I’ll never forget that first day of class. It was my junior year of college and I enrolled in – what I thought – would be a blow-off class. Boy was I wrong. It was a communications class with a new professor by the name of Dr. Hensley. Hensley got up, stared at us until we quieted down, and said: “I am not Mr. Rogers. I don’t like you … [Read more...]
When Will I Start To Make Money From A Blog?
January 9, 2013 by 10 Comments
When I first started out, I saw blogging as an extension of my offline life. I helped people in real life. I was in business and so I thought I could bring that aspect into my site. It's been a journey (a rather long one) and I've learned a couple of things when it comes to how to make money from a blog. Job boards I started out with a job … [Read more...]
Is it Time for Me to Quit Writing?
December 17, 2012 by 5 Comments
Every writer asks this question at some time, maybe many times. Christian writers ask it right along with all the others. Every Christian knows that it is not God’s plan for us to be scared or confused or unproductive. When we feel this way, we have wandered off God’s path into Satan’s wilderness. … [Read more...]
When Is It Okay To Step Away From Your Work?
November 6, 2012 by 16 Comments
That blinking cursor taunts me. Having a work in progress can be very draining. As much fun as it is to work on it, sometimes I just want it done. My current work in progress is a memoir about worship; how important it is and how I struggle with it. I’m putting a lot of myself into it, filling it with as many personal stories as I can … [Read more...]
Three Quick Tips Becoming A Better Christian Writer
November 5, 2012 by 17 Comments
Twenty years ago as I worked on my MA in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) I was assigned as a TA to teach writing. Even though I had written what felt to me like a lot of essays and papers, there is nothing quite like teaching a subject to make one sit up and pay attention. Language can be spectacularly beautiful and so tricky that … [Read more...]
Responsible Blogging About Contemporary Issues Requires Research
October 29, 2012 by 2 Comments
The professional bloggers all say that a blogger needs about 90 minutes to create a quality post. They also say that rich, valuable, well-written content attracts and retains readers. If I write a slice of life or a rant about my opinion, I can easily write a post of 500-700 words, edit and polish it and schedule it for publication inside a … [Read more...]
Memoir: A Genre For Christian Writers
October 9, 2012 by 18 Comments
I used to be a boring reader. I tended to stick with fiction or inspirational books in my reading time, with an occasional non-fiction thrown in. Then a good friend introduced me to a new genre: memoir. Memoir is similar to autobiography. It consists of memories of the author’s life, whether in part or in whole. I tend to think of … [Read more...]
Citations In Non-Fiction Writing — Yes? No?
September 25, 2012 by 8 Comments
When No Higher Power was released, the advertising summary led me to believe it would be dead center in my writing niche – living Christian faith in a secular world. As soon as I received it I dived in. The content was everything I could have hoped for. The book is well-organized. The ideas are thoroughly developed. The writing flows smoothly. … [Read more...]
The Difference Between Writing And Editing
September 7, 2012 by 17 Comments
"Repetition. Repetition. Repetition." "Practice makes perfect." "You won't succeed if you never try." "Rome wasn't built in a day." "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..." There are lots of things we can say to motivate ourselves. Everyone likes a good pep talk, after all. But does perfection ever truly come with more … [Read more...]
Writing: It Takes More Than Passion
July 30, 2012 by 14 Comments
"PASSION for our stories can ONLY carry us so far. SELF-DISCIPLINE …takes us the rest of the way." – Jody Hedlund It’s that word. That character trait, when embraced bears fruit: Self-discipline. In most areas of my life, I would say this virtue is evident. Others see it, they make affirming remarks. I thrive and feel great with structure … [Read more...]
5 Ways To Better Refine Your “Writing Voice”
July 23, 2012 by 12 Comments
It took me a long time to understand that my voice mattered. For many years, I was always taught that there were hierarchies. In life, in families, and in organizations. While that is true, there is a common misconception there. Yes, we need leaders. We need people to organize and run organizations. And we need to respect those leaders. But … [Read more...]
