Author Archives: ACFW
Creativity—Keeping it Pure
by Terri Gillespie “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1, TLV Creativity. Taking nothing and making something. Albert Einstein said, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” I love that. The Creator of the Universe—our Heavenly Father—sure … Continue reading
I Mowed My Grass
By Julia Kay I mowed my grass. Big deal, right? Yet, we find posts similar to this on social media. Some folks share their health problems, minor details of life, or political views. It’s a rather large spectrum. What does … Continue reading
When Your Setting Takes on Character
By Norma Gail Setting that takes on character brings our stories to life in the minds of our readers. When the author knows the setting well, small details can enhance what our characters experience. In a recent review by Connie … Continue reading
The Big Squeeze
By Linda Brooks Davis Ever tried the Big Squeeze object lesson? Present four identical sponges that have been soaked in four different liquids, each clear and visually indistinguishable from the others. Ask participants if they can identify the liquids without … Continue reading
A Not-So Top Gun Moment
by Burke Speed I knew I was in trouble when I saw my Commander waiting for me when I landed. I was a young, hot-shot fighter pilot and had just come back from having a great time…except for the whole … Continue reading
Making It Real
by Kathy Harris In a plot twist few had fathomed––although Dean Koontz predicted something eerily similar in his 1981 novel The Eyes of Darkness—a tiny organism too small to see without a microscope has turned our lives, and our livelihoods, … Continue reading
How Can YOU Reach a Broader Audience?
By Mesu Andrews When I was choosing dates to write for the ACFW blog, I noticed that today, May 21st, is Ascension Day. Now, I’m a theological mutt. Mom’s charismatic. Dad was Quaker. My grandparents were Pilgrim Holiness ordained ministers—both … Continue reading
5 Business Tools to Aid our Writing
By Kass Fogle By day, I don my Human Resources cap and march into the office ready to drive results through project work, endless meetings, and to-do lists. But like anyone’s plan for the day, mine turns on a dime … Continue reading
Research Can Amaze You
By Janetta Fudge Messmer Years ago (2009) I had the privilege of working with multi-published author, Janice Hanna Thompson on a book idea. I was a newbie and the two of us brainstormed a story in my living room in … Continue reading
From Reality to Imagination
by Lisa Kibler I finally did it. I made the leap from nonfiction to fiction, and I love it. Nonfiction gave me my start in this amazing writing journey as I crafted a story about becoming like a local in … Continue reading
Do your characters talk to you?
By Glynn Young The news report made quite a splash. Researchers at Durham University in the U.K. teamed up with The Guardian newspaper and the Edinburgh Book Festival to do a study of authors. And the study reported that two-thirds … Continue reading
The Art of Baking…and Writing
By Kariss Lynch I’m always cooking up a new story. The problem? I can’t write them as fast as I can concoct them. And somehow the thoughts don’t always make the batter very creamy. (Can you tell I’ve been baking … Continue reading
A COVID-19 Surprise
By Kay DiBianca I don’t like grocery shopping. Let me be more specific: I hate it. But if we want to eat, I have to shop, so once a week I gird my loins, grab the grocery list and head … Continue reading
Always Too Many Words
by Ann H. Gabhart Have you ever been asked to condense a novel you have written down into one sentence? Perhaps fifteen to twenty words? You are talking about a story that perhaps took you one hundred thousand plus words … Continue reading
Chapter Endings: Keep your Readers on her Toes, not her Heels
By Suzanne Woods Fisher A while ago, I read an interview in my local newspaper featuring a woman who had just turned one hundred years old. The reporter wanted to know this centenarian’s inner motivation. What had given her that … Continue reading
