The Writing Community by Steph Beth Nickel
Combine the solitary nature of writing plus the restrictions of 2020 and it can take the wind out of our sails. Even introverts who are thankful not to have social obligations hanging over them may find it hard to get their creative gears turning. But just because our social lives have been severely curtailed doesn’t
Writing with Authenticity by Pamela Mytroen
Red CPR engines stormed by, just beyond the platform, shaking the window of the little dormer I stood in. My sister and I held each other and laughed at the thunder of what had become routine. The little nook of my Canadian Pacific Railway home, in which my sister and I enacted many doll-house mysteries,
Your Audience: Who They’re Not by Steph Beth Nickel
You must niche down. Have you created an avatar? What are the demographics of those you’re seeking to reach? And … I’m ready to pack it in. I’m eclectically interested and eclectically involved. I can’t imagine writing for one specific woman who personifies my audience. Guess what. I don’t have to. Well, not really. I
Your Audience: Who They’re Not by Steph Beth Nickel
You must niche down. Have you created an avatar? What are the demographics of those you’re seeking to reach? And … I’m ready to pack it in. I’m eclectically interested and eclectically involved. I can’t imagine writing for one specific woman who personifies my audience. Guess what. I don’t have to. Well, not really. I
The Practice of Expert by Brenda J Wood
I have come across more than one baker who never shared the correct recipe. Oh, they will write out the ingredients, but they leave out an essential, like baking powder. They want to be the only expert in their puny field. (Luke 14:10) Over time, we learn not to trust that so-called expert. The same
Stumbling into Expertise by Brenda J Wood
As a writer, I am always taking classes and trying to learn more about my craft. I examined the teaching list of a recent writer’s conference ad and laughed out loud. I know most of these folks. I know they probably don’t consider themselves to be experts. Still, someone else did and my friends simply
Developing Team Support by Tracy Krauss
Last time we talked about the need for a variety of support systems in order to surround oneself with a strong writing community. This included large organizations like Inscribe and others, perhaps a genre specific group or collective that has a narrower focus, a small local or online writing group where you really get to
Building Your Writing Community by Tracy Krauss
No writer is an island. Everyone needs some type of encouragement and writers are no exception. To build a supportive community, a variety of connections are needed to serve different purposes. Some are obvious choices, but I’ll start wide and then narrow the field as I go. Join one or more well established organizations. When
The Creator: A Devotional by Steph Beth Nickel
From the introduction to Nurture and Inspire Love … The Creator John 1:3 says, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” From John 1 we learn that God is the Word. We also learn that Jesus Christ is the Word—that He is, in fact, God.
Three Steps to Using Narrative in Nonfiction by Pamela Mytroen
“Never could any one say of their illustrations that they were windows that exclude the light, and passages that lead to nothing.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon in defense of writers who use narratives How do you use a narrative in a nonfiction piece? First, decide what the meat of your message is before you decide