by Edie Melson @EdieMelson Today’s post has a lot of information that’s been covered in various placed. I thought it would be helpful to put it all in one place. I’ve gone through the questions I’ve seen in email, on Facebook and online and am trying to hit the high…

@DiAnnMills Some of our character’s traits are easy to discover. Physical description, food preference, a career choice, favorite color or food, wants, goals, and other basic attributes that can be revealed in a non-threatening manner.  Life experiences that had painful physical, mental, or emotional outcomes are often hidden beneath a…

By Edie Melson, @EdieMelson This is a post that I wrote several years ago. I get requests for it every year, so I'm sharing it again this year. This was a system I used for years while I was attending conferences as an attendee. It's not the only way to…

@LucindaSMcDowel I think about words a lot. Because I’m an author and speaker, you might say words are my business – thus no surprise my ministry is called “Encouraging Words.” But this week there are at least three good reasons I’m thinking especially about Words: I’ve just sent the edits…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjZeEhXqiVg&t=39s[/embed] Video Produced and Directed by Gary Chavalier. Although this video is presented tongue-in-cheek, every example is based on absolute fact. The Blue Ridge Conference is fast approaching, and writers are polishing their manuscripts and proposals One of the conference highlights is the ability for the…

@CindyDevoted Homonym– A word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not, as heir and air or bear and bare. I love editors. They’re a breed all their own. A bit OCD and a bit of the perfectionist’s mentality, they’re the eyes…