Book Proposals
After Your Submission, Learn Patience
After you submit your proposal to an editor or a literary agent, many writers begin to fixate on their…
February 25, 2026-
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The Picky PenEngaging Readers Through Dialogue
There are many writing tools that an author uses to keep their readers engaged, but without dialogue, it would…
February 24, 2026 -
Kids LitA Troop? Swarm? Gaggle? What do you call a group of Editors?
Whether you are starting or multi-published, there are editors in your life. Some are most helpful before submission, and…
February 6, 2026 -
Devotions for WritersPreparation
“Dad, today’s not Sunday.” He began the day as he did every day, by getting ready for church. Dementia…
February 4, 2026 -
Writers ChatWriters Chat Recap for January 2026
Writers Chat, hosted by Brandy Brow, Melissa Stroh, and Norma Poore. The place where craft connects community! How to…
January 30, 2026 -
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)Preparation Works
Earlier this month, I took my coldest bike ride in 28 years, with temperatures dropping below freezing. To be…
January 29, 2026 -
Writing for YALessons Learned to Last All Year
January arrives full of possibility, and the fresh, new year tinges the air with energy and hope. This always…
January 27, 2026 -
Book Proposals
Why Simultaneously Submit Your Proposal
Within the publishing world, in general, if you get a response from an editor or literary agent, it can…
January 26, 2026 -
The Picky Pen
How to Punctuate Dialogue
Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, you will likely use dialogue in your work. Let’s have a little…
January 22, 2026 -
Kids Lit
Post Launch
On September 2, 2025, my Christmas book, Just Enough Room for Christmas, was published. That means on December 26,…
January 8, 2026 -
A Lighter Look at the Writer's LifeScattered “New” Thoughts
Here I sit at the dawn of the New Year (by the time you read this, the calendar will…
January 6, 2026 -
Devotions for Writers
Keeping the Faith
“Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” 2 Kings 6:33 NIV I recognized the disappointment in the…
January 3, 2026 -
Writers Chat
Writers Chat Recap for November & December
Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, Melissa Stroh, and Norma Poore. The place where craft connects community!…
December 31, 2025 -
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)
Motivation Mayhem
For the past few months, I have really struggled with getting motivated to write and be creative. Not only…
December 30, 2025 -
Writing for YA
When (and What) to Quit
The season for evaluating and organizing our lives and our work is upon us, but the idea of filling…
December 29, 2025 -
Book Proposals
No Nos for Your Submission
When I write about book proposal creation, I’m giving insights about how to make your proposal stand out to…
December 28, 2025 -
Kids Lit
The Christmas Read-Aloud Crowd
A torrent of new books comes out each holiday season, celebrating Christmas, both religious and secular. Some, sold to…
December 8, 2025 -
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life
What Do You Write?
I recently attended a writers conference, and that typical question reared its head. “What do you write?” It’s a…
December 6, 2025 -
Devotions for Writers
The Advent of Snow
A blanket of snow enveloped the night with serenity. I poked my head out our front door and inhaled…
December 3, 2025 -
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)
Putting in the Work
This month, I had to make the difficult decision to give up on trying to recover work and files…
November 29, 2025 -
Book Proposals
Why Do Editors Take So Long with my Submission?
Many new authors wonder why it takes so long for the editor (or literary agent) to process my submission?…
November 26, 2025 -
Guest Posts4 Key Tips for Crackling Dialogue in Your Fiction
No matter how compelling a narrative is, poorly written dialogue can turn away countless readers. Flat conversations are like…
November 24, 2025 -
Romancing Your StoryFrom Rings to Rainstorms: Using Symbols and Motifs to Deepen Your Story
It’s a myth that symbolism and motifs are the sole property of literary writers. They are important tools in…
November 23, 2025 -
The Picky Pen
Misplaced Modifiers
As an author, you have to carefully craft sentences that grab the reader’s attention. Part of that, as I…
November 19, 2025 -
Kids Lit
Peeking over the Artist’s Shoulder
This month, I interviewed an artist friend about how his mind works! Welcome, Jack Foster. Jack and I met…
November 8, 2025