Not sure if the Mountainside Novelist Retreat is for you? Don’t just take our word for it—hear from past attendees: "The Mountainside Novelist Retreat was highly impactful to my journey as a new writer. The staff was gracious and eager to provide constructive criticism when I needed guidance with my…

by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan According to a song lyric by Linda Rondeau: Home, home in the industry Where the writers and publishers play Where seldom is heard An encouraging word And the skies are so cloudy all day. Thanks, Linda for letting me borrow the lyric. Yes, I've experienced discouragement…

by Lynn Blackburn @LYNNHBLACKBURN  I recently survived another deadline. I’m in the teens at this point. Was it the thirteenth? Fourteenth? I’ve lost track. Regardless, after this many deadlines, you might think that would mean I was prepared for the aftermath. You would be wrong. Even though I should have known…

by Alycia W. Morales @AlyciaMorales Have you taken yourself back to school with your self-editing methods? I often work with new writers who want to take their manuscripts to the next level, hoping to ace that query for an agent or catch that editor’s eye at the publishing house. And…

by Julie Zine Coleman @JulieZColeman For many years, my friend Beth mentored middle-school girls at her church, with the intent of drawing them into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. One of their weekly activities, "I Spy God," was a time for sharing reported glimpses of Him they had in…

By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites As a writer, my companion is guilt. The cares of the world cause angst and keep me away from my desk. This “friend” needs to vacate the premises. I need to refocus on why I write, who called me, and who I belong to. So, I…