Talent can be found using the most common devices in the most unusual ways!
Blog
Mastering Subtext in Fiction – Part 3
Words can lie. Actions rarely do—unless someone is a really good actor/actress. But taking that element out, there’s a reason for the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” I talked a lot about subtext in the last two posts. So, let’s dig a little deeper into the topic one more time. For example, a fictional character may say, “I’m fine.” But the tremble in her hands is in direct …
Newsflash: Most Writers Don’t Make a Lot of Money
A couple years ago the Author’s Guild released a survey revealing that very few writers earn a liveable wage based on their income from writing. In fact, most earn less than the poverty line. Publishers Weekly reported the findings this way: “The survey, which drew responses from 5,699 published authors, found that in 2022, their median gross pretax income from their books was $2,000. When …
Fun Fridays – June 13, