(updated Jan. 31, 2023) In a recent reader survey, several readers mentioned struggling with dialog, so today I’m pulling from the archive and updating it. Dialog must accomplish 1 or more of 9 tasks, according to award-winning author Cecil Murphey. Perhaps that’s why it can be so difficult to write. In real life we learn…
This month I’m discussing misplaced modifiers. Boring stuff, I know, but it can make for some comical—or embarrassing—reading. I think everyone understands the definition of misplaced; however, modifiers might be a bit elusive. Merriam-Webster Online Unabridged Dictionary gives this definition: “a word or phrase that makes specific the meaning of another word or phrase.” Modifiers…
Setting the scene for your reader is critical. After all, as readers, we want to know what’s what when a scene opens. And yes, this means setting the scene with every opening. If this is missing, you run the risk of your reader jumping out of the story in order to figure things out. Keep…
Today’s post is from author Chad Campese. Chad is a father, husband, police officer, blogger, and author of the book Confession of a Christian Fraud. He holds a BA in Christian Counseling and psychology, is heavily involved in peer support and recovery when it comes to first responders, and is an expert in living his…
What do secret baby, amnesia, orphan, and billionaire have in common? They’re all tropes. Have you heard of these things? Do you know what they are? I sure didn’t until recently. I’d heard the word a lot over the past year, but despite doing some research, I hadn’t been able to get a grip on…
Would you like to find new readers? How about a pool of 116 million people in the United States alone? If that’s not enough incentive, how about a worldwide pool of 383 million people? How do you reach these wondrous potential readers? Through their ears. They’re podcast listeners!
Last month over at DebraLButterfield.com I spoke about some of the subtle lies Satan plants in our hearts without us even knowing it. And in actuality, I’m on a cleaning binge. I’m working to clean out the lies I have unwittingly embraced and that have kept me from enjoying the abundant life Jesus promised. A…
Today’s guest post is by author L.A. Darroch, a Christian author with a heart for writing about the persecuted church and other stories that touch the hearts of readers for God’s glory. She seeks to use her writing to encourage readers to “Speak Life.” She credits her late father with introducing her to a passion…