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Screenwriting
Elevator Pitch

If you think the Coronapocalypse has the US economy down, imagine the effect it is having on Hollywood. Most…
May 4, 2020
Writing for YA
Why Your Beta Stopped Reading Your Manuscript

Finding a reliable and dependable beta reader can be a challenge. They often bail on you. Why? This topic…
April 27, 2020
Romancing Your Story
When All Seems Lost

The Black Moment. The Crisis. The Breakup. There are many titles for that moment when all seems lost. No…
April 23, 2020
Kids Lit
Which Hat Shall I Wear Today?

In January, I had the privilege of speaking about being a writer at a large private school near…
April 21, 2020
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Why Write Mysteries, Suspense, and Thrillers?

Why do you write fiction? Why cloak your story in the mystery, suspense, or thriller genre? The right answers…
April 17, 2020
Mastering Middle Grade
A Conversation with Rebecca Balcárcel

I had the privilege of meeting award-winning children’s author Rebecca Balcárcel through my local chapter of the Society for…
April 16, 2020
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
World Building: What publishers Want

There’s something immersive about opening a fantasy or sci-fi book and feeling like there were hundreds of pages of…
April 7, 2020
Screenwriting
Log lines

In the business of screenwriting, everyone dreams of getting a big sale with their passion project, projects they worked…
April 4, 2020
Writing for YA
Researching and Authenticity in Fiction: Interview with YA Author Felicia Bridges

I’ve always loved books about far flung places. It’s a wonderful way to expand horizons. I decided to talk…
March 27, 2020
Romancing Your Story
How Do You Write Characters of the Opposite Gender Realistically?

This was a question I saw in the Twitter writing community and realized it is a challenge, especially in…
March 23, 2020
History in the Making
Inanimate Objects as Characters

Using inanimate objects as characters can add a powerful, interesting element to your story. I cried when Wilson, a…
March 20, 2020
Devotional/Christian Living
More than Motivational: 3 Ways to Make Your Writing a Ministry

Christian Living and Devotional writing falls under the umbrella of non-fiction writing. In general, non-fiction writing informs and motivates…
March 19, 2020
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Escalating Conflict

Sit down with a good book and hope for a relaxing evening. The opening sentence immediately captures your attention,…
March 17, 2020
Mastering Middle Grade
CHECKING in with YOU

This blog has been such fun. I’ve truly enjoyed writing it, reading what others on A3 wrote, and occasionally…
March 16, 2020
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
Three Ways to Use History to Build Your Fantasy

Margaret Atwood is well-known for her novel The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian first published in 1985. Her novel covers…
March 7, 2020
Screenwriting
High Concept

Recently, I was motivated to start work on a new screenplay, one that has been a passion project of…
March 4, 2020
Romancing Your Story
When Romance Writers Read and Create

In my opinion, anyone who says they don’t have time to read might as well say they don’t have…
February 28, 2020
Writing for YA
How to Alienate and Offend Readers: Diversity and Sensitivity

What’s sensitivity reader? A sensitivity reader may not be what you think it is. These are not “thin-skinned” readers…
February 27, 2020
History in the Making
Comic Relief: The Golden AGe of Comic Books Amidst Americans in Crisis

Comics Book #1 landed on newsstands in June 1938, and from its pages Superman soared into the lives of…
February 20, 2020
Devotional/Christian Living
5 Ways to Make Social Media Less Frustrating

If you are going to be a Christian Living or Devotional author, then you are going to need a…
February 19, 2020
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Setting the Hook

Without a perfect bait a fisherman loses their chance in catching a fish. They must take their time and…
February 17, 2020
Mastering Middle Grade
My Fifth Anniversary

As an adult, writing has been a mainstay of my professional career. I majored in journalism, interned at newspapers,…
February 16, 2020
Magazine and Freelance
Put Dialog on a diet

Like delicious desserts, dialog is often a reader’s favorite part of a story. We quote great dialog for generations.…
February 14, 2020
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
How Setting Can Be a Worthy Villain

It takes a spell-binding plot and evocative characters to create a memorable story. Some writers meticulously plan each plot…
February 7, 2020
Screenwriting
What’s the Point?

Recently my best friend and I met up for our first guys’ night out of the year, after eating…
February 4, 2020