Writers Tips

What is the Crucial Question on the Bottom Layer of Your Book Idea? by Barb Roose As a literary agent, this is one of the main questions I hope an author answers when he or she pitches a nonfiction project to me. Felt-needs topics like parenting, marriage, racial injustice, anxiety, trauma, or wellness are broad topics, like a giant chocolate …

How to Break That Block by Jaime Jo Wright Are you stuck? That whole writer’s block thing got you sucking down pots of coffee and you still got nothin’? Here’s a brief tip on how to break that block: Start something new. I know. That sounds counterproductive, but let’s think about it for a few seconds. One of the reasons we …

Spark Your Writing Creativity: Think of Someone Who Needs a Word of Hope by Tricia Goyer Why are you writing? Usually, it’s because you feel called to share a message or a story. When I sit down to write, I often envision a person who needs advice or a word of hope, and I write as if I’m writing just …

Quick Guide to Studying Writing Form by Janet Holm McHenry You hear all kinds of slogans at writers’ conferences. “Show, don’t tell.” “Write what you know.” “You learn how to write by rewriting.” Those are typically understood fairly quickly. But one that puzzled me for a bit was “Study the form.” Huh? Even though I attended three major conferences the …

Three Keys to Create a Killer Scene in your memoir, novel, or nonfiction story by Susy Flory Have you ever driven a fast car or ridden on a fast horse? I used to ride my dad’s quarter horse named Y-Bar, and he was a slow, gentle and kind ride. Until he wasn’t. If a horse nearby broke into a gallop, …