by Edie Melson @EdieMelson I had always believed that I needed at least an hour, and preferably three, to make any progress at all with my writing. I couldn’t have been more wrong. In the past year, I’ve learned how to use the time I have, even if it’s just fifteen…

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted The most important thing you can remember as your writing career progresses is “Do your homework.” Here’s why: “I can help you with this.” Ned slipped a business card onto Sally’s notepad. “I notice you’re talking tons of notes. No need. I can help you.” She…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky Flannery O’Connor is one of my favorite writers of all time. I’m a bit of a fanboy. So when she writes about writing, I pay attention. In her essays Mystery and Manners, she says, “I often ask myself what makes a story work, and what makes…

by Lindsey Brackett @LindsBrac I hope you’ve enjoyed these short introductions into the Enneagram and have found the information useful to typing your characters (and maybe yourself). My favorite thing about the Enneagram is no one is ever all or nothing. By carrying tendencies of the nine different types, we…

by Lindsey Brackett @LindsBrac I hope these short introductions into the Enneagram are helping you understand your characters and relationships better. Remember, we all carry tendencies of the nine different types, making us (and our characters) incredibly complex. But rather than focus on personality traits, the Enneagram begs you to…

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Varying degrees of point of view (POV) allows the writer to establish emotional distance between the reader and the character. The distance is set in direct relationship to the role the character plays in the story, the mood, and voice.  The POV character takes the spotlight…