By Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted As a conference director, I receive a lot of requests to serve as faculty at our conference. Selecting teachers is always a tough job, one I dread passionately. Throughout the year, I meet hundreds of writers who have fabulous “presence” but don’t have an excellent command…

by: Shannon Redmon @shannon_redmon As an author, I’m always striving to give depth to my story’s heroine. The last thing a writer wants is to create a flat, boring character. I learned this lesson after an editor commented about the shallowness of my protagonist. Ouch. The truth hurts sometimes. So,…

by Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes After leaving educational administration to pursue a career in writing, I went through a similar process I’d been through as a principal. I found and worked with a mentor. Although mentors are essential in every career, I’ve discovered they’re invaluable for authors. Behind the scenes, there are…

by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan I can’t juggle. Oranges, lemons, or apples—it doesn’t matter. They all fall to the floor. I tried grapes, erroneously thinking since they are smaller, I could catch them easier. Wrong. Believe me, I’ve practiced, until the dog started chasing after the grapes. Those are bad for…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin In the last ten years, the publishing world has changed. In the past, self-publishing was the poor step-sister to traditional publishing. These self-made titles often looked poor and were not accepted in libraries or bookstores. As book production has improved, this attitude is shifting. There are…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 “Father, how do I say this?” “Father, I’ve hit a brick wall. The dreaded writer’s block. What do I do now?” “Father, thanks so much for that sentence. That is what needed to come next.” Before I write a blog post or article, when I get…