by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted Everyone wants the novel that readers wrap their arms around and hug. It's so engaging, action-packed, and emotional that readers can't help but pass it along. Word of mouth is a beautiful thing – or a killer. It depends on the novel and how well it…

By Tammy Karasek @tickledpinktam I don’t know about you, my writer friend, but when I go to bed I’m exhausted—until my head hits the pillow. Then my eyes pop wide open as I think of a new scene or two or ten for my current fiction project. I grab my…

by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan Brand and voice. Two words tossed about the industry with regularity. Yet, what are they actually, and how do you go about finding your voice and establish a brand? Finding Voice When I read Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton, a light bulb turned on for…

by Lynn Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn I recently returned from a vacation where for three days I didn’t do much of anything but read. It was glorious. I loved the books I brought with me. I inhaled them. I fell in love with the characters and the places and the ideas. And then…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky You hear writers often mention the “fictive dream.” John Gardner called it a “vivid and continuous dream.” It’s a term used to describe a simple principle: no one wants to read a book. There, I said it. Man, it feels good to get that off my…

By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions but this year I commit to pray for each of you daily.  I also will post a weekly prayer on the Blue Ridge Writers Facebook page. Why do I storm the gates of heaven on your behalf? I pray…