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 Blythe Daniel @ByltheDaniel I was in journalism class in college and remember my professor saying in red ink, “What’s the hook to draw in your reader”? Headlines were the prize I was aiming for. Sadly it felt like that was harder to nail down than the story. Today, I…

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…

A Hands-on Experience for Novelists   Call 1-800-588-7222 to Register Today Plan to join us November 9 - 12, 2025 for the next Mountainside Novelist Retreat at Ridgecrest! Storytelling is the ancient art of entertaining others with a powerful story. What better way to move farther along your publishing journey…