by Alycia W. Morales @AlyciaMorales Self-edits can be tricky. We get so close to our manuscripts that we begin to miss the flaws. Our eyes and our brains skim right over them. So how can we improve our writing before we submit it to a freelance editor for polishing or an…

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…

by Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites Thirty seconds can determine destination. An Olympian will not win a race if he’s thirty seconds behind. He must practice day and night, eat healthy, and forego a personal life to increase his chances of obtaining a medal. Large corporations pay millions to purchase a thirty-second commercial…

by Katy Kauffman     @KatyKauffman28 Stories are powerful tools for the nonfiction writer. They grab the reader’s attention, add personality to our writing, and illustrate the point we’re trying to make. Whether we’re writing a blog post, an article, or a book, how do we know which story is…

by DiAnn Mills     @diannmills Today launches the Blue Ridge Writer Connections’ second Teachable Video Course: Characterization - The Key to Great Novel Writing. This is part of the BRMCWC leadership team’s commitment to enhance writer skills throughout the year. [tweet_box design="default" float="none" inject="@BRMCWC @DiAnnMills #writerstip #writing"]Characterization - The Key to…

by Rhonda Rhea     @RhondaRhea Thrills. Different people find them in different ways, from different places, according to different personalities and various likes, dislikes and individual pain tolerances. Personally, I get a real charge from an all-day trip to the mall. I get a real “charge.” Get it? … Never mind.…