How to Vary Sentence Structure to Improve Your Writing

From Edie: Martin Wiles shares how to vary sentence structure using gerunds, participles, and infinitives to improve your writing, avoid repetition, and keep readers engaged.

How to Vary Sentence Structure to Improve Your Writing

by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod

Before I learned to read, Mom, Dad, and my grandparents read me books by one of my favorite authors: Dr. Seuss. 

And what kid in those days didn’t love the rhyme and rhythm of Dr. Seuss’ writings? I took my 1960 edition of One fish two fish red fish blue fish from one of my bookshelves for this writing and relived the joy I must have felt when Mom read, “One fish two fish red fish blue fish. Black fish blue fish old fish new fish.” 

What an NFL Quarterback Can Teach Writers About Reaching Their Goals

From Edie: Beth Vogt shares what an NFL quarterback can teach writers about reaching their goals, avoiding comparison, and staying focused on their own writing journey.

What an NFL Quarterback Can Teach Writers About Reaching Their Goals

by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt

I would like to be an NFL quarterback.

All right now. Y’all stop laughing. 

Instead of suggesting I concentrate on writing a fictional pro quarterback, ask me, “Why would you ever want to be an NFL quarterback, Beth?” 

3 Fears That Hold Writers Back and How to Overcome Them

From Edie: Lilka Raphael shares how writers can overcome fear of rejection, failure, and success, build confidence, and move forward in their writing journey with faith.

3 Fears That Hold Writers Back and How to Overcome Them

by Lilka Raphael @Lilka_Raphael

Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears. -Rudyard Kipling

I’ve never been fond of ghouls and goblins, and you won’t catch me reading a gory thriller. Yet as an author, I’ve faced things far more intimidating. Here are three fears every writer must overcome to thrive in their career. 

How Writers Can Find Unexpected Opportunities Along the Writing Journey

From Edie: Discover how writers can recognize unexpected opportunities, embrace creative detours, and find joy and growth along the writing journey.

How Writers Can Find Unexpected Opportunities Along the Writing Journey

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

Snacks? Check.

Extra diaper and wipes? Check.

Juice cup? Check.

Small, easy-to-lose-but-favorite toys? Check.

Stroller? Check.

My twenty-month-old grandtreasure, Danae, and I were ready for a morning adventure. 

Writing Believable Dialogue: The Art of Character Interruptions

From Edie: Sarah Sally Hamer shares how character interruptions, unfinished thoughts, and competing goals can help writers create believable dialogue that sounds like real conversation

Writing Believable Dialogue: The Art of Character Interruptions

By Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Dialogue Isn't Tennis. It's Jazz.

I have a theory that a lot of dialogue problems begin long before the writer ever types the first line of conversation. I think they begin with the picture we carry around in our heads of what conversation actually is, because if we're being honest, most of us don't spend much time listening to people talk. We think we do. We spend our lives surrounded by conversations. We listen to our spouses, our children, our neighbors, the woman in line behind us at the grocery store who's telling her friend about some catastrophe involving a dog and a birthday cake. Conversation is everywhere. And yet, when we sit down to write it, something curious happens. We create exchanges that feel far more orderly than anything we encounter in the wild.

Self-Editing for Writers: Fact-Checking, Consistency, and the Details That Matter

From Edie: PeggySue Wells shares how writers can self-edit for accuracy and consistency by fact-checking details, verifying Scripture, and following publisher guidelines.

Self-Editing for Writers: Fact-Checking, Consistency, and the Details That Matter

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

Once your manuscript is complete, there are several rounds of self-editing an author can do before sending your polished baby to beta readers, an editor, or a writing coach, and certainly before moving toward publication.

How to Turn Your Readers’ Questions into Better Blog Post Titles

From Edie: Ginny Cruz shares how to turn your readers’ questions into better blog post titles that improve search visibility, attract the right audience, and get more clicks.

How to Turn Your Readers’ Questions into Better Blog Post Titles

by Ginny Cruz

Your readers, or potential readers, regularly go online to find the answer to a persistent question. 

How do I fix ____?

Why is ____ happening?

What should I do next?

Is ____ normal?

Can I make ____ easier?

When you think about it, isn’t that why you often go online? Of course, many of us also scroll to kill time (I sure do), but we tend to click on titles that interest us because we want an answer to a question that’s in our minds. It’s similar to searching library shelves and selecting the book title that piques your interest.