By Sara Beth Williams @WilliamsSaraB What makes a great story?  A well-developed plot. What helps drive the plot forward, besides a character’s strong, identifiable goal? Secrets.  When a character harbors a secret on purpose, it creates conflict, misunderstandings, and high stakes, and often keeping the secret is woven into that character’s…

by Blythe Daniel @BlytheDaniel Have you ever felt like you were trying to hit a marker when it comes to getting an agent and wonder how you’ll get there? Recently, my 13-year-old daughter and I had the chance to try out archery. I’ll wager it had been since I was…

By Leilani Squires When I edit novels, the two comments I most commonly make are, “All the characters sound the same” and “The dialogue is too stiff.” To solve these issues, try using some screenwriting techniques:  Listen You experience a movie through what is seen and heard. Our ears have…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea I think I told you I’m a procrastinator, right? Or did I put that off? The good news is, I’m pretty sure I now have my plan in place for dealing with Y2K. The other day I was pondering my reasons for procrastinating. And by “pondering my…

by Josie Siler @josie_siler The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference may be in the rear view mirror, but the impact of the week will remain in signposts along the road ahead for quite some time. If you attended the conference, you probably remember Linda Goldfarb’s question. She asked attendees…

By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s. Colossians 3:23 (VOICE) I think we can all agree, these past couple of years are ones we won’t forget. I know friends who’ve lost loved ones, jobs, struggled…