is God’s love letter to us, directing our path and drawing us closer to Him. It’s “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16b NIV). So, we should also expect the Bible to transform how we approach our writing careers.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Questions to ask a Reporter after You’re Interviewed about Your Writing


by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

As a freelance stringer for my local newspaper, I’m usually the one asking questions. I’m always impressed with how well my subjects can think on the fly, answering succinctly and with great insight to the subject at hand. 

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Publishing as a Second Language - Finding your Writing Voice


by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

Many times writers talk about your “voice.” As a writer you don’t actually verbally speak, but within everything you write you also have a voice. What exactly does that mean? How do you know what your writing voice is and how can you recognize it?

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

No More Tattletales in Our Writing


by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

Show don’t tell. 

Easier said than done? A quick way to assure your writing is not telling is to eliminate the telling words, the tattletales. These are the words that tell the reader what to think rather than showing and trusting the reader to draw smart conclusions. 

Monday, July 6, 2020

A Gifted Steward


by Ralene Burke @RaleneB

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10

Many of my novels deal with God using ordinary people in extraordinary ways. I believe that many people sell themselves short—or rather sell God short. God freely gives us what we need to follow the path He has laid before us.

Sunday, July 5, 2020

Are You Cultivating Creativity or Crowding it Out of Your Life?


By Edie Melson @EdieMelson

But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. I Corinthians 14:40

Summer is here and every weekend we can visit the farmer's market for fresh produce. As I walked through the stalls recently, I was drawn back to one summer when I decided to try my hand at gardening.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Friday, July 3, 2020

How To Make a Connection


by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone and it was as if you were speaking two different languages? You knew they understood the words, but the two of you just weren’t connecting.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

A Writer's Biggest Fan


by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

I never dreamed that we would be one of “those” families—the kind whose kids have sports almost every night of the week. But then I had boys and they turned into ballplayers. Flag football, basketball, baseball. They can’t get enough.

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Tell Your Story — Transform Your Life: Journaling Tips for Writers


by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Journaling is an amazing tool. Since most journals are a private conversation with ourselves, never to be shown to anyone else, they can allow us to open up the memory bank of the past and find the wounds hidden beneath the persona we wear. Author Henry Miller admitted that writing helped him to draw "the poison" out of his system.