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Writing a novel with ChatGPT is exhausting. I should know, for I just spent the last few months doing so. But that’s for another blog post. Today, I want to talk about how people are using ChatGPT the wrong way. If you ask ChatGPT to write you a novel, it will likely...
There was a man who worked at a factory who made some stuff. Let’s be honest. If this was an opening line, you’d close the book, put it back on the shelf and ask, “How did THAT ever get published?” But what if I told you this line could be fixed by using one simple...
Master vacationing as a writer with these 6 easy steps.
Struggling with building your author platform? Here are a few simple steps to help you get started.
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...
Are you looking forward to a New Year with no mistake (to paraphrase Anne of Green Gables)? Have you been searching for another way to keep track of all your writerly progress? Enter THE BULLET JOURNAL!! It's a unique method for organizing your life - no matter what...
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...
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,...
"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...
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...
Nicknames At 11 years of age, I wanted to be a Native American and live in a tepee. I thought of the perfect name too. “Mom,” I asked, “can you call me Li’l Sunflower?” Mom seemed both surprised and amused. “Why do you want me to call you Little Sunflower?” “Just...
"The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks."--Luke 6:45 (BSB) Our words and actions reflect what fills our...
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...
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...
Ships, Secrets, and Survivors , the debut novel by Sarah Rodecker and Helena George, caught my eye when it was announced. It promised assassins on the run, swashbuckling pirates, and mysterious murders. As I had never read a pirate fantasy novel before, I didn’t know...
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...
"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...
On one of my blog posts, where I shared a "Flash Fiction" piece, a commenter had mentioned that I had "a voice". I can't tell you how thrilled I was with that revelation! I kept saying to myself, over and over: "I have a voice! I have a voice!" as if I had received...
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...
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...
We've all had longings or yearnings during our lives, especially when we were young. Having the whole world before us, we could dream about what our lives would look like as writers/authors. "If only I could publish a book" "I wish I could find the perfect literary...
In my book, Drive, Ida and Ellie Honeycutt are forced by difficult circumstances to step out of their natural roles. As identical twins, they see and experience the world differently but are so emotionally connected that they easily understand the other’s viewpoint....
“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” -Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft You've probably never thought to ask for editing tips from a...
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,...
Back around 1996, my friend, Dave told me that when he was fourteen, his father died. At the funeral, a woman said to him, “I guess you’ll have to be the man of the house now.” Dave said to me. “I did not want to be the man of the house. I wasn’t ready for that...
"'So why does our writing matter again?' they ask. Because of the spirit, I say. Because of the heart. Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul." --Anne Lamott, pp. 237 Bird by Bird by...
”Do You Hear the People Sing?” * ”I Dreamed a Dream” — that They Won All! * Am I ”On My Own” in this? * Les Mis should have won more Oscar Awards! At first, I was discontented. Well, okay, miserable . Only three awards out of eight possible? C'mon!...
Sixth in the Write2Ignite Self-publishing series by Debbie DeCiantis In 2016, Write2Ignite Conference began receiving a lot of questions about non-traditional options like hybrid-and self-publishing. When our spring conference that year had to be canceled (actually,...
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....
"I ask again, 'What are your Writing Goals?' Now sit down and write them out and put them where you can see them every day," (Lynette Hall Hampton, Writer to Writer, pp. 9) In the sum of the writing resources I've read, the importance of setting writing goals is a...
My mother and I were surprised to see Katherine Wolf at a Going Beyond Live conference we attended last summer; we had never heard of her. We had gone to see Priscilla Shirer and had not expected any other speakers. At this conference, Mrs. Wolf told a short version...
Sweat drips down my back. I can actually see the heat rising in a misty line from the asphalt of the streets. But we have to keep going. I hike my backpack higher on my shoulders, hoping for some relief from the weight of the water bottles inside it and turn to...
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...
I enjoyed reading the delightful children’s story, Camp Max by Penny Reeve. The illustrations drew me into the book. The first page is an illustration of the main character, Tania Abbey, and several more exist throughout the book. Camp Max goes beyond being a simple...
"It is necessary to be hopeful to write successfully for children, yes, because children themselves are generically hopeful, but the quality of hopefulness is not an immature quality." -Natalie Babbitt ( pp 42) Natalie Babbitt's book Barking with the Big Dogs is...
Majestic Lord, Ruler of the Universe, Help me to find shelter in You this day. You are my rock, my hiding place. a high tower to whom I can run. Always. Underneath the cover of your almighty wings, Let me know your protection. Love. Mercy. and comfort. “Be...
This Is Your Captain Speaking is not a typical actor’s memoir, so I was pleasantly surprised when I purchased this autobiography for a quarter at a used bookstore. The title is derived from Gavin MacLeod’s popular role as the captain on the 1970s television show The...
Welcome to my fifth grade RtI group. Seated at this table are four students who have spent most of their academic careers cycling in and out of various levels of reading intervention. Seated at this table is Sara, the girl who spent last year traveling the states in...
