by Blythe Daniel @BlytheDaniel Have you ever been tempted in social situations when someone asks, “What do you do”? to answer all the things you do in a given day? I would say (to help me think through what I do each day!): feed my family breakfast, help get water…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky If you’ve followed my blog much, you’ll know how much importance I put on the first line. Just as important, and just as tricky, is the final line. If I could make one observation from my years as a literary editor, I’d say that the best…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I believe a writer’s number one purpose in creating a story is to entertain the reader. Following that task is to inspire a reader to attempt what they may believe is impossible. The reader follows how the protagonist overcame obstacles to reach a goal or solve…

by: Shannon Redmon @shannon_redmon I’ve always loved steel roller coasters. The taller the hill, the larger the loop and I hopped on the ride. Smooth turns and forceful speed bring excitement and joy into the experience. But there is one type of ride I always avoid…the dreaded wooden coaster. Most…

by Heather Kreke @HKreke A writer’s work can’t be quantified, diagnosed, or measured. Most of it takes place in the mind as we are constantly brainstorming, researching, thinking about tone or voice, and for us fiction writers, talking to our characters. When we finally put something on the screen, we…

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted I've been doing mentoring work, and one thing I see, even with some more seasoned writers, is the stiltedness in their work. There was a time when the more proper, stiff type of writing was acceptable. It's still not a no-no, but as readers evolve, so…