By Debb Hackett @debb_hackett Last year I recruited (with help) close to seventy-five judges for the ACFW Virginia Crown Award contest that I direct each year. Between you and me, that’s a lot of asking nicely. I’m grateful that a most authors are very receptive to humor as I beg…

By Peny McGinnis @PennyFMcGinnis I might not share this with many people, but I feel safe spilling my secret in the writing community. Something unexpected happens when I open my laptop, call up Scrivener, and type. My storyline takes on the appearance of a curvy road in the mountains instead of…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin The publishing world is full of things which drop through the cracks. Your ability to use the gentle follow-up is a critical skill to acquire and use. Repeatedly in my years in publishing, I have used the gentle follow-up to keep things from getting stalled and…

By JP Robinson @JPRobinsonBooks In my last article, I introduced the idea of an author creating a brand personality and outlined three ways an author can create a solid personality. Simply put, your book’s personality is the way it makes readers feel when they pick it up or read it.…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Separating ourselves from the normal and often demanding schedules of day-to-day often means participating in a fun event or hobby that refreshes us. We choose to be alone or with others, depending on our personalities and preferences. Our characters are the same. A vacation is a…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 “If you’re a writer, you need a blog.” Have you heard that? But do you think, “I just want to write.” After all, writing on a blog takes time away from writing books. So why have one?  Why Should We Start a Blog? Instant encouragement. A…