April 2026 Master Class
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Introducing... Fantasy has the power to change someone. When C.S. Lewis read Phantastes by George MacDonald, he said it “baptized his imagination.” For Emily Golus, Vindor helped her with her anxiety. Now, the mother of two has three books set in the land of Vindor,...
Wonderful writing resources are easily available to us. We can access rhyming, spelling, and foreign language dictionaries. We can look up synonyms in a thesaurus, and find the perfect line to quote in Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations. If you need to write a screenplay,...
When her mother retired and started a raspberry farm, Donna Thornton found her hundred-acre wood. Starting with a baby donkey named Druplet, Donna wrote a picture book as a gift for her mother. This led to a publishing contract, another picture book, and another.
A writing job comes your way. The topic is something you like to write about, and the word count isn’t too bad. But there’s a lot of research involved, and the pay is lower than you’d like. Should you take it? Here are a few reasons why a low paying job may be...
Introducing... When Cindy Lynn Sawyer wrote The Wonder of Under, she stopped short of hiring an illustrator. After all, the cost of hiring someone to illustrate your picture book is the most expensive part of self-publishing a picture book. So you can imagine her...
Christmas is just around the corner. Shops are full of gift ideas while carols play in the background, neighborhoods are decorated with lights and all sorts of holiday displays, cookies are baking with the wonderful smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and gingerbread filling...
Why does giving matter? In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, Paul describes the grace of giving and urges the church to care for those in need.
Introducing... When Lori Z. Scott won the Christy Award in the Young Adult category, she hadn’t prepared a speech. She never thought she would win, and she almost didn’t go to the ceremony. But this wasn’t unusual, because Lori Z. Scott never wanted to write Offsides...
Today’s devotional on Psalm 78 focuses on our important call to tell the next generation of the wonderous works of the Lord.
If anyone was qualified to write stories for children, it would be Laura Sassi. She has worn many hats through the years: a mother, a homeschooler, a teacher, and a children’s ministry director. She also wore a special hat for our podcast episode! With over ten books...
Most of us have been writing for a while. Through the years we’ve worked on story and character development, struggled through plots, climaxes, and denouements, and even had some hard knocks trying to condense our manuscripts down to a decent word count that won’t...
It’s an honest question. Obviously, if you are writing first person POV, then this does not apply to you. Of course your narrator should be a character. Otherwise, it ain’t first person! But what about third person? Should your narrator have a distinct personality?...
Hello Friends! Guest blogger Big Bertha here with a second installment of Writing Wisdom. This month’s topic? The Importance of Being Broody. Broody by Definition Some people think to be broody means to sulk or to be in a mood. I guess, it could mean that, but to us...
Where do we find our refuge and rest in times of trouble? Where do we find hope when problems come our way?
Guest blogger, Big Bertha here, straight from the hen house with some tips to help further your writing career. Today’s topic? Setting up that perfect writing spot. Look for limited distractions I don’t know about you, but sharing a chicken coop with 22 hens and 2 up...
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...
Life can get crazy sometimes. Obligations, unexpected circumstances, appointments, and just living life in general can keep our plates full. This craziness can definitely hinder our writing, especially if deadlines are looming. I suggest, it’s time to take a break! A...
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....
It’s finally happened! You landed the writing assignment you’ve been waiting for. Now the stress is on. Not only do you want to produce a piece that is amazing and memorable (to be a good steward of the talent God has blessed you with and in case there is other work...
Join us for a devotional on Habakkuk’s prayer, in Habakkuk 3, as we discuss finding faith and joy in the midst of trials.
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...
Which came first? The chicken or the egg? As I am writing this post, I hear the faint “cheep, cheep” of a newly hatched chick—one of my son’s latest projects. So I can’t help but think about that old adage. Of course, as a Christian, I know the chicken came first...
How can we prioritize fellowship with the Lord and with other believers in the new year? Join in a discussion of Hebrews 10 to find out.
It always bugged me that depictions of Christ’s birth show the wisemen there alongside the shepherds. It just isn’t very accurate. Matthew 2 says that “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea…Magi from the east came to Jerusalem” (emphasis added). While I...
Sometimes, no matter how many articles or stories you’ve written in the past, there comes a time when you don’t feel very inspired to write. You know you have to write something for a deadline, but you just don’t feel in the write mood (pun intended) to put pen to...
By the time you are reading this blog, I will officially be 30 years old. A lot has happened in the first three decades of my life. Some things haven’t happened as quickly as I wanted to. Others happened before I was ready. But’s that’s another blog for another time....
When did you know that your writing had become more than just a hobby? For me, it was when my mother said these words: “I think you should focus on making money with your writing.” It was after I had pitched her my idea of an AI-generated graphic novel about a recent...
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...
I have a Spotify playlist called “In Case of Emergency, Hit Play.” These aren’t Christian songs for when my heart is in anguish. That’s a different playlist. No, this kind of emergency is strictly a writer’s problem. Whether it is writer’s block, or just a tight...
If you’re reading this, chances are, you’ve encountered rejection. When I first started writing, everything was unicorns and rainbows. I wrote my first children’s story and took it to a conference; certain I’d bring home good news. Well… The editor said my story was...
