by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writers strive to meet their readers’ needs, concerns, and questions. To accomplish this, the writer explores what matters before addressing those challenges. One way to focus on a specific audience is to explore the generational sweet spot for their age group. Discover the cultural differences, victories,…

by Blythe Daniel @BlytheDaniel There’s the old familiar saying, “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” In a similar fashion, many people wonder, “Which comes first, the proposal or the writing?” I’d like to be able to tell you a consistent answer, but the truth is that for some…

By Penny Reeve I’m a children’s writer. Always have been, always plan to be, because I believe writing for children is some of the most important writing an author can do. BUT… Not all writers’ conferences cater specifically to children’s writers. And if they do, they are often few and…

Edwina and I are so excited to announce the FINALISTS for the Directors’ Choice 2023 Awards! Every year we do our best to organize the entries into categories that give equal opportunity to every book. Because we never know how many entries will be sent in a specific category, the…

By Hannah Linder Imagine showing up for the most important job interview of your life. You’ve earned the degree, researched the company, felt confident in the skills you can bring to the table, and prayed over the opportunity for so long. Now is your chance. You pull into the parking…

By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner Research—a chore or fun? Doesn’t matter the genre. Every writer has to do some sort of investigation in order to get facts straight and make their stories authentic. Some writers love research while others get the blahs when it comes to this aspect of the process.…