Oh those pesky dialogue tags. Said. Asked. Replied. Responded. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there on what to use. What’s a writer to do? In the multitude of manuscripts I read, I see writers employ such things as “Sally smiled” or “Gerald laughed.” In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with that….
Last week I posted the submission guidelines to 6 magazines. I do this on a regular basis. Why? Because writing for periodicals is one of the best ways to hone your writing skills. Today’s guest, multi-published author Ava Pennington, has a great deal of expertise in this area and is here today to discuss 6…
While reading a book, have you ever found yourself saying There’s something wrong with that sentence, but I can’t quite figure out what? Do you stop to figure out what’s wrong or just keep reading? I’m guilty of doing both, depending on the circumstances of the moment. Of course, if I’m editing a manuscript, I…
In light of the recent Supreme Court decision, I am compelled to shout a different message than the ones clogging the airwaves and those of cyberspace. Let’s look at the story of the adulterous woman told in John 8. When asked about whether this adulterous woman should be stoned, Jesus said in verse 7 that…
Part of what drives us to be writers is our desire to share our message and make a difference in the lives of others. Multi-published children’s author Janet Ann Collins does just that. Janet and her husband raised three foster sons with special needs, and you’ll find the complexities and challenges of special needs children…
Writers conferences are not only great places to learn, but they are a lot of fun to attend! I enjoy teaching at conferences as much as I enjoy attending them. That’s me in the pic above, teaching at the Called to Write Conference in Pittsburg, Kansas, this past April. At conferences, you’ll learn about writing and…
What book on the craft of writing has been the most helpful to you? I recently asked that question on my Facebook author page, but no one left an answer. So I have to wonder if I’m wasting my time with today’s post. But maybe it was a question that required too much thought. Or…
As writers we all have a purpose for writing. We want to entertain, inform, persuade, or inspire. The passions in our own lives drive what we write. You care about the environment so you may include a character in your book that feels the same. You are politically minded so perhaps you write political thrillers….