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Writing for YA
Feeling Blocked? Five Tips to Help

I’ve never liked the term writer’s block and prefer to call it writer’s exhaustion, but it means the same…
July 27, 2020
Romancing Your Story
The Romance Point of View

Point of view (POV) is essential in all forms of fiction to describe the action as the character experiences…
July 23, 2020
History in the Making
The History of Your Characters

When we think of “historical”, we think the story is set in a historical time period, and many of…
July 20, 2020
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Suspense = Uncertainty

Battered fingers dig into the edge of a balcony on the twentieth floor of a New York apartment building.…
July 17, 2020
Mastering Middle Grade
Mentor Texts for Authors

I love having family and friends who teach at elementary schools for lots of reasons, but especially because of…
July 16, 2020
Magazine and Freelance
Avoid these Common Article-Writing Mistakes

As the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching new (and seasoned) writers for…
July 14, 2020
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
How to Make Readers Feel At Home From Page 1

Have you ever walked into someone’s house as a first-time dinner guest and felt out of place? Ten other…
July 7, 2020
Screenwriting
What’s the Plot?

Recently, I finished the first draft of my latest screenplay. The crazy part is I didn’t think I had…
July 4, 2020
Writing for YA
Write Anyway

There will be days when writing is hard. When your eyes burn and your back hurts. You will scrape…
June 27, 2020
Romancing Your Story
Romancing Your Genre

In today’s world of literature, no matter what genre you read, you are likely to come across romance. I…
June 23, 2020
History in the Making
Hospitality in Writing

Have you ever read any books by Shel Silverstein? Since 1963, his poems and drawings have delighted countless children…
June 20, 2020
Devotional/Christian Living
The Bridge: How to Choose and Write the Bible Point in a Devotion

The Bible point is the bridge between the hook where you began your devotion and the application point at…
June 19, 2020
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Helpful Resources For Mystery/Suspense/thriller Writers

Technology today offers a wide selection of resources for writers in the form of YouTube instructional videos, simulcasts, zoom…
June 17, 2020
Mastering Middle Grade
The Benefits of Oatmeal Brain

I don’t know if this happens to you, but when stress piles up in my life, my body starts…
June 16, 2020
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
How to Write Tactful Fantasy and Science Fiction During COVID-19

Writing during a global pandemic is probably not something you thought you’d be tackling. Writing is hard enough by…
June 7, 2020
Screenwriting
Hooked?

I’m excited to say that I am almost finished with the first draft of my new screenplay. Getting the…
June 4, 2020
History in the Making
Why You Need to Get Your Historical Facts Straight

If you’re a historical fiction writer who is under quarantine or lockdown, whether voluntary or government mandated, now would…
May 31, 2020
Writing for YA
Writing Diverse Mental Health Themes in YA Fiction

If you’ve queried in the past five years, you’re familiar with the plea for diverse books. Publishers and readers…
May 27, 2020
Romancing Your Story
Location. Location. Location.

When I first visited upstate New York several years ago, I kept getting the feeling I’d been there before,…
May 23, 2020
History in the Making
Decoration Day: The Joy of Remembering Ancestors

Decoration Day! It looks like an entry in a day planner, and visions of Christmas, a birthday, or a…
May 20, 2020
Devotional/Christian Living
Gotcha! How to Write a Compelling Devotional Hook

A short form devotional has three sections: a hook, a Bible passage connection, and a connection to the life…
May 19, 2020
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Contests—Pretty or Prickly

Your opening scene has edge-of-your-seat tension, your characters are witty and full of life, the description of your setting…
May 17, 2020
Mastering Middle Grade
Real talk: When to submit your manuscript

Writing a book is the literary exercise equivalent of taking a cross-country road trip. No matter how beautiful the…
May 16, 2020
Magazine and Freelance
5 Tips to Make Your Editor Smile

It’s confession time. I’ve been a magazine editor for nine years. During those years I’ve worked with more than…
May 14, 2020
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
Tropes: How to Make Them Credible, Not Cliché

You could probably name tropes from your favorite books and movies without hardly thinking about it. There’s the Reluctant…
May 7, 2020