by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan When I’m teaching about writing dialogue, my first confession is I cut my authorial teeth on dialogue as a playwright. I was the creative arts director for 11 years at my church. We did everything from the 30-second sermon starter to full-length musicals. When I first…

by Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites “Can I really compare my book with a bestselling author’s book?” “Why do I need this? Won’t I shine the light on their book and not mine?” “How many books do I need to compare and contrast?” “What is a competitive analysis, anyway?” These are just…

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author  “Are all your books rip offs?” How does an author answer a question like that without sounding defensive? The question itself is intended to provoke, but getting upset won’t solve anything. Getting upset about it might even make the situation worse. This is the question I…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 We all want a happy ending. But no life reaches a happy ending without some conflict. That’s why we need novels and nonfiction books. We want to see someone overcome the odds and win the victory, find their true love, or solve the crime. We want…

by Julie Zine Coleman @JulieZColeman For any new writer, the idea of establishing a platform is daunting. Even worse, it seems to run counter to a major principle of our faith: the need to die to self. Isn’t self-promotion to the public eye the opposite of dying to self? Yes…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea Always read the reviews. Unless you really want that thing. Do you ever find that special treasure online—the one you’ve been searching for so much longer than you want to admit? And you know, you know, you should read the customer reviews. But you’re also afraid those…