by Aaron Gansky @adgansky You're using language when you write. Can’t do it without. But language is more a term encompassing vocabulary, imagery, and figurative language. Though it’s of vital importance, it seems to be the thing that is most often overlooked. As writers, we put notoriously little thought into…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 I hardly ever cry at movies, but I cried at the end of Inside Out. Even though it’s a kids’ movie, I saw how the inside of our brains might work when anger, fear, disgust, sadness, or joy takes the helm. Each feeling was embodied in…

by Robin Luftig @RobinLuftig Attending a writer’s conference is one of the best investments an author-in-waiting can make. But beware. Nobody ever tells you to watch out for the depression that may be lurking when you get home. Think about the months prior to the conference. You put all your…

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted When the seeds are planted, you never know what will sprout. We made a tough decision – to take down a huge 40-foot elm tree damaged from lightening. It towered over our home and with each storm that passed, we wondered if the massive tree would find its way…

by Brad Bloom @Faithfitnessmag You've been writing for what seems like forever, and last week you submitted your proposal. You've just received a letter from the editor saying, Congratulations! Your proposal to online.com has been accepted. Now, it’s time to get started. The big question on the top of your…

by Lindsey Brackett @lindsbrac Terry Kay told me recently, at a writers’ workshop in the Sautee Valley, that I am too young to write true southern fiction. He’s right, of course. I didn’t live through the civil rights movement, and while I remember when we got our first VCR, I don’t…