April 2026 Master Class
Registration is Now Open
The Initial Prayer My fingers rested on my keyboard. The idea for a new story rested in my head. As I pondered how to begin this new story, my internal editor kept buzzing. “Make sure it’s a great sentence. It’s got to have a great hook. Bring in excitement right...
So, there you have it. My nine writing lessons from my Grand Prix adventure. What helps you stay on track in this race we call writing?
Wild Faith Devotional for Kids is written by Valerie Ellis, illustrated by Jen Bricking, and published by WaterBrook, an imprint of the Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group. This is a beautiful devotional, and, depending on who you ask, it is recommended...
A few days ago, with the dawning of 2026, I found myself doing my usual reflections on the past year and committing to a fresh start for the coming year. Making lists, setting goals, etc. In my desire to connect with God, I reached for a Bible study workbook written...
The Beginning On January 16, 2008, I submitted an article retelling the events of the evening my 10-month-old son stopped breathing in the back of an ambulance. I believed the magazine I submitted the article to was a perfect fit. However, before long, I received a...
If you are looking for an interesting novel filled with accurate historical details about a group of volunteers who brave the Pacific Ocean on a cargo ship carrying 200, mostly pregnant goats, to help people in Japan following WWII, then Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy should be on your To Be Read pile.
Earlier this year, I was delighted to introduce Valerie Ellis and her fun picture book, Let’s Go! Bible Adventures! to you. (In case you missed it, you can check out our interview here.) Today, Valerie is celebrating the recent launch of her middle grade devotional...
An Outlaw Thanksgiving might be the book for you if you want a Thanksgiving picture book that doesn’t mention Pilgrims or turkeys .
Dandi Daley Mackall has written fiction and nonfiction books for little ones all the way up to adults. But if you have young horse-crazy kids in your family, you may be most familiar with Dandi’s horse series for middle grade kids—the Backyard Horses series and the...
Several years ago, I went to physical therapy. While I exercised, I was struck by the similarity I discovered between physical and writing.
We are so excited to introduce our intern for the Fall 2025 semester, Aubrey Winstead. Aubrey is a senior at North Greenville University and is making her debut on Write2Ignite's blog with a recap of Saturday’s Master Class. Welcome, Aubrey! We are so excited to have...
For every general market book written by Carolyn Bennett Fraiser, there is a companion book in the educational market. Was this an accident, or God’s plan? In this episode, I sit down with Carolyn to discuss what the educational market is, and how to break into it....
Today’s devotional on Psalm 78 focuses on our important call to tell the next generation of the wonderous works of the Lord.
How many shipwreck tales of running aground with your writing can you tell? For me, I’ve lost count.
A couple of years ago, at a Write2Ignite Master Class, Wiley Blevins, Associate Publisher at Reycraft Books, presented the beautiful nonfiction picture book, Moon Tree: The Story of One Extraordinary Tree by Carolyn Bennett Fraiser . But that wasn't the first time I...
When the writing way is steep, do we concentrate on the steep incline or do we put one foot in front of the other?
If you attended Write2Ignite's most recent Master Class, you've already been introduced to Sherri Seligson, marine biologist, homeschooling mom, author, and speaker. Today, I'm delighted to chat with Sherri about her most recent book, Wonders of the Ocean Realm...
It's summer, and that means it’s writers’ conference season! A time for education, encouragement, making connections, and building friendships. Recently, four of us Write2Igniters attended the Write to Publish Conference near Chicago. We came from all over—Missouri,...
When my dad passed away in April 2024, a friend mailed me a copy of the devotional Every Moment Holy Volume 1 written by Douglas Kaine McKelvey and published by Rabbit Room Press. There are several volumes in the series, and I have since purchased Volume 2 which is...
As Christian writers, how do we promote our work with humility in a God-honoring way, without being pushy and in-your-face about it?
If we use the writing armor God gave us to write for God’s glory, whatever we write, will always be a good fit.
We take the land of writing little by little. Just as the Israelites did when they entered the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt.
Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Bitsy Kemper to Write2Ignite. Known in the children’s book industry for her generosity in sharing her list of Publishers Accepting Children’s Books – No Agent Needed, and The 31-Day Author Platform Challenge, Bitsy is a wife, mother of...
Sometimes, we might feel as if our writing efforts, and God’s favor on them, are stuck behind a cloud, hidden from view.
