A lot of us are in the habit of writing and saying what we know other people want to hear from us. This is very necessary and good when it comes to some things like schoolwork and chores – but the habit doesn’t grow a writer who can speak from the heart.

Grab your Bible [...]

Writing Your Story is Only the First Step

Ponder this quote from the blog of author and freelance editor, Maryanne Miller (http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2010/01/things-that-drive-editor-crazy.html):

“Developing the story and getting it down on paper – or stored on your hard drive – is only the first step in writing a book. The next couple of steps are crucial and infinitely [...]

By this time, we hope you’ve been inspired to work on some stories of your own. They may not be novels yet, but they could be the start of something big.

How do you know if you’re on the right track?

Almost all professional writers have a critique group–people they trust to read their early drafts, comment [...]

Writing Prompts

Are you keeping your pump primed?

In order to get a stopped water pump working, it’s sometimes necessary to pour water over the stalled pump’s parts. This is called priming the pump. Once the water is running through the machine, it helps the pump kick into gear. 

Writers need to keep their own “idea pumps” primed [...]