Marta looked out at the really beautiful sunset. “Wouldn’t it be nice to be sitting on the beach with no worries about now, “ she said sadly. “And only the bugs for company.” Joe said gruffly. He was older than Marta, but didn’t look it as if time had frozen him at the moment of […]
More than Scrivener: Software for Every Kind of Author
When most writers think of software just for them (beyond generic programs like Word and Evernote), they think of Scrivener. It’s a great program, but did you know there are TONS of other options, many of them free? And if you’re like me and aren’t a Plotter, you’re going to love discovering that, while the […]
Super Awesome FREE Writing Tools
You might already have Scrivener. You might already love Scrivener. But if you’re like me, you don’t have it and you don’t love it. I don’t need to pay that much for that many features I will never use. And then I found Amazon is getting into the writer’s world (go figure) and their tools […]
Writing During Busy Times
Why am I qualified to write this post? Good question. 1. In January, my now-fiancé and I started courting. 2. In June, I got engaged. 3. Since then, I’ve been planning a wedding in about two and a half months. In the meantime, I have published four books: a novella collection, a short story, and […]
Book Review: Write Well
Title: Write Well Written By: Rachelle Rea Cobb Genre: Writing Helps/Non-fiction Recommended Ages: Any ages Introduction: If you are a writer who has problems with grammar, this is the perfect book for you. Rachelle has lots of great tips given in a funny way that entertains as well as teaches.
3 Reasons You Should be Using Writing Prompts
Writing prompts can benefit every writer: from the plotter to the pantser (and everyone in between). From the rookie to the veteran author. From the novelist to the flash-fiction aficionado. But why? And how? Other than the fact that they’re fun, I’ve come up with three reasons you should be using writing prompts to level […]
Advice from Other Authors
Happy summer, everyone! I don’t know about you, but summer is a crazy busy time of the year for me with church camps, revival services, and Bible schools. That being said, July is insanely busy–am I the only one whose writing time has gone down? 😉 This weekend, I thought it would be fun to take […]
First Drafts: 5 Things That are OK and 1 That’s Not
First drafts are interesting creatures, aren’t they? They often start out in a blaze of glory and excitement, but at some point we start to wonder… is this awful? If things get really bad, we might even decide that it is the absolute worst bit of writing known to mankind. Eventually, we might come out […]
What’s in a Name
Naming characters is a fun process. But before you dive in head-first, there are a few things to think about that will help you choose the very best names. Let’s break this down… Think: Time-Period If you read a lot of books from the 1800s, you will encounter names like Horace and Hester, but I […]
Character Assassination
I need a character for a story. Lets call him Fred. Fred is 5’11”, weighs 185 lbs and has blond hair and blue eyes. Do you love him yet? What if I tell you he has a six pack? No? Neither do I really. I mean who names their character Fred, you’d always be waiting […]