by Vincent Davis @vbdavisII What makes someone a professional writer? Or better yet, what gives someone that ethereal, esoteric title of “author”? Is it when you get published? Is it when you make your first best sellers list? I’m under the impression that being a professional is more about your…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin When you boil it down to the basics, writers and editors are both seeking the same thing: excellent writing. For many years, I’ve been writing for magazines and I’m a former magazine editor. One of the publications (Decision) where I was Associate Editor reached 1.8 million…

by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan I cut my writerly teeth on dialogue: As a script writer for stage plays, particularly sermon-starters. I didn’t add directions or interpretation. I left that up to the director. Of course at that time, I was the director, but that’s neither here nor there. In the…

By A.C. Williams by @acw_author When did someone spoil a book or movie for you? Generally speaking, people in the storytelling business are very cautious about spoilers. But sometimes you can be too careful, especially when you’re writing a story. Sometimes, one of the best sources of tension in your…

By Alycia Morales @AlyciaMorales Here are 21 summer adventures to go on that will inspire your writing: The beach. Listen to the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Smell the salt air with the tint of fish and sunblock. Feel the sand beneath your toes. Crack open the cold drinks…

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson Many of us came to the world of writing in a roundabout way. A lot of us don’t have degrees that qualify us. Because of that, we often struggle with insecurity. We strive for validation through publication. But no matter how many awards we win, things we…