How Writing Ruined My Wife—A Spouse's Experience at the 2013 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference

by Kirk Melson

Edie Melson, Alton Gansky & Eva Marie Everson

As many of you know, my wife co-directs the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian WritersConference (BRMCWC) along with Alton Gansky, and contest director, Eva Marie Everson. 

The conference was held last week in North Carolina. I've figured out the required spousal support really peaks during those conference weeks, and this was no exception. 

What can I do?

I was supposed to attend the banquet on the last night of the conference, but of course I got a call from her, needing me to bring her stuff the day before. So, there I went—shuffling my schedule, gathering our things, delivering the dog, and hustling off to the conference one day early.

Of course, that was only the beginning. I came with the warning that I would need to work in the hotel room during the days. 

How Writing Ruined My Wife: The Scary Parts of Being Married to a Writer

by Kirk Melson

I used to love taking my wife out to eat. It was always a carefree time when we could visit about what was going on in our lives, share our dreams and our struggles. 

Then she began to write…fiction.

And the carefree quickly morphed into the socially awkward. Oh we still discussed our dreams and our struggles and what was going on in our lives, but the stories she was (and still is) writing began to intrude. 

Top 9 Ways to Support Your Writing Spouse

by Edie Melson

Many of you know that I credit a great deal of my writing and general life success to the support of my amazing husband, Kirk. For example, next week he'll be with me at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. There aren’t many engineers that I know who would be willing to brave five days in the company of 400+ writers.

Today, in honor of his unwavering support, I wanted to share the top 9 ways to support your writing spouse. This isn’t really a post from what I wish had happened, but ways that Kirk has supported me—all without my prompting. Truthfully, I would not be where I am today without his constant encouragement, prayers, and support.

Top 9 Ways to Support Your Writing Spouse

by Edie Melson

Kirk wrote the book on how to support a writing spouse!

I’m substituting for my husband today. He’s in Kansas City with his brother, who’s is critical condition because of his heart. All prayers are appreciated! I wish I was there with him, but someone needed to stay behind and take care of business here at home.

Today I wanted to share the top 9 ways to support your writing spouse. This isn’t really a post from what I wish had happened, but ways that Kirk has supported me—all without my prompting. Truthfully, I would not be where I am today without his constant encouragement, prayers, and support.

9 Tips for Supporting Your Writing Spouse

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Today I wanted to share 9 ways to support your writing spouse. Writing is a tough industry, and the support of a spouse can be the difference between success and failure.

This isn’t really a post from what I wish had happened, but ways that Kirk has supported me—all without my prompting. 

Truthfully, I would not be where I am today without his constant encouragement, prayers, and support.

Gift-Giving Basics for the Non-Writing Spouse

From Edie, I apologize for the repost that went out in email. This is the real blog post for today. 

Gift-Giving Basics for the Non-Writing Spouse

by Kirk Melson

Because it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd share one of my challenges as the spouse of a writer.I don’t know about the rest of you, but I tend to be a little on the dense side when it comes to buying presents. I have great intentions, but I could never remember what my wife wanted when it came time to buy her a gift. Think I’m lying? I blogged about one of my most spectacular boo-boos here in My Life…In Print! 

My 2026 Writing Bucket List: How My Creative Goals Have Evolved Over a Decade

From Edie: Explore how a writer’s creative goals evolve over time in this updated 2026 writing bucket list. Discover inspiration, process-focused insights, and practical encouragement for shaping your own writing dreams in the year ahead.

My 2026 Writing Bucket List: How My Creative Goals Have Evolved Over a Decade

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Do you have a writing bucket list?

I do. I started one back in 2014, and I even wrote about it here on The Write Conversation in a post titled One Writer’s Bucket List. I’ve kept up with my list over the years, but until recently, I’d forgotten that I’d actually shared it publicly.

So why write a new one?

Coming Off a Writing High is a Great Time for Soul Care

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Yep, you read that title correctly. 

Soul care isn’t just for times when life is difficult. 

I’m recently back from one of the highlights of my writing year—THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE. For me, this is a spiritual high. It’s a time when:

• I’ve heard from God 
• Gotten to witness what He’s doing in my life and in the lives of other writers 
• And a time when I’ve been able to fellowship with other believers who are also writers. 

I come back from this even like I do every year—overwhelmed, blessed, and absolutely exhausted.

Discover the Stones to Fight for Time to Write

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. I Samuel 17:40

I don’t know about you, but there was a time when I discovered I had a Goliath in my life. No, it wasn’t a person—it was an obstacle—and it was standing between me and God’s victory. 

My enemy was time, or more accurately, the lack of it. 

Use These Foundational Truths to Encourage Other Writers and Ourselves

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson 

Being a writer is tough. We create from the heart and then submit our dreams to others for their opinions and approval. Some days it seems everywhere we turn we see only discouraging words. 

Beyond that, writing is often a solitary pursuit. Truthfully, it’s the successful writers who know better than to try to go it alone. Writing in a vacuum is not a good idea—for a lot of reasons. It’s easy to lose perspective and either believe what you’re writing is perfect, or worse, that it’s junk. Having others who share the same struggles make us stronger.

Not to mention the fact that they can talk us down when we’re standing on a writing ledge. Writers can encourage Writers like no one else can. That’s what I want to share today.

An Invitation to Join Stop2Read for Daily Bible Reading

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Staying connected to God is critical for writers who are believers. He is our strength, our encouragement, and our source. One way I practice that personally is by reading and studying the Bible daily. 

Because of some personal challenges in our family in recent years, I've become passionate about the time I spend in God's word. I truly cannot make it through a day without first spending time in God's Word. But in addition to that—I want others to experience the life-changing process of a daily, deep walk with God. And that's where Stop2Read comes in. It's a community of others who make reading God's Word a priority.

Weekend Worship—Men of God

...so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work II Timothy 3:17


We had the privilege to spend yesterday with our two youngest sons, John and Kirk Melson. This is Kirk's second summer on staff at Camp McCall and it was family day. Watching these young men live out their faith, gives me hope for the mighty things God still has planned for our world. I hope you enjoy their worship as much as we did.


Blessings,
Edie

When Failure Brings Blessings

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV).

For me, failure reinforces and validates the fears I battle as a writer. Every mistake I make seems to add weight to the voices I hear in my head that feed my insecurity. And I make a lot of mistakes. Because this vicious cycle can bring my writing to a screeching halt, I’ve had to find a way to combat this way of looking at life. 

12 Helpful Life Hacks For Writers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

The writer’s life isn’t an easy one. So much of what we create comes from some place deep inside ourselves. Giving that way can be exhausting, not to mention frustrating, when we feel empty.

The good news is that there are things we can do to help ourselves. I’ve come to learn that we either set ourselves up for success or we set ourselves up for failure. Today I’ll share some of the writing and blogging hacks that every successful writer needs to know.

Embracing the Rhythm of the Writing Life When Change Hits

image copyright Edie Melson, Photography

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Sunsets in the Blue Ridge Mountains are breathtaking.

Sunset and sunrise are always special times for me. There’s a rhythm and a special calm that comes with endings and beginnings. This expected rhythm of life helps me re-center my life to a place of calm. When circumstances are out of control, the fact there is still a normal ebb and flow helps me remember God is always in charge.

Sunset also reminds me there is beauty in change—if we take time to appreciate it. Sometimes we find a poignant clarity that everything has a time and place. These provide a time of reflection—and for me—a time to store up memories and insights from the day. But there’s also a promise in the sunset—a certainty that a new day is coming. This is critical to remember when life changes.

So, what does this have to do with the writing life?

Tips for Creating a Fictional Dream for Your Readers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Be a better writer when you know how to put your readers to sleep.

Nope the opening line above isn't a typo. You read it right. I'm suggesting skilled writers should put their readers to sleep. 

Okay, maybe not completely to sleep, but at least allow them to dream. What does dreaming have to do with writing? Everything. The dream I’m referring to is the fictional dream. If you’ve never heard the term before, don’t worry. I guarantee you know what I’m talking about. I think author, John Gardner says it best. 

“What counts in conventional fiction must be the vividness and continuity of the fictional 

dream the words set off in the reader’s mind.” -John Gardner

The Question Every Writer Needs to Answer for Themselves: Flying or Skydiving?

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, Ephesians 3:20

Sometimes (more often than not) I get caught up in the process of life. I’m an analytical sort of person, and I’m definitely a planner. With every project I tackle, I make plans, trying to anticipate any possible potholes and pitfalls. I build timelines and set expectations.

When Failure as a Writer Brings Blessings

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV).

For me, failure reinforces and validates the fears I battle as a writer. Every mistake I make seems to add weight to the voices I hear in my head that feed my insecurity. And I make a lot of mistakes. Because this vicious cycle can bring my writing to a screeching halt, I’ve had to find a way to combat this way of looking at life. 

When Writing Dreams Take Flight

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

I love dandelions. In fact, taking this particular picture mean I had to get down and dirty. In fact, I had to crawl around in the wet grass to get this perspective. 

But it was worth the trouble. I snapped the picture just a millisecond before one of the seed tufts broke all ties with the original plant. As I was watching the seed drift away, I had some thoughts about what sends our own seedling dreams about our writing, soaring.

Take a Different Look at Christmas this Year

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

I’ve always celebrated Christmas as the time of Jesus’ birth. It’s a joyful time—after all, when is the birth of a baby not a reason to celebrate? It’s marked with angel choruses, gifts of the magi, and celebration to end all celebrations.