"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...
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...
The Write2Ignite Team is thrilled to welcome Jean Matthew Hall back to the Team as the Write2Ignite Director. Jean was one of the original founders of Write2Ignite back in 2008. We thank the Lord that she is able to rejoin us. Jean will spearhead our next big event in...
"A picture book illustrator needs to tell a story with pictures. A picture book author needs to show the same story with words." -Jean Matthew Hall When I attended last year's Write2Ignite conference, I went to Jean Matthew Hall's discussion, What...
Our family had the opportunity in December to watch A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood starring Tom Hanks, who, by the way, did a fabulous job portraying Mr. Rogers. It would not surprise me if he won an Oscar. It helped me understand the heart behind the man...
I first noticed the inscription in front of DRIVEN by Betty Pfeiffer that all profits go to Hmong charities. This is a great tribute to the subjects of this book, Payeng Yaj and Shongfue Khang. I also noticed that on the back cover of the book, the pictures of the...
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...
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Luke 12:27 I have always loved this passage, perhaps because among the many challenging instructions in scripture, this...
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...
"This book is for you--the person who wants to be published or grow in your writing craft . . . My desire is for your writing to thrive and move into a higher gear after you read these pages." (W. Terry Whalin, pp. 20) Writing for publication is a skill that must be...
This past year was a difficult one for me. Due to our financial situation, we have not been able to travel, which has always been my go-to for inspiration. A new destination has the ability to shake up my brain cells and send them in a new direction, but this...
Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won the autographed copy of ANY GOOD THING from last week's blog. ******** Here's a wonderful opportunity for you to write and be published. Please let us know if you successfully place an article or short story with Faith on...
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...
It’s 2020! Never has it been so clear that we are living in a completely different world with a completely different set of rules. Each generation is reared up with other influences, more distractions, and a whole new set of problems. Since we have accepted the call...
“Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery - it's the sincerest form of learning.” ― George Bernard Shaw As writers, we tend to strive for originality. We don't want our work to be a copy of someone else's; we want to write words that are unique. But what...
I enjoyed reading The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio. Before I even started reading the story, I noticed on the copyright page the use of King James Version text as the basis for the story. This is rare and instantly caught my attention. This biblical basis is...
Do you know a teen or tween who dreams of writing a book? Or, perhaps your spouse or best friend is a budding poet. Either way, Write2Ignite has the perfect gift opportunity! Starting in January, team members Brenda Covert and Carol Baldwin will be giving writing...
Although my husband and I live in an almost-empty-nest, sometimes I catch myself reminiscing. Our homeschool history course many years ago includes a mini-unit on Shakespeare and his works. We'd listened to an excellent 3 part DVD series by Schlessinger Media called,...
Have you seen the social media posts from NaNoWriMo writers beating themselves up because they failed to meet their daily writing goals and pen a 50,000 word novel in November? Or they reached their goal but nearly lost their minds in the process? IMHO, those who...
Before I interned at South Carolina Public Radio, “intimate” and “people-oriented” were the last words I’d use to describe the broadcasting organization. My picture of public radio included stuffed shirts, pressed pants, and dull voices. All news reports were robotic,...
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...
So you think you can sit alone in your room or your local coffee shop and hammer out a book on your laptop and call it done? Nope. You need a community of writers, and here’s why.[spacer height="20px"] Accountability Writing is hard. And because it’s hard, it’s easy...
I graduated in May of 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and immediately transitioned into a career in marketing. I’m still learning the ropes of copywriting, but many of the principles I learned in journalism school apply to both copywriting and creative...
Have you considered obtaining a literary agent? It can be time consuming and frustrating. The Christian Writers Institute is bundling several of their courses into one and offering a significant discount to help you on your way. NOTE : the discount ends October 31, so...
Writing a novel is like running a marathon. You have a HUGE goal and you prepare and persevere in order to complete the race. NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, is a "website, a community, a wildly ambitious writing event — and so much more!" And it happens...
Jean Matthew Hall founded Write2Ignite in 2008. For ten years she and I have encouraged one another in our writing and publishing pursuits. I was delighted when she received a contract for four picture books with Little Lamb Books; one for each season. The first one,...
Fast is fashionable. The all-consuming lust for speed, however, caters to instant gratification and undermines weighty pursuits. It carries a hidden cost, a price tag that few would be willing to pay in many situations. And we know it. We understand that gaining...
Like other writers, I’ve had a lot of rejection (and silence). I recently experienced another obstacle: waiting. I drafted a sample manuscript and proposal for a book in 2014. I began submitting it the following year. Finally, in April of 2016 an editor made an offer...
Following up on Monday's blog, here are more rejection stories from our 2019 faculty. VIJAYA BODACH Rejections! Oh yes! Thank God because I only want my best in print, but in my haste and excitement, I've sent out pieces too early, before they were truly ready. It's...
