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Dear Writer, Do Your Words Sing?
by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 Every time I hear an incredible Christian soloist, I think, I want to write like they sing. The power in their voice, the soul-stirring words, the motivation I feel to live for God—it’s inspiring. I’ve always wanted to be a singer; however, God didn’t bless me…
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What Is Your Character’s Happy Spot?
by DiAnn Mills @diannmills Characters, like people, need a place to escape tension, stress, and conflict when life’s challenges threaten to steal their optimism. A writer uses a character’s happy spot to add a slice of real life to a three-dimensional character. The character knows where this place is and…
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10 Things Writers Can Do to Make Their Editor Smile
by Alycia W. Morales @AlyciaMorales Writing a manuscript is an exhilarating journey, but just because we've typed The End doesn't mean we're finished with our manuscript. Not. Even. Close. What comes next is rewriting. This is where we try to make our writing better. We fix our soggy middles. Deepen…
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A Novel’s Critical First Page
by DiAnn Mills @diannmills A novel’s first page is critical to the success of a successful novel. Here, the writer must hook the reader into the story by doing the following: Establish genre Introduce a sympathetic character. Initiate a bond between the protagonist and the reader. Build a setting. Create…
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Live to Love and Leverage Language in Your Writing
by Aaron Gansky @adgansky You're using language when you write. Can’t do it without. But language is more a term encompassing vocabulary, imagery, and figurative language. Though it’s of vital importance, it seems to be the thing that is most often overlooked. As writers, we put notoriously little thought into…
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How to Write from the Inside Out
by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 I hardly ever cry at movies, but I cried at the end of Inside Out. Even though it’s a kids’ movie, I saw how the inside of our brains might work when anger, fear, disgust, sadness, or joy takes the helm. Each feeling was embodied in…
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