Flipped for The Flip Dictionary
Flipped for the Flip Dictionary! Writers use a wide variety of resources. You probably own a dictionary (or two!) and a thesaurus. Perhaps you have a market guide such as the Christian Writer’s Market Guide on your bookshelf. You may use The Chicago Manual of Style, The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, or The Christian Writer’s […]
Fun Ideas for Researching Your Novel
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 engaging. If you use your […]
Writing Resources: The Business Of Being A Writer
“Too few [writers] are open to the possibility that the business side calls for as much imagination as the artistic process itself . . . An open attitude toward business can provide focus, discipline, and, sometimes most importantly, self-awareness about what you want and expect from your writing career.”–Jane Friedman, The Business of Being a […]
Writer, Do You Have the Cabin Fever Blues?
Being Thanksgiving Day, I want to show my gratitude for technology. If it weren’t for the Internet, Zoom, and our devices, we would be isolated indeed! Virtual Research Are you working on a manuscript, but finding it difficult to do the research you need, since many libraries and museums are closed or have limited […]
Give Thanks for this Writing Season!
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 amount of writing resources. No matter what part of the process you’re […]
5 Tips for Using Literal and Metaphorical Language, Part V (conclusion): Always Remember Context by Deborah DeCiantis
TIP #5 Use context to recognize, understand, and interpret literal and metaphorical language. Historical, social, cultural, and biblical contexts are essential for understanding literal and metaphorical elements in speech and writing. Accurate understanding should come before interpretation! A cropped photo automatically demands interpretation, zeroing in on details the user wants to emphasize while excluding others. In […]
Ways to Connect with Writers
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 writing will be better for it. Here […]
Closed Circuit: Managing Our Social Media Habits
closed circuit (noun, Electricity). “a circuit without interruption, providing a continuous path through which a current can flow.” (dictionary.com) When it comes to modern technology, a closed circuit is an incredibly useful thing. Closed circuits allow electricity to flow through the appliances we use every day, giving us light, heat/air conditioning, the wonders of washing […]
Reflections from a Fiction Master Class by Jarmila Del Boccio
Our logo truly became a reality to me last Saturday as I attended the online Fiction Master Class taught by the gifted Joyce Moyer Hostetter. Not only has she written a popular MG Historical fiction series, but she is able to impart her knowledge of writing to her students in a simple and engaging way. […]
Writing Resources: Before and After the Book Deal by Karley Conklin
“Remember that ‘author’ is always a temporary job description . . . Your permanent job description is ‘writer’ and that’s what you are even when no one else is looking.” —Author Kristoper Jansma (quoted in Before and After the Book Deal, pp. 333) Today’s publishing world offers a plethora of writing resources. A simple search […]