Writing for the Ear

In my multimedia journalism class, our professor talked about “writing for the ear.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, writing for the ear is when you write something that is meant to be spoken or performed rather than read silently. My Shakespeare professor taught me something similar. She said that Shakespeare’s plays were never meant … More Writing for the Ear

The Craft of Prewriting

There is nothing more painful as a writer, than staring at the blank page, with your mind even blanker. Some people call this writer’s block, some people say writer’s block doesn’t even exist. But neither of these offers a solution. Today, I’ll offer mine: prewriting. An umbrella term, prewriting can mean anything from brainstorming, drafting, … More The Craft of Prewriting

Why Can’t Everything be a Masterpiece?

Last year I watched 52 movies, and read 48 books. But I didn’t like them all. Some movies I hated. Some books I rolled my eyes at, or finished with the thought of “Finally. Now, I can read something good!” As I finished the year reading A Christmas Carol, I was struck by this question: … More Why Can’t Everything be a Masterpiece?

A NEW YEAR: Letting Go of The Old by Marci Whitehurst

It’s that time again… It’s a new year! A new you! For only $19.99 per day, you can have the ____ of your dreams! It’s a new year, so what are your goals? Be sure to write down everything you’ve ever wanted to achieve and make it a goal in January!! Obviously, I jest, but … More A NEW YEAR: Letting Go of The Old by Marci Whitehurst

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling Part 2.

If you have ever researched rules in storytelling, you may have come across the famous Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. This came from a 2011 tweet from a Pixar employee who realized there were 22 written (and unwritten) rules they implemented on every story. While Industrial Scripts does a pretty good job of explaining the … More Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling Part 2.

The Value of Critique Groups

How can critique groups inspire us as writers? Last year, Kathy O’Neill’s blog post shared the importance of critique groups through highlighting Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings. I absorbed her article, grabbed the book, and shortly thereafter, found myself in a second critique group. (My Write2Ignite critique group … More The Value of Critique Groups

My Favorite Self-Publishing Tools by Erin Greneaux

My favorite aspect of the self-publishing process is that I coordinate every aspect of the process from the initial idea to the printed book in my readers’ hands! And the most challenging part of self-publishing is…coordinating every aspect of the process from idea to printed book. While most authors are talented in several areas of … More My Favorite Self-Publishing Tools by Erin Greneaux

The Best Writing Tip for Beginners

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 … More The Best Writing Tip for Beginners

New Online Christian Children’s Magazine

In January of 2022 God gave me the assignment to create an online Christian magazine for children ages 5 to 10 years. I am attempting to create StarLight Magazine: Shining God’s Truth through Children’s Literature. … More New Online Christian Children’s Magazine

3 Tips from “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers” by Karley Conklin

“The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.”–Zadie Smith Write2Ignite’s  2020 Master class with  Joyce Moyer Hostetter is only a month away. The Write2Ignite team has suggested checking out several chapters of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King as a way … More 3 Tips from “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers” by Karley Conklin