Tackling writing tasks can overwhelm. At least that’s been my experience. So let’s look at some steps to help us tackle them.
Today, I have the privilege of meeting with Laura Sassi to celebrate the launch of her latest picture book, Faithful Feet (illustrated by Emauela Di Donna, published by Worthy Kids). Author Laura Sassi Interview Sue: Hi, Laura. Welcome back to Write2Ignite, and...
Join us for a devotional on Habakkuk’s prayer, in Habakkuk 3, as we discuss finding faith and joy in the midst of trials.
Have you strapped God into the co-pilot’s seat of your writing? If so, switch seats. Let God be the Pilot in Command.
Maisie Discovers Her Fingerprint written by Sandra Kay Chambers is a picture book written to help children understand that God created each of us in a unique and special way. Children will enjoy the repetitive text and will soon join in with the “Yes, Yes, Yes” and...
A few months ago, I heard Valerie Ellis speak at a webinar for children’s book writers. When I heard the title of her upcoming book, I couldn’t wait to learn more about it. Today, I’m happy to introduce Valerie and to join her in celebrating the launch of Let's Go!...
Axe Throwing Have you ever participated in axe throwing? I have. Multiple times, and I love it. There's even a World Axe Throwing League. Who knew? Hurling axes at a wooden target and scoring multiple bull’s eyes, what's not to love? Of course, there are just as many,...
In this children’s book, Clem the Clumsy Camel, we learn the story of a clumsy camel named Clem. Poor Clem. It seems he had quite the problem. Especially for a camel.
A Turkey for Thanksgiving, by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Diane de Groat, is the perfect picture book to read for Thanksgiving.
Fingerprint Devotions: 40 Devotions To Help You Realize You Are a Kid Uniquely Created by God for a Purpose by Sandra Kay Chambers is a devotional to help kids understand the importance of their connection with God. With a fun lesson each day, there’s so much to...
When did you know that your writing had become more than just a hobby? For me, it was when my mother said these words: “I think you should focus on making money with your writing.” It was after I had pitched her my idea of an AI-generated graphic novel about a recent...
Today I’ll cover several writing nuggets DiAnn shares about the power of setting, story pacing, and developing a writer’s voice.
I was excited to interview Laura Sassi back in October when her book, My Tender Heart Prayer Book, was launched. If you haven’t yet seen that, I encourage you to check it out here and find a review here. (You can also find a review of My Tender Heart Bible here.) This...
Exploring the Art of Plotting Part One In Exploring the Art of Plotting , DiAnn Mills pulls from her years of studying the craft of writing, along with her experience penning multiple award-winning novels, to educate writers on the many twists and turns of plotting....
Mimosa Trees Have you ever compared mimosa trees and writers' dreams? I have. Several years ago, I attended a writers’ conference in North Carolina. While driving with my husband from our home in Texas, north through Alabama on Interstate 85, my husband and I looked...
Writing a synopsis is hard. Don’t let anyone kid you. I struggle with this task, but it doesn’t have to overwhelm you. I’ve found that I can brainstorm my synopsis in the same way I brainstorm or revise my books, or do developmental edits for my publishers. Here are...
Introduction Since this book is written for adults to read to children, or for children to read themselves, I thought it would be fun to have an adult's POV on the book as well as two children's opinions. The author of the book, Bill Edgar, is my oldest daughter's...
I Dream a Dream for You by Bob Hostetler is a sweet board book of bedtime rhymes to read to little ones. This love-filled picture book of dreams and hopes can be shared with the toddlers and young children in your life. REVIEW Full of bold illustrations, I Dream a...
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1 REVIEW Annette Whipple certainly demonstrates this Bible verse in new devotional book for children. Annette, one of Write2Ignite's former Master Class instructors, is a...
As you know, all of us at Write2Ignite are dedicated to instructing and encouraging Christian writers who desire to publish books for children that honor the Lord. We also love sharing good news when an author finds a publishing home. Today, I'm happy to share...
I received an email from a friend wanting to know how to find his target audience. He stated that he didn’t know who his target audience was, because he wanted to market to everybody. I sent him an email telling him that when you market to everybody, you market to...
Join us for a review of the first two books in the Jolley Tales series, a set of character building picture books.
As authors, how do we draw the line between doing our very best work and leaving the results to God? In a world obsessed with numbers and achievements, how do we steward our gifts well, but also ensure that our motives of glorifying God are pure in the midst of...
