by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn A couple of years ago, my family and I rode the Virginia Creeper Trail. Built on an old railroad bed, the Virginia Creeper Trail offers a unique biking experience. 17 miles. Downhill. Really. It’s an amazing ride. The scenery is stunning and the trail is open…

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Up on the bookshelf Editors hail. Out jump agents, writers travail. Down through the aisles With lots of books, All with metaphors and crazy hooks. Ho Ho Ho A writer would know. Ho Ho Ho A writer would know. Oh, up on a bookshelf Click Click…

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel Just because you write non-fiction doesn’t mean you can’t be a good storyteller. In fact, I heartily advocate using all the elements of fiction in your writing. This is often called “narrative non-fiction” and employs good storytelling in order to offer an important takeaway. While…

by Aaron Gansky @ADGansky Hey, remember cassette tapes? Good times. Back in the day, mixed-tapes were all the rage. What better way to say “I love you,” than a tape filled with your loved one’s favorite tunes? When I was in high-school, the mixed-tape was a required prerequisite to asking…

by Lindsey Brackett @LindsBrac If you want to develop authentic characters, learning the Enneagram is a great place to start. This old tool suggests nine basic personality types for people—all focused on identifying a person’s underlying motivation (or core sin). Enneagram experts believe every person carries tendencies of the nine…

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I bet you’re thinking that this article is about fishing. Well it is, and it isn’t. We all have our favorite novels, rich stories that send us into the lives of our characters—and even become our friends. We’re walking with them, sharing their joys and sorrows,…