Stories Matter
“The universe is made of stories, not atoms.” —Muriel Rukeyser Once upon a time… … in a Galaxy Far, Far Away… … a young shepherd boy stood before the giant with only a sling. … a starship set out to boldly go where no man had gone before. … four reptiles stumbled upon green ooze […]
Making Mud Pies
I’m told I was a particularly difficult baby and a challenging child. The family blames the first on colic; I blame the second on a vivid imagination. Whatever the cause, a series of photos seems to substantiate the claims of my parentals, aunts and uncles, and grandmother. One snapshot in particular comes to mind. Picture […]
Let the Little Children Come
We’re naturally drawn to the power of a good story. It starts at a young age, doesn’t it? Jack and Jill and other nursery rhymes. Aesop’s Fables and fairy tales. Frights around a campfire and happily-ever-after bedtime stories. Jesus understood the power of a story. He spoke truth, then illustrated it with parables—earthly stories with […]
Finding the Elusive Balance
One of the things I hear a lot of writers talk about is the balance between family life and career. In the countless interviews I’ve given through the years, the question of how I juggle the needs of my family with the demands of my writing career often comes up. Balance seems elusive. Parents can […]
What Do You Pray for Your Writing?
What do you pray for your writing? You might think that’s a silly question. Of course we pray for our writing. But what, exactly, are we praying for? If we’re honest, our prayers are often centered on requests for favor with agents and publishers. Book contracts, large advances, and strong sales top our lists. Although […]
Read What You Write
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ~ Stephen King I don’t like the horror genre (it gives me nightmares), so I’m not a fan of Stephen King. But when he’s right, he’s right. Romance writers read romance. Science fiction writers read […]
Is Writing the Impossible Mission?
Writing conference season is in full swing. Conferences are such exciting times-filled with renewed relationships, new friendships, and countless dreams. Mixed in with the dreams, however, are less appealing realities. Changing markets, a depressed economy, and the small percent of manuscripts that see publication, not to mention agents, queries, verb tense, and point-of-view all present […]
Daniel Blackaby’s Earthshaking Confession
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 guru in […]
What Does It Mean to Write for the Homeschool Market?
We’ve talked a lot this year about creating materials with the homeschool market in mind, so it’s important that we know whom that market represents. If we’re going to visualize our ideal reader, there are some things we need to understand. One of the common misconceptions about homeschooling is that it’s done only on the […]
Puzzling Over Puzzles: How to Write Puzzles for Kids
One of my favorite things to create is puzzles! If you enjoy creating history and language arts resources like I do, the types of puzzles you have at your disposal to make learning enjoyable are virtually endless. Here are just a few types I’ve enjoyed making over the years: Word searches and crossword puzzles. Don’t […]