Why Context Matters When We Write About God’s Word
A few years ago, I drove past a billboard that screamed “WPS!” in giant letters, with the name of a heating and air company along the bottom. If you were visiting my area and saw that...
Continue ReadingWhat Is Entrusted to You?
“By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." (2 Timothy 1:14, ESV) The blank screen on my desk taunts me. I hear whispers from...
Continue ReadingA Disciplined Draft-by-Draft Process
A quote pinned to the bulletin board in front of my desk reminds me that writing is a process. “Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it.” —Emma Coats Continue Reading
The Story I Never Should Have Told
Recently, I spoke to a women’s Bible study and opened with this story.
I spent five summers lifeguarding back when we reached for baby oil instead of sunscreen. Now, I schedule regular skin cancer screenings.
5 Ways You Know You Are Called To Write
As I typed the words on the paper, mixed emotions filled my mind. Were my words worth it? Did they make any difference? The sacrifices made felt weighty in the moment, and the sting of a...
Continue ReadingPerfectionism, a Beginner’s Plight
In high school I enrolled in many art classes, and as a natural procrastinator, I was often behind on projects. One day, in an effort to catch up, I hastily swiped 20 strokes of charcoal...
Continue ReadingWho Told You That?
This is your moment. You’ve finally mustered the courage to climb out of “creative hiding.” You’ve carved out a sliver of time to write without the threat of distraction. You rush to open your computer. Your...
Continue ReadingHow To Give and Receive Constructive Criticism, by Shirley Jackson
How do you feel about constructive criticism? For years I’ve experienced a love-hate relationship with it. Whether solicited or uninvited, constructive criticism yields mighty power. Sometimes it bolsters my writer’s soul and propels me forward....
Continue ReadingHow Your Writing Heroes Can Become Your Writing Teachers in Five Seconds or Less
Today’s blog post comes from Book Proposal Boot Camp member and writer Taylor Murray.
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I read my first novel by Francine Rivers when I was 11 years old. I...Continue ReadingPracticing Vulnerability in Your Writing
Today’s blog post comes from Book Proposal Boot Camp member and writer Alison Brehme.
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Have you ever had writer's block when it comes to sharing your innermost thoughts and feelings? Being vulnerable...Continue Reading