April 2026 Master Class
Registration is Now Open
I just turned in a middle-school book proposal in which a uniformed guard gets too close to a fire and his bronze helmet melts, burning his face. That happens just before his body incinerates. It’s gruesome. I describe smells and screams and the ferocious fire that is...
Hope Bolinger, Managing & Acquisitions Editor at End Game Press. MEET HOPE BOLINGER! More than 1200 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer's Digest to Keys for Kids to HOOKED to Crosswalk.com. She has worked for various...
Recommended books for teens and tweens.
Build relationships with kids by letting them ask questions.
Here are 3 ways to fit “looking time” into your day.
Resources for writing your memoir.
Book review of The Sky So Heavy by Kathryn Dover
Book review of Bedtime with Mommy.
Of course, the Person I am thankful first for is our Lord Jesus Christ--our Prophet, Priest, and King! Second, I'm thankful for my family, friends, and the wonderful fellowship of believers I am a part of every Lord's Day. Third, I'm thankful for the team of...
Image by Amberrose Nelson from Pixabay A picture book is all about your Main Character (MC) and the problem he or she is trying to solve. As in all manuscripts, the first page of your picture book plays an important role. We're going to talk about the text that will...
If you are uncomfortable with celebrating ghosts, skeltons and demons at Halloween, I have some alternative family-friendly fall festivities for you! Before I offer links to other ideas, I will list a few of my own (certainly not original with me) for you to try:
Guest blogger Esther Bandy recommends several books for middle grade readers and young adults.
Graphic novels can help spark a love for reading in kids. But when the time comes, how do you find chapter books your graphic novel fans will enjoy?
“Isn’t it common for Christians to talk about Jesus with far less interest than we show for our favorite team, music, or food?” (22) If God doesn’t speak to you in any other quote from God Breathed by Rut Etheridge III, He will through this one. At least, Etheridge’s...
Leading up to our YA Master Class on September 18, we published several blogs to help you write young adult books. In case you missed some of them, here they are. Dealing with hard topics in Christian YA fiction by Ellice Wong "As Christian writers who aim to...
Two young adult readers review BEAUTIFUL by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma and share why they recommend it.
Three common questions a writer should ask
Kim Peterson provides three more trends in writing for young adults.
by Jean Matthew Hall August 2021 The following list contains our recommendations for young adult readers. Tessa Emily Hall and Write2Ignite Team members contributed to this list. PLEASE, if you have other suggestions for Christian or Clean YA books, Please leave the...
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...
Announcing the third book in the Pirate Hunter Chronicles, YA fantasy novel by co-authors Helena George and Sarah Rodecker.
Kim Peterson shares two trends in writing for young adults.
Book review of a young adult fantasy, The Button Girl.
Tessa Emily Hall, Write2Ignite’s YA Master Class instructor, provides hope for Christians writing in this genre.
Christian Themes in YA books.
Writing Clean YA.
Candice Yamitz has a YA fantasy novel “Unbetrothed” debuting with Illuminate YA an imprint of Iron Stream Media, in February 2022.
You should be purposeful about creating your author brand. Consistency in your brand — the way you appear to others — brings a level of professionalism, quality and even trustworthiness to book buyers.
Write 2Ignite rarely posts two reviews of the same book. But, in a few weeks Helena George will be posting a great article on how to write a clean YA book and I thought I'd bring her book to your attention again. - Carol Baldwin, blog administrator. ***** Sarah...
Why I write for young adults
Compiled by Jean Matthew Hall If you would like to read up on writing for young adults before our September 18, 2021 Master Class with Tessa Emily Hall here are a few helpful website. Some contain quick tips. Some go into much more depth. They are handy resources for...
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...
I overthink everything. But I knew that Cindy Lynn Sawyer, Wannabe Author of Several Genres, just would not be an appropriate branding title or tagline. As a journalist-turned-marketer-turned-aspiring author, I am diverse in my writing skills. But how do I harness...
In my last post, I talked about one of the assigned essay collections for my creative nonfiction course: The World is on Fire by Joni Tevis. Although the book did not appeal to me at first, within the first pages, I was captivated by Tevis’ unique writing style:...
Struggling with building your author platform? Here are a few simple steps to help you get started.
The Write2Ignite team was thrilled to have so many new W2I attendees at our Master Class on April 24 with Laura Sassi. I asked our participants to share some takeaways from the class. Here are some of their enthusiastic responses. Because of the power of Zoom, we had...
