The Value of a Chapter-By-Chapter Outline
When I was in elementary school, we were taught how to create an outline. I remember having to break things down using Roman Numerals, then capital letters, and so on. To be honest, I hated that type of work. What I thought were important facts and summations, my teachers thought otherwise. As a student who […]
When You Know It’s Time to Let Go
This past July I took a trip with my husband, our two daughters, and my mother to visit family in New Mexico. The drive was long (about 16 hours, including getting a nail out of our tire), but it was worth it to see relatives (on my mother’s side) who we haven’t seen in a […]
When You’re Caught by Surprise
A few months ago, I was asked by a church staff member if I would be willing to participate in an afternoon get-together sometime in the summer where I could share about being a writer. The person who asked me coordinates our church’s homeschool support group, so I thought it would be for a small, […]
Moving Forward Boldly
Last time I wrote about writing a plot summary within a short period of time for a potential fiction story opportunity. The good news is, the publisher accepted my pitch! The bad news is, the publisher accepted my pitch! Of course, this isn’t really bad news. It’s great news! But, the reality has set in […]
No Time to Waste
Recently, I was asked if I wanted to pitch a plot summary to a publisher for a potential fiction story for hi/lo readers. I had already written a short nonfiction book for them, but I wanted the chance to work on a fiction book, so I said I would be interested. The problem? I only […]
Looking at the Benefits of Waiting
Let’s face it. We live in a society where we spend a lot of time waiting. Whether you are at the dentist or doctor, visiting the department of motor vehicles, or getting new tires on the car, we often find ourselves sitting around waiting to be called or waiting for something to get done. Here […]
Don’t Let Your Writing Fall Flat
I was born with flat feet, the kind that leaves rectangular blobs instead of footprints in the sand. As a young child I had to wear special shoes with an orthopedic pad inside to help my arch. And, I remember that my feet would get so painful that my mother would have to rub and […]
Change of Scenery
We’ve had some unusual weather here in Southern California. We’ve had days of rain. And not just rain, continuous rain. That was what was the most unusual. I had some writing deadlines, but being cooped up at home wasn’t helping me whatsoever. I needed a different environment where I had no distractions and where I […]
Set the Scene
Although I have been published for over twenty years now, my background is actually in film. I have a bachelor’s degree in Cinema, where my emphasis was cinematography. Of course, God had other plans for my life than that of a budding filmmaker. Nevertheless, I learned many valuable lessons from my film school days that […]
Using Creation for Writing Inspiration
God created the world in six days. Each day was a step-by-step building up of an environment that would be suitable for humans. As writers, we are creators, too. We create whole worlds out of the imaginations and experiences in our heads. Let’s look at how the days of Creation can inspire our writing.