By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writing effective dialogue means being true to our premise, theme, setting, characters, and genre. Let’s examine the guidelines and characteristics for popular genres. Romance The story is about two people who are romantically involved. The plot focus is love—the characters must overcome differences, obstacles, and make…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky You hear writers often mention the “fictive dream.” John Gardner called it a “vivid and continuous dream.” It’s a term used to describe a simple principle: no one wants to read a book. There, I said it. Man, it feels good to get that off my…

By Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites David and I arrived back in May at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference early enough that we decided to explore just a bit before my faculty meeting kicked off and his appointment with a hungry trout commenced. Oddly enough, although I’ve attended BRMCWC for…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea It’s satisfying to find new ways to get to know people. For instance, I learn a lot when I see how a person responds to an expiration date. One person’s red alert: “You ate that Shredded Wheat a day after the date on the box? Thou shalt…

By Tammy Karasek @tickledpinktam It’s no surprise to know writers have an affinity for words. Whether written, or even spoken, we are most often so full of words itching to be written or shared in some way we don’t have enough time each day to get them recorded or said.…

By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner As children, we loved to play in our imaginary worlds. We’d make up stories for our dolls, barbies, trucks, build forts and have wars, etc. If you’re a writer, I’m guessing you probably even had an imaginary friend or two, right? Confession time . . .…