By Penny Reeve I remember it clearly, the day I gave up. The day I ran my hand over the top sheet of my children’s fiction manuscript, shut the folder and slid it out of sight. It was a good book. It had tension, heart, pace and great chapter hooks.…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky One of the first things an amateur writer hears is the age-old adage, “Write what you know.” It’s a simple statement, suggested plainly, as if we must take it at face value, but it’s an assertion that goes far beyond what we first take it to…

by Sandy Kirby Quandt @SandyKQuandt While driving north through Alabama on Interstate 85 last year to attend the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, my husband and I looked for blossoming mimosa trees. We do this every time we drive to the conference. Most years, the trees are covered with…

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson We all know it’s important for writers to have a solid presence online. But many of us struggle with Social Media commitment issues. We have good intentions, but our follow-through may be less than stellar. [tweet_box design="default" float="none" inject="#writingtip #socialmedia"]8 Tips to Help Us Stay Committed…

by Kass Fogle @KassFogle What do Jane Eyre, Mr. Darcy, Edward Cullen, and Bilbo Baggins have in common? They are a few of the most memorable introverted characters we’ve loved.  What makes them memorable? How about Jane’s strong constitution drawn from deep, personal experiences? Or Edward’s brooding nature that taunts…

by Edwina Perkins @EdwinaPerkins At my first conference, when someone asked about my elevator pitcher, I couldn’t figure out what an elevator had to do with writing. I quickly learned writers speak a foreign language! I went to the first timers meeting ready to take notes and gather all the…