by Jeanne Takenaka, @JeanneTakenaka The idea of creating characters was the one thing that kept me from jumping into fiction writing for, well, decades. One of the first writing lessons I heard …
Three Ways to Cut Rambling From Your Novel
by Christina Miller, @CLMillerbooks I believe rambling is a major cause of manuscript rejections. When I sensed the Lord leading me to write an article about rambling in novels, I …
Abandon Hopefully All Ye Who Enter Here
By Suzy Taylor Oakley, @oakleysuzyt One of the first things I noticed when I entered the newsroom at my college paper was a sign taped to the wall near our …
What Your Novel Needs
By Lisa Phillips, @LisaPhillipsbks Like children who should be seen but not heard, feelings should be present on every page of your novel or story. Emotions. Angst. Torment. Conflict. We’re …
Putting Our Story on Trial
by Mary A. Felkins, @MaryAFelkins Each week, my craft partner and I spend upwards of three hours talking story and the meaty stuff of crafting a novel. That is, after personal and …