Yay! Pop open a new pack of pens and pour color ink into the printer. That’s how writers are celebrating the “grand reopening” of the Write2Ignite Pinterest account. Fresh layout designs and up-to-date pins are ready to encourage and assist writers, as well as...
Helena George, a former conference attendee, has blogged for Write2Ignite several times. Her fantasy young adult novel, Ships, Secrets and Survivors was reviewed in September. In this post, she shares some thoughts on writing and music. ******** One thing I’ve noticed...
The Write2Ignite team is very excited about hosting Laura Sassi for our Picture Book Master Class on April 24. We thought you would enjoy getting to know her so she kindly agreed to this email interview. INTERVIEW CAROL: What inspired you to become a writer? Was this...
Where Do Writing Ideas Come From? by Guest Blogger, Theresa P. Pierce About ten years ago, as a Curriculum Coach, I met children’s writer and curriculum instructor Lester Laminack. Over dinner, at the Wrenn House in Salisbury, NC, he taught a room...
Suffer Strong: A Book Review by Kathryn Dover I reviewed Katherine and Jay Wolf’s first book, Hope Heals, a few months ago and have been looking forward to reading the sequel, Suffer Strong (Zondervan, 2020). Suffer Strong is different from its predecessor but...
Has anyone ever spoken over you and it felt prophetic? After talking through my writing path, someone said to me, “See, you are a writer.” It was a game-changer. In college, I wrote for the campus newspaper. As Teacher of the Year, I wrote articles for the system...
I do not read many fantasy novels, but when I heard about LAUNCH by Jason C. Joyner (Little Lamb Books, 2020), it appealed to me. LAUNCH follows the story of four teenagers, Sarah Jane, Lily, Demarcus, and Harry, as they experience the Launch Conference hosted by...
A survey of high-risk teens asked with whom did they feel safe and protected. The options the survey gave were: EMT’s, police officers, lawyers, doctors, and veterans. The troubled youth valued the veterans and said they respected them the most. Thus, mentoring...
As I've transitioned from news writing to fiction writing over the past few years, I've learned that writing dialogue is much different than recording quotes. I can't tell you how many hours I spent transcribing interviews during my undergraduate degree in journalism....
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...
When I received an email about Cracks in the Ice by Deanna K. Klingel , I could not wait to read it. While I enjoyed the novel, it was not what I expected. The synopsis on the back cover described the protagonist, Gina Mangalli, as a mafia princess, but the...
When I first heard about the Baker Mountain series by Joyce Moyer Hostetter, Drive, the fourth book in the series, sounded the most interesting. Drive occurs several years after the previous novel, Comfort, and follows the story of Ida and Ellie Honeycutt, Ann Fay’s...
Write2Ignite’s Writing Fiction Master Class is coming up Sept. 19! In just two weeks, author Joyce Moyer Hostetter will be presenting three sessions to help attendees learn more about fiction writing. Plus, the Write2Ignite team will be leading three workshops to help...
Comfort, the third book in Joyce Moyer Hostetter’s Bakers Mountain series, picks up almost exactly where the previous novel, Blue, left off. Ann Fay Honeycutt narrates this novel as well. The polio epidemic and World War II have left her family shattered, and Ann Fay...
Some stories — even if written during a different time — are applicable to every generation of teens because they help with interpreting culture. First published in 1967, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, has inspired readers for more than 50 years. Hinton, just...
I was excited to follow Junior Bledsoe’s journey in the second novel in the Baker Mountain series, Blue. Junior does not have as large a role in this novel as he does in the series’ previous novel, Aim, but his character is crucial because he helps his friend and...
I have been interested in reading the Bakers Mountain series by Joyce Moyer Hostetter since I first heard about it at Write2Ignite 2018. When I was offered this opportunity to review all four books in the series, I gladly accepted. I am beginning my reviews with Aim,...
This information is for writers of fiction seeking an agent. If you hope to have your book published by a traditional publishing house (Christian or general market) you will very possibly need an agent. Have you been thinking about searching for one? The task is...
While a touch ponderous at times, Dennis Peterson’s Combat! Lessons on Spiritual Warfare from Military History gives a good overview of military history with a strong spiritual explanation of how God’s hand has shaped history. The book takes a deep look at historic...
