Saturday, October 29, 2011

Crawling Out of the Boat

Lisa Buffaloe has an article featured today on So You Want To Write.org.

I pray to write in excellence, to honor the Lord with all I do, say, and write. Instead my failures rear their ugly heads, and inadequacies whisper words of doubt. Who are you to write? What on earth are you thinking? Knees bent, I plead and grovel. Help me Lord! Send someone to firm up the areas where I’m weak.
To read the rest please visit So You Want To Write.org and link to Crawling Out of the Boat


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Living vicariously through your characters


I think I am an entrepreneur at heart, albeit an entrepreneur without guts, glory, capital or time.

Because of this, I invent elaborate businesses for my characters to start or run. That detail doesn't always make it into my writing but I dream of it nonetheless.

How do you live vicariously through your characters?

Monday, October 24, 2011

What Caught My Eye

Below are the short pitches of proposals that have caught my eye over the years from debut authors...by Steve Laube
What Caught My Eye

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Cliched Groceries

Hilarey here...

If you have ever worked at a grocery store, you know there are some interesting combinations. I grew up in Lake Tahoe, and we could identify tourists by their shopping carts. (If the way they talked, dressed or walked didn't give them away.) For example, most ski bums had beer, bread, toilet paper and little else.

I knew someone who worked at a grocery store. She told me the funniest combination she ever saw was prophylactics and aspirin.

Here is your chance: write two shopping cart items that define a character. Peanut butter and grape jelly don't really give anything away--people eat that together all the time.

It can be random and cliched, or for a character in your current WIP.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Book endorsements

Hilarey here...

Have you ever chosen a book by new authors based on the endorsement of another author you liked? I have.

Book endorsements can be a great way to sell yourself to new readers, whether you are the author or the endorser.

Steve Laube has a great post about endorsements and the risk. Read it here.

Has anyone been (politely) rejected for a book endorsement or had to decline a request for an endorsement?

Let us know if you have a suggestion for a helpful endorsement policy.

And for fun, we are looking for a bad endorsement policy.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Bare Your Soul & Find Your Voice by Bonnie Gray



A snapshot I took while peddling on bike

Don’t examine whether your voice is worthy. Give it freedom out of your heart and you’ll be true to who God’s made you.

I love my digital camera.
It has revolutionized my life.
I am no longer limited to 12, 24, or 36 exposure rolls.
I can capture the moment with as many rapid fire clicks as I want — while laughing, gulping back tears, or half-falling off my bike pedaling.
I don’t have to worry. I’m sure to find one or two good pictures out of the gazillion shot.
The best ones are the unplanned moments.
Candid. Surprising. Real.
Because of faith, finding my voice has taken me on the same journey.
This journey is called freedom.
To read the rest, please link to... Snapshots of Faith: Bare Your Soul & Find Your Voice

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Conference Proposal Requests


Conference Proposal Requests

by Tamela Hancock Murray
The recent ACFW conference (attended by nearly 700 writers and industry professionals) has writers, agents, and editors in overdrive as we all attempt to follow up on conference proposal requests. Writers are working feverishly to get proposals to editors. Some are thinking, “Surely the editor who seemed so excited about my proposal is checking email at least once or twice a day looking for it. I must, must, must get the proposal out today!”
Not so fast
To read the rest, please link to.... Conference Proposal Requests