Now that we're ready to dig into our various writing projects and (gulp!) even think about submitting a few...we face a common enemy: Fear of Rejection. To encourage your hearts, our faculty shared some of their rejection stories. Now you can say to yourself, "If they...
We prepare, plan, and pray for a year and then quickly the conference is over! As a team, we are thankful for each attendee and presenter and are already looking forward to the 2020 conference on September 18-19. SAVE THE DATE! More details to follow. If you weren't...
Write2Ignite 2019 is history, but now your work begins! We hope you're primed and ready to tackle a new project or pull out an old one that needs editing and polishing. No matter how well we write, we all need someone with an objective perspective to critique our...
Here's a sneak peek at our final conference keynote with a description in her own words. We've enjoyed sharing our conference presenters with you. We are looking forward to seeing you at the conference. Visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ New Paradigm...
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...
Ever since Carol Baldwin was little and her father read her Winnie the Pooh, she has loved stories. The only thing that she likes better than writing a story, is teaching teens how to shape the stories secreted in their imaginations. Do you have a teenager who is a...
Here's a sneak peek at one of our conference keynotes with a description in her own words. We'll be posting a teaser page each Monday. Visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ Nancy Lohr - "TRUTH-FULL Writing" In a world where truth is fluid and...
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. To register, visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ Vijaya Bodach - Writing a Book that’s Controversial Come to...
For the last two Thursdays, we've been hearing what our team and attendees are looking forward to at the 2019 Conference. Today we hear from some of our faculty. For more information about each one of these workshop leaders, please consult our Faculty page. Tessa...
Last Thursday we shared some of our Write2Ingite staff picks. Here is a sampling of what our attendees are expecting.[spacer height="20px"] Tina Hartig I'm looking forward to my first Write2Ignite conference. I've heard great things about past conferences and know I...
With so many great workshops to pick from, I thought we'd share what our team is excited about. But don't limit your choices to ours, you have many more to consider! Brenda Covert I’m torn between the workshop about “Connecting with Kids” by...
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/ Tony Snipes - 5 MORE...
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....
Here's a sneak peek at the Conference sessions, described by the presenters themselves. Watch for new "teaser" posts each Monday. You still have time to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount. See: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ ...
Bringing out holiness. Perhaps we artists would prefer to describe the concept as "drawing out holiness." What does it mean to "bring--or draw--out holiness"? And how on earth could our writing affect holiness? Guest blogger, J.G. Spires, invites us to consider this...
After our five judges reviewed the entries, votes were tallied up and "The Costume Closet" by Carolyn Bennett Fraiser is the winner for our Picture Book Manuscript Contest. For her imaginative story, Carolyn wins free registration to our writers conference, an...
The party was in full swing. I had arrived early and was determined to be the last to leave. That wouldn’t be difficult, since I was the only person there. I can party with the best of them. And I’m especially adept at hosting and attending my own pity parties. It’s...
When this picture was taken of the Write2Ignite team at the 2018 conference, little did they know that within a year many of them would become "experts" at taking and posting videos online. Here's a sampling of some of the recent videos our team created about...
Please welcome Deanna Kustas, our guest blogger today. How many times have heard the saying, “It’s not just what you say, but how you say it”? Words matter. Writing a great story matters. But how you share a story will change depending on where you are telling it...
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...
Ryan Hendrick's guest post introduces the Bible's use of parable and its impact. He follows this discussion with his original example. A parable intrigues me because its brevity often conceals its power until it blindsides its audience. In this sense, parable...
Please welcome Guest Blogger Courtney Madeira as she shares her journey into creating The Great Greenvillage. Before The Great Greenvillage [spacer height="20px"] Everything in my life has been about devising a thorough plan and then systematically following that plan...
Have you recently experienced frustration? Plans didn’t go your way? Maybe that meeting with your dream agent didn’t go well. Or the pub committee declined your project, despite enthusiastic championing by the acquisitions editor. Maybe you planned a full day of...
Here's our jam-packed conference schedule! Start planning NOW for two days of encouragement and education. Spring Blessings discount has been extended through June 15! registration Friday, September 20, 2019 * Please check final schedule and room assignment...
As an aspiring picture book author, I had high hopes for breaking into children’s publishing. I worked on my craft, joined a critique group, revised and polished my picture book manuscripts, then sent them off to publishers, hoping my dream would soon be...
Whew! There’s a lot to learn when you’re striving for rejection. Here is your last round of ideas to help you to master the art of losing an editor in ten ways. [spacer height="20px"] Way 8: Don’t Edit Your Work No one’s work is perfect. So, to seal a rejection of...
Welcome to part 2 of my blog series. (Click here if you missed PART I: SKIP THIS STEP) Let’s delve into a couple more ways you can lose an editor. Incorporating some of these flaws into your characters will almost always guarantee a rejection. Here’s how: [spacer...