By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky I value strong openings, not only as a writer, but as an editor. When writing first pages, it will serve you well to remember that your openings (especially the first page) serve one primary purpose, and that is to establish your authorial authority. Essentially, you’re announcing…

by Julie Zine Coleman @JulieZColeman And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:2 NASB In the fall I was student…

By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites What do you envision when you read the term,  “Kill Fee.” I imagine a dark alley, two men in trench coats, hidden guns, and  whispers of murder for money. How about the term, “Nut Graf”? These are magazine article writing terms. Knowing these terms will enable…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea When people say you should dress for the life you want, my inner self tells me to put on jammies. I think my inner self is a little tired. I’ve also considered the possibility that my inner self is at least a little bit cat. Naps. Glorious,…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Summer is in our rearview mirror, but the overwhelmed writer syndrome lingers like triple digits—hot, unbearable, with a longing to step into the cool breezes of overcoming the stress and doubts of managing the writerly life. What’s a writer to do? Acknowledge the overwhelmed emotions. The…

By Larry Leech @LarryJLeechII Life’s greatest opportunities don’t always come wrapped in a big box with a giant bow on top. Sometimes a life-changing situation first appears as a black cloud full of bad news. When those moments arrive, you can curl into a ball and cry for all eternity.…