The Land Beneath Us is the third and final novel in Sarah Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series. I have read numerous Sarah Sundin novels and enjoyed them all; her stories are the perfect balance of romance and mystery in a well-researched historical environment....
Last week our teen reviewer, Kathryn Cover, reviewed Penny Reeve's book, CAMP MAX. This week, we welcome Penny back to our blog for an inside look at being a Christian children's writer in Australia. I am a Christian children’s and YA author living and writing in...
Last week, I was sitting around a conference table with an enthusiastic group of writers. They passed out their copies and we all took turns offering gentle but constructive feedback. Before I go on, consider joining a critique group; it’s key if you want your...
This past year has been a special one for the books (pun intended) because I published my first book! As you know, the process is anything but quick, but you can bet that the experience has been rich with lessons that will carry on into my future projects. My...
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...
Joy Rancatore's debut novel dramatically opens with 15-year-old Jack Calhoun's life permanently altered: a teenage drag race ends in death and disaster. From that point onward, Jack shoulders the guilt of four deaths--compounded later by two other deaths for which he...
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...
In an effort to grow my copywriting skills, I took Ian Lurie’s LinkedIn Learning course “ Learning to Write Marketing Copy .” He broke copywriting down into four easy steps: create a plan, free write, write your first draft, and polish your writing. While the course...
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....
Most of you know that Write2Ignite is a conference to equip adult and teen writers of Christian-worldview literature for children and young adults. But what else does W2I provide?[spacer height="20px"] One-on-One Consultations Some conferences charge to schedule a...
Excuse me while I brag on Linda Phillips, a young adult novelist and my BFF. The Lord brought us together 20 years ago when the regional advisor of the SCBWI-Charlotte chapter suggested we put together a conference. Linda and I had never even met! But it turns out,...
Increasingly writers are bombarded with advertisements for writing courses or programs claiming to help them produce a book in timeframes as short as 24 hours or a few weeks. Anyone can come up with ideas that can be copied into sentence-generating templates or...
Here's a sneak peek at conference presenters with descriptions in their own words. We'll be posting a teaser page each Monday. You still have time to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount. To register, visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ Kim...
Here's a sneak peek at conference presenters with descriptions in their own words. We'll be posting a teaser page each Monday. You still have time to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount. Visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ Kim Peterson -...
I first read about the Pelican Book Group on Kathy Temean's excellent blog, Writing and Illustrating. I looked them up online and found this description: "Our primary ministry is to publish quality fiction that reflects the salvation and love offered by Jesus Christ....
Check out these bookshelves! These are just some of the books which Write2Ignite team member, Brenda Covert, has edited. (She edited all of the books on the second shelf and about half on the top shelf.) Brenda took time out of her busy writing, editing, and...
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...
Today we welcome guest blogger Maddy Wilson, Write2Ignite's new social media adviser specializing in Instagram. Instagram, in my humble opinion, is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to access a teenage audience. But upon first glance, if you haven’t grown up...
While not every publisher accepts fantasy manuscripts, strong interest in this genre exists among children, teens, and young adults well beyond college age. This interview is the first in a series to explore fantasy ’ s appeal to younger readers, and to look at...
by Carol Baldwin Last week there were two more horrific shootings. One in a California synagogue, the second in a university in Charlotte, NC. This is not a blog about gun control or even an attempt to answer the question that plagues many of us, "What is our world...
Scripture makes many references to the concept or term “witness” in both Old and New Testaments. Christians know Jesus’s “Great Commission” words in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,...
Disclaimer: Although we support this book because it is strongly pro-life and addresses several serious issues, the main character in Bound occasionally uses language that some Christians might find offensive. Within the first pages of Bound by Vijaya Bodach, the...
By Brenda Covert 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...
As part of my research for my YA novel Half-Truths , I read a lot of books. And I mean A LOT. Read my pitch and I think you'll understand why: In the heavily segregated South, fifteen-year-old Kate Dinsmore's world is shaken when she realizes she's related to her...
One of my favorite stories to listen to as a child was, The Little Engine That Could . The voice of the little blue engine who took on the insurmountable challenge of bringing toys, dolls, and “good things to eat to the good boys and girls on the other side of the...
The calendar tells us that it's time for the seasons to change again. Still, beyond winter, spring, summer, and fall, we experience other seasons, too. We move through seasons of life as we parent babies and teenagers, experience empty nests, and become caregivers for...
