By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky For the most part, a good first chapter does the same thing as a good first page to a deeper extent, there are a few more considerations when writing your opening chapter. While most of the answers to these considerations depend largely upon the genre and…

By Debb Hackett @debb_hackett Happy 2025 everyone, Debb here. Everywhere I look, people are disagreeing about something. In the arts, be they culinary, visual, musical, performance based or writing, we have guidelines that are sort of universal, (show don’t tell, don’t serve raw poultry etc.), but there’s also a lot…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills The leadership team for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, BRMCWC, is praying for you! We believe spiritual preparation is your most important piece of luggage. While we are seeking God to grow your relationship with Him, we invite you to come alongside and pray…

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted As a lead managing editor, one of my jobs was acquisitions. It's the most challenging part because I spent a lot of time saying no thank you. There are multiple explanations for why I was forced to pass on a manuscript. Rejections fall into many categories,…

By Tammy Karasek @tickledpinktam I talk about writing conferences often to writers. The replies I receive are as varied as the folks I talk to. Most who have attended are enthusiastic about them, and share their favorites or talk about a new one they’re going to attend this year. We…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin Because we have computers and can produce stories, everyone assumes writing is easy. From my experience, any skill (including writing) takes hours of practice to become excellent. For example, one of the most successful basketball players of all time is Kobe Bryant, the winner of five…