From the Archive
Craft of Writing
How to Have a Fantastic First Page
When I peruse my local bookstore for my next purchase, there’s a process I use to decide how to spend my hard-earned dollars. First, the […]
Writer's Journey
Police Work and Writers Have a Lot in Common
December 31, 2011
Comments Off on Police Work and Writers Have a Lot in Common
For the past twenty years, I’ve worked as a 911 dispatcher. In the beginning of my career, I worked the graveyard shift at a busy […]
Contest Winners
Great Openings Contest Nonfiction Runner-Up: Temper the Wind by Brenda Wilbee
Where are the trees? I shift into first, then bump slowly across the cattle guard into Meteor Ranch. I tap the brakes and stare in […]
Craft of Writing
How to “Write Tight”
Editors continually tell us writers that we need to learn how to ‘write tight.’ What exactly, does that phrase mean? How can authors like ourselves […]
Writing Tips
Surviving NaNoWriMo
November 2, 2020
Comments Off on Surviving NaNoWriMo
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or have removed all social media from your devices, you know the eleventh month is a BIG DEAL […]
Spiritual Life
Prayer: The Foundation of a Writing Life
August 19, 2012
Comments Off on Prayer: The Foundation of a Writing Life
Years ago a friend shared with me that her co-worker always bowed her head to pray before tackling her workload. This simple act was the […]
Marketing & Platform
Creative Marketing Part I: Becoming Known in the World
February 12, 2015
Comments Off on Creative Marketing Part I: Becoming Known in the World
Platform. Branding. Promotion. It’s about becoming known. Writers hope our books bring value or at least a joyful respite to our readers. But despite buckets […]
Author Interview
Michele Zumwalt: Bringing Hope and Healing through Testimony
In Ruby Shoes, Michele Zumwalt invites readers into her struggle to overcome prescription drug addiction. Michele gives readers hope that they too can overcome the […]
Contest Winners
The World’s Greatest Storyteller
This post was the winning post in our Blog-Excellence writing contest. Congratulations Malcolm! As writers, we study our favorite authors, and meditate upon why we find […]
