Jan here, hoping to offer a few encouraging thoughts and ideas to help you as writers thrive through the approaching holidays. The past five or more years, I’ve headed into the Christmas season with either book deadlines or December speaking engagements (or both). I loved the work and ministry involved, but it made an already busy season extra busy. In some ways, I approached it by doing what I could to survive and get through to other side. I want to do it differently from now on. How about you? There’s the usual excitement and activity of the season, the family events and traditions…
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This is our archive pageAre You Craving Boring?
Happy Tuesday from CAN Secretary Jeanette Hanscome. Do you ever catch yourself wishing that God would give you a little break from all the excitement? I’m not talking new contracts, speaking engagements, and writer’s conferences. I mean the “Is this my life or a made-for-T.V. movie” kind of excitement. You know—the events that you eventually use in books and speaking topics.
Writing for Pure Enjoyment
Jan here, writing to you today about writing craft, with a focus on keeping the fun in writing. Recently I had a conversation with writer, Nancy Sanders, who encourages those she mentors to take time each week to set aside deadlines and write whatever they feel like. I see merit in that. Oftentimes we do enjoy what we are currently writing for publication, but it might do our writing some good if we took regular time to write something just because we want to. This post is dedicated to writing for the fun of it.
Outlining #3 – Setting that makes a difference
Another Monday, and hello from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailmartin.com I'm to share another topic on techniques in writing. I’ve been cover information I learned about screenwriting techniques from the Gideon Media and Film Festival. The third technique to enhance your novel is using setting to make a difference in characterization and mood. 3. Setting should be specific and used to deepen characterization and conflict, not just a place to plop characters. Setting influences the storyline because it influences the lifestyle of the characters, and it affects their needs and wants or their ability to reach these goals.
Let’s Fly!
Happy Monday to you from Bonnie Leon. There are verses I return to again and again. One portion of Scripture I especially love is Isaiah 40:26-31. It begins powerfully. “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
Still Proclaiming!
Hey, friends! Jennifer Devlin again. For this second post of the week, I’m switching hats from a “board” post to a “speaker” post. Bear with me; I’d like to continue the thought I started earlier this week. Let’s think about our drive to proclaim the gospel — now in our speaking rather than our writing. I included this specific photo because it reminds me of a wonderful opportunity I had to speak to a group of believers. We spent the weekend encouraging, teaching, training and discipling. We shared meals, Scripture, prayers and hearts. We experienced a bigger sense of…
Marketing Lessons from the World of Retail
Hi all, Tracy (T.L.) Higley here, posting another marketing lesson I’ve learned from my years in online retail sales. As I mentioned last month, I’m currently in the midst of an experimental year, applying principles from my retail business to the marketing of my fiction. If you’ve missed earlier posts, and would like a better explanation of my background and what these posts are about, please see Principles #1 and #2 here. So, on to Principle #3… Repeated contact drives sales. In building our online retail business (you can see our product lines here if you’re interested), I have found…
We Who Can’t Not Share…
Hey, friends! Jennifer Devlin here. I’m so proud of the volunteers who are helping make the Christian Authors Network such a success. From the board who spends many hours each month working tirelessly behind the scenes to members who are helping with various tasks, to member blog posts, we are growing and thriving, and encouraging one another in this writing life. Thank you for all you do! As I think about our network of writers and readers, I’m reminded how quickly thinks change over time. Writers are constantly learning new techniques to make their words come to life, and…
CAN Book Feature: Babes with a Beatitude by Linda Kozar
Babes With A Beatitude—Devotions For Smart, Saavy Women of Faith by Linda Kozar (Howard/Simon & Schuster) Releases in December, 2009. Daily Inspirations for the Blessed Life “The blessed life”…that’s what the word beatitude actually means…and that’s the life God created you to live. The 366 devotions (yes, there’s an extra one for leap year!) were written with today’s busy woman in mind. Each message is short, but more than sweet, as it delivers powerful words of hope, purpose, direction, and encouragement. For every day of the year, you’ll find an uplifting scripture, a straight-to-your-heart message, and a “Beatitude Check” that gets…
Blowing it
He was back . . . again—the annoying guy with the bad comb-over and pastel 3-piece suit. Who wore a suit like that to a writer’s conference? And what was he doing here anyway? Was he even a writer? According to our last conversation he was in town for a convention but stopped by the writer’s conference with some of his buddies to kill time. When did the conference coordinators start allowing that?
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