I’ve got about a dozen unfinished stories. When I look back to see why I gave up on the story (sometimes mid-sentence), I discovered most of them died out around chapter three. I was shocked. What was so hard about chapter three? Why would I give up so easily? As I...
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...
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...
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...
I breathed deeply as I uttered the last words of The Hello, Goodbye Window : “When you look from the outside, Nanna and Poppy’s house has lots of windows, but there’s only one Hello, Goodbye Window and it’s right where you need it.” Turning the page, I continued:...
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...
Okay, you may have been hesitant with my article What Writers Can Learn from Walt Disney. You may have seen the Peanuts comic strip in a new light with What Writers Can Learn from Charles Schulz. But Dolly Parton? Surely, Kyle, you’re taking this thing too far! But...
Do you ever give yourself a break from writing? I’m not talking about a hiatus where you take a long period of time away from your laptop or pad of paper and pen. I’m referring to a little transition break from one project to the next. Here’s what I mean. I just...
Last Saturday’s Write2Ignite Master Class on Writing Chapter Books was a big hit. We had the largest attendance we’ve had thus far, and our teacher Marianne Hering did a fabulous job! It is such a joy for me to gather with other Christian writers whether live or via...
No writer likes rejection, especially when you open your email and get excited to see a notice from a promising publisher, only to find something like this: “Sorry, but this doesn’t fit our current needs.” Here are a few ideas on how best to handle rejection letters....
An English program can provide a structured environment for learning from experienced professors and receiving feedback on your work. However, an English program can be expensive, and the financial investment might not lead to financial gain. There are other paths to...
“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9 HCSB).” As a writer, I find this passage extremely depressing. Not only does it rhyme like a pessimist's Dr. Seuss, but it also means no...
"Mommy, there's a biwd in awe house!" "A real bird?" "Mommy, come quick. Daddy lef the doow open. It's in awe liveen woom." I leapt out of bed and followed my five-year-old into the living room where a blue Western Scrub-Jay ruffled the window blinds and house...
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.
Have you ever followed instructions – doing exactly what you were told to do – and failed miserably or had the whole thing blow up in your face? Or maybe you went out of your way to help someone else, having the purest motives, only for them to end up in a worse...
A prayer of encouragement for my fellow Christian writers.
We know Jesus promised His Spirit would live in His followers. But what role does the Holy Spirit have in our writing? Join me in examining some familiar Bible verses from a writer’s perspective: The Holy Spirit is always with us (Jn. 14:16) Ever feel as if your...
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is the perfect time for reflections. Here are a few journaling prompts to help you reflect and quiet your spirit for the coming year.
What Gift Can Writers Bring for the Newborn King? Music is an important part of celebrating Christmas. Remember the Christmas song, “The Little Drummer Boy”? It’s about a little boy who wonders what gift he could give to the baby Jesus. Or how about “We Three Kings,”...
This year, I’m going to be grateful for all the things I didn’t get or didn’t happen as I wished. And for the prayers God answered in the negative. I’m going to thank the Lord for the hard times — the low times — that knocked the wind out of me or caused me …
Are you feeling “buried” or “planted” when it comes to your writing journey?
What difference does it make?
Three common questions a writer should ask
What does is mean for a writer to practice good literary citizenship and why is it important?
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...
"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...
closed circuit (noun, Electricity). "a circuit without interruption, providing a continuous path through which a current can flow." (dictionary.com) When it comes to modern technology, a closed circuit is an incredibly useful thing. Closed circuits allow electricity...
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...
"'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!...
Do you hear the people sing? Well, no. But I do hear fears expressed and complaints a-plenty! There was trouble during the French Revolution, and there is trouble today in the form of a virus -- the coronavirus. Although many are in dread of the contagious enemy, we...
When a friend had successful cancer surgery, she joyfully announced the results, along with her conclusion that God is good. And the social media responses were positive and predictable: Yes, God is good! God truly answers prayer! God really loves you! God is...
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...
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...
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,...
As a writer, I often find myself bogged down in fear. Fear that my writing may not be good enough. Fear that I am too old. Fear that I don't know how to write. Attending conferences gives me the insight to overcome those fears through encouragement, instruction,...
Your proposal is rejected—again---and your head swirls with doubt, disappointment, and confusion. You pour your heart out in a blog post, take hours to format it just right, click Post, and wait. The only buzz you hear is from the ceiling fan above your head, and the...
"Am I rich?" "Am I famous?" "Am I on a bestseller list?" Often, we writers ask questions like these as we try to measure our success. The problem? Most of you, like me, have to say no to these questions. Unless we’ve been fortunate enough to author beloved children’s...
When I was in the 3rd grade, Mrs. Wheatley, my teacher, gave my mother a warning. She said, “Mrs. Snipes, we just can’t let his imagination run off with him." My mom didn't heed that warning . . . and it's the reason why I still daydream today! One of my favorite...
I have a serious confession to make. Ready for it? Promise you won’t tell anyone? Okay, here it is . . . I’m a fake author. You see, I get asked all the time: “What does it take to be a writer?” People think that because I’ve published several books I’m a somehow a...
I know the cliché well: “You only fail if you refuse to try.” While I don’t doubt the truth of those words, it’s of little comfort when I am staring at another submission I was sure I had “just right” only to see it returned—again. Red ink loudly announces, “You...