If you’re like me, you probably have bookshelves crammed with books. Too many to keep and too precious to give away. As I look through my bookcases, I enjoy finding a long-forgotten treasure. Even better, on occasion I’ll make a new discovery—a book that made it onto the shelf without being read. I recently came … More Classic Keys for Writing for Children
Ever feel like Sisyphos? In Greek mythology, the gods punished Sisyphos for his greed and deceit by assigning an impossible task. He had to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down when it reached near the top. And he had to do it for eternity. Gaining traction for … More Easy Video Tool for Social Media
I’m usually an optimistic person, but lately it’s become more and more difficult for me to muster optimism as I read the newspaper or watch the evening news. Even my Facebook and Twitter feeds are not immune to the avalanche of bad news. Headlines and links are posted in real time as the events occur—the … More Light in the Darkness
People often ask me why I write. I keep hearing that this is the worst possible time to enter the world of publishing. Book sales are at an all-time low, despite the fact that by some estimates, more than two million books are published annually worldwide. I also keep hearing that if you write because … More Why Do You Write?
How is a Christian writer different from other writers? How is a Christian plumber different from other plumbers? How is a Christian salesperson different from other salespeople? Are you a Christian writer, a writer who writes for the Christian market, a Christian who writes for the Christian market, or a Christian who writes for the … More Are You a Christian Writer?
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 our own parents. Writing adds another layer to already full lives. So … More Seasons of a Writer’s Life
Writing can sometimes be discouraging work. It may become even more discouraging when we’ve poured ourselves into our calling but no one seems to notice our efforts. Or maybe we’ve worked and worked . . . but someone else gets the break we’ve been waiting for. As Christian writers, we serve to glorify the Lord. … More When No One Seems to Notice
Ahhh, summertime. There’s something about taking a road trip in the summer, convertible top down, wind in our hair. It brings out the teenager in all of us. Of course, I don’t have a convertible, but I can dream, can’t I? The drives in my dreams almost always include an open road, maybe a long, … More Follow the Signs
Nobody likes to be rejected. And when we’ve poured ourselves into a writing project, only to see it rejected by agents and editors, it’s easy to take that rejection personally. “My manuscript isn’t good enough.” “My writing skills aren’t good enough.” “I’m not good enough.” Is that true? Before you believe the lie that you’re … More Are You Willing to Be Rejected?
Last month I talked about how to plan a physical book launch party. This month, let’s discuss how to host a virtual (online) book launch party using social media. You can plan a virtual party in place of a physical party, especially if finances are tight. Or your virtual launch can be in addition to a … More How to Host a Virtual Book Launch Party