Are there separate areas or shelves in your home for books? Is there a “no touch” zone or are all items to read available for everyone? Perhaps there are softcover and hardcover books in the playroom or home office. Children and adults can enjoy reading in different...
An ivory tower is often defined as a place where a person is cut off from the responsibilities of the world so they can pursue their own interests without interruption. Creative people may sometimes long for a perfect ivory tower where they can spend endless,...
On April 22, Kim Peterson will teach Write2Ignite’s next Master Class called, “Hooks, Queries and Proposals: Angling to Land a Contract.” She will present three workshops “Choosing the Correct Hook,” “Reeling in an Editor: The Query,” and “Stocking Your Tackle Box:...
On Monday Deborah DeCiantis reviewed Lori's third book in her Refresh series, Refresh Your Hope: 60 Devotions for Trusting God With All Your Heart. Today I have a treat for you--one of Lori's devotions! But first, here are some of her thoughts about the book: You Have...
THE IMPORTANCE OF HOPE Hope, second of the three great virtues named in 1 Corinthians 13, can be hard to come by, in life or writing. Refresh Your Hope , third in Lori Hatcher’s “Refresh” devotional series, reminds readers that the essence of hope is found,...
I first heard about The Reason by Lacey Sturm when I read and reviewed God Breathed by Rut Etheridge III last summer. In God Breathed, Etheridge references The Reason and includes many quotations that greatly intrigued me. The more quotations that I read, the more that I wanted to read this book.
Penny Reeve, our "Next-Steps" Facebook Group Coordinator I’m thankful for opportunities to think about my faith in God, for the miracle of salvation and the wonder of grace – and then to be able to write for children and young people in a way that might honour these...
This month I got to see my aunt and my dad. My role was as caregiver. She’s eighty-seven. He’s ninety five. I learned one thing: I can’t write around seniors who blare the TV at level 42. Plus, every time one of them walked into a room, I stared at the throw rugs and...
10 ways to use mentor texts when you’re writing devotionals.
Sally Matheny recommends 3 books for Christian teens.
A Memorial Day devotional that points to Christ.
Our Devotional Master Class has come and gone, but you can still access these posts about writing Devotionals for adults and children. Jarm Del Boccio started us out by writing Tips for Writing Kids and Teens Devotionals. Ava Pennington wrote about her devotional, The...
I have written a devotional blog for several years but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn a thing or two or maybe three about writing devotionals. Karen Whiting’s class had three sessions and each one was packed with information that we put into practice during the...
Strengthen your writing voice with 10 Journal Prompts for Writers.
Small Writings Do you despise small beginnings? When we fix our sights on a book contract, it’s easy to dismiss anything smaller as unworthy of our efforts. But doing so could be a huge mistake. I'm a big believer in the benefit of "small writings." The first payment...
The gorgeous cover of her new devotional, Reflections on the Names of God, beckons us to open and discover the depth and breadth of God’s character revealed in His manifold names.
Deborah DeCiantis reviews Lori Hatcher’s new devotional, Refresh Your Prayers: Uncommon devotions to restore power and praise
Terri B. Kelly encourages Christian writers on how to write devotionals that children will understand.
Tex Brooks provides 5 tips on getting your devotion published.
Ten years ago, I wrote a devotional on the names of God—my first published book, released in hardcover by Revell of Baker Publishing Group. It was also just the beginning. Shortly after that, Revell published a special print run with a proprietary cover for a large...
Karen Whiting provides a preview of her MC on writing devotions.
Do you enjoy teaching children the truths in Scripture using simple everyday illustrations? Writing kid’s devotionals may be for you! But how do you begin?
Lori Hatcher tells us about her new devotional, Refresh Your Prayers
Recommended books for teens and tweens.
Build relationships with kids by letting them ask questions.
We’re excited to have Marianne Hering join our blogging staff.
Kim Peterson provides three more trends in writing for young adults.
In Part I of this series, we’ve explored two trends in writing YA: fantasy and retellings. This time, let’s examine trends that speak to important social and cultural topics. TREND 3: EMPHASIZE MULTICULTURALISM AND DIVERSITY Stories with characters from different...
Kim Peterson shares two trends in writing for young adults.
Tessa Emily Hall, Write2Ignite’s YA Master Class instructor, provides hope for Christians writing in this genre.