Time's running out! Deadline: September 10! According to author and founder Cheri Cowell, EA Books Publishing will offer a writing contest and publication opportunity open only to those who register for and attend the September 21--22, 2018, Write2Ignite Conference....
Ready for Write2Ignite 2018? I'll be leading three workshops at the conference: "Strangers in a Strange Land," "Fiction Writing" (Teen Track), and "Writing Historical Fiction." Let me describe them for you! "Strangers in a Strange Land" In Exodus 2:22, Moses names his...
Hello, everyone! This year's Write2Ignite conference is coming up fast. As one of the presenters at the conference, I'll be leading two workshops: "Children's Book Categories" and "Writing from Childhood Memories." Let me tell you about them. "Children's Book...
Hi, there. Vicki Moss—contributing editor of Southern Writers Magazine and author—here. Looks like we’re fast approaching September and the Write2Ignite conference, and as usual, I can’t wait to cross the South Carolina line. This year, I’ll be teaching two classes:...
Workshop: "Common Mistakes Newbie Writers Make in Their Manuscripts" You’ve spent years working on your fiction manuscript. Finally, you reach “The End” and send it off to agents. When that first response arrives in your inbox, you anticipate seeing the message "This...
WRITING CONTEST! According to author and founder Cheri Cowell, EA Books Publishing will offer a writing contest and publication opportunity open only to those who register for and attend the September 21--22, 2018, Write2Ignite Conference. Participants who attend the...
If you’re fairly new to the writing business or trying out a different genre, you may wonder whether you’re doing it right. Or maybe you have a story that you feel is almost---but not quite---working, and you’re not sure why. What’s a writer needing a professional...
In this post, author Kristi M. Butler shares how her new books about Groundhog Day and groundhogs emerged from attendance at Write2Ignite Conference, a vacation cabin, and meeting illustrator Samantha S. Bell. Write2Ignite is one of my “happy places”! Perusing the...
Write2Ignite Conference held its first-ever Black Friday deep discount pre-registration, for the 2018 Conference September 21-22 at North Greenville University in Tigerville, SC. Focusing on Christian worldview literature, non-profit W2I provides instruction and...
Write2Ignite Conference 2018 theme series---by Deborah S. DeCiantis After his escape from the Slough of Despond, Christian meets Mr. Worldly-Wiseman, who convinces him that an easier way to get rid of his burden is to turn aside from the path to the Wicket Gate and...
Laurie Gifford Adams began writing young adult novels during her career as an educator. Adams is the author of Finding Atticus, www.RUinDanger, Over the Edge, and Before I Knew. A former Prattsburg (NY) High School schoolmate of W2I Team member Darcy Hendrick, Adams...
I am the mother of four grown sons. But they weren't always grown. There were quite a few hectic years that could best be described as managed chaos. I would get a little one off my hip and onto his feet just in time to have another firmly attach himself. And...
When I worked as a Human Resources executive, one of my responsibilities was to offer outplacement training---a fancy term for helping people who lost their jobs find new employment. Outplacement training included creating a resume, polishing interview skills, and...
Recently, Write2Ignite held a fall-themed short story contest for writers of young adult fiction. We're pleased to announce that our winner is "H2O-CO" by Gayle Veitenheimer! Please visit Gayle's Facebook page, and enjoy her story below: "H2O-CO" Squeals and giggles...
By Brenda Covert True story: One year while celebrating my young adult daughter’s birthday at her favorite restaurant, our group sang the birthday song. Suddenly, a fashionably-dressed woman appeared at our table to wish my daughter a happy birthday and to give her an...
If you follow our blog, you are interested in writing for children or teens. That, in and of itself, speaks volumes. You feel called to craft stories that will excite young readers, or you feel called to write Bible stories or devotionals that are just the right...
October is rolling right along and as with all months, there are numerous things to celebrate or become aware of. (Thanks to Edie Melson at The Write Conversation for most of the following list) Daily...
Write2Ignite! is pleased to announce a Fall-themed Writing Contest! Target audience: Young Adult (YA) readers We are seeking submission of stories set in autumn! Have you written a story with students going back to school? Set at a high school football game? Enjoying...
What do you pray for your writing? You might think that’s a silly question. Of course we pray for our writing. But what, exactly, are we praying for? If we’re honest, our prayers are often centered on requests for favor with agents and publishers. Book contracts,...