By Amy Bright @AmyBrightwriter You’re involved in world building even if you aren’t writing sci-fi/fantasy, the genres we usually associate with the term “world building.” Your fictional universes may parallel our “real world,” but they’re always written through your mind and heart.  For many authors, being a “sub-creator” is a…

By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner Authors begin a new story by creating and building their characters—the hero, heroine, and villain, but shouldn’t we also consider the setting as a character? How can we do this effectively? Here’s what I’ve learned on this subject. Setting is where your story resides. Could be…

By Kristin Faith Evans @AuthorKristinEv The pitching process can sometimes seem like a never-ending battle. Have you ever felt this way? I have. But when discouragement attempts to win, I go back to God’s Word over and over. Are you seeking confidence and direction in your writing career? I encourage…

By Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted Three successful novels and now a fourth on the way. What if I disappointed this time? Fear rose, and my self-confidence hit rock bottom. Suddenly, I lost my ability to put a story together. The first chapter came to me but, after that – what? Other…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky Charles Baxter, in Burning Down the House, Essays on Fiction, devotes an entire chapter to a principle he calls “Stillness.” To paraphrase a rather lengthy and well documented argument, he proposes that stillness, a moment in fiction where action subsides and characters/narrators focus on the minutiae of their…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin While many people are publishing books (over 4,500 new books every day, including the self-published books), the competitive nature of this work is rarely discussed. Editors and agents get pitches and proposals from many different authors. What are some of the difference makers that every author…