Wanting to support a Christian journalist who openly owns her faith, I pre-ordered a copy of Shannon Bream’s new book, The Women of the Bible Speak: The Wisdom of 16 Women and Their Lessons for Today (HarperCollins, 2021), but I confess my expectations were...
Unconventional ways to overcome chronic writer’s block
Scripture references: Psalm 5:3, Psalm 27:13-14, Romans 8:23-26 In these next few posts, I'd like to share with you some lessons that I've learned about prayer. As a Christian writer, I believe that every word I pen should be birthed from time spent in prayer before...
Making time to spend with God a priority – the best new year resolution for 2021!
Making time to spend with God a priority – the best new year resolution for 2021!
In college, research papers would make my stomach churn. It felt like a daunting task that hovered over the fun of learning something new. As important as research is when writing a novel, I have learned that I can approach it in a way that makes it more fun and...
How can a believer stand firm in their faith in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances? In this post, I'd like to share the lessons I've gleaned while studying the battle records of David's mighty men, in particular, the exploits of Eleazar and Shammah. Now,...
While you’re accumulating your list of blessings to share around the Thanksgiving table, don’t forget to include these features that make up your writing journey. You can find many reasons to be thankful for it this season. Be thankful for… A never-ending...
In a very old hymn, Be Thou My Vision, there is one line that I particularly love. “Be my best thought by day or by night.” In modern terms, what does this look like? Let your thoughts be about Jesus and He will keep you in perfect peace. Fixing our thoughts on Jesus...
REVIEW Pebbles is a wonderful, reflective collection of devotionals with modern-day parables suitable for readers in their mid-teens written by one of our Write2Ignite bloggers, Leah Meahl. Girl readers in particular may be more inclined to draw similarities...
Writing takes up a lot of alone time. Sometimes, it’s hard to remember that many other writers are facing the same questions and struggles over the keyboard that you are. If you take the time to broaden your circle of writing peers, I guarantee that you and your...
Whenever I come up with an idea, I immediately start planning my next novel. With my latest project however, I have learned to practice the art of shorter stories, or in my case, parables. A parable is “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or religious lesson.”...
How would you explain the love of God? Or the grace of a savior? How would you describe life as a Christian to a believer vs. a non-believer? I typically revert to storytelling. Why? Because of illustrations. That’s what I set out to do with my new book, Pebbles: 31...
Writing dialogue is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. If done well, using dialogue can strengthen your manuscript and turn an average story into an engaging ride people will be talking about long after they read it. Here are 3 examples of how your story...
Presenting to a writing workshop or class always made me feel like I was about to ride a rollercoaster. Though I like rollercoasters, my heart and stomach do a sickening tango due to exhilaration and fear. Writing workshops are well worth the nausea, however, and you...
"In the Christian life, one fact is crystal clear: we are at war. It involves every Christian—and collectively the entire Church—and it is a holy war. It does not involve physical combat; it is against spiritual enemies. It is a hard-fought war, demanding everything a...
You may be wondering whether your manuscript is ready to be published. Maybe you have a nagging feeling that your story is missing something, but you don’t know what it is. Perhaps you’re going to attend a writer’s conference, and you want to make sure your writing is...
I was instantly drawn to this book by the beautiful illustrations of animals on the cover and the interior pages. Since I am an animal lover, the stories of exotic animals kept my attention. Himalayan Adventures by Penny Reeve is a unique book. As the name implies,...
Have you ever stood at the edge of a road, holding the hand of a small child, getting ready to cross the road safely? You glance up the street. You look back down the other way. You take notice of the cars and the traffic lights and when all is clear and safe and your...
Each of us has been called to serve our mighty God in a unique way. But we can become too busy fulfilling our call that we only focus on the “doing.” We want to do better—to write well, to teach effectively, to do whatever we’ve been called to do to the best of our...
My first attendance at a W2I Conference was in March of 2017. I landed a scholarship which helped me enjoy the whole weekend. I brought a notebook of questions that God answered in every workshop I attended. I still have that notebook with notes. Reflecting on...
Our team has been planning, praying, and preparing for the conference. Even if you can't join us this year, please pray for us as we seek to encourage writers to witness to the Lord through books, articles, and devotionals for children and young adults....
Biblical witness is relational and demonstrable. John’s gospel (1:6 -7) states that John the Baptist was “sent from God . . . to bear witness of the Light [Jesus], that all through him might believe.” Verses 14-18 name Jesus Christ the primary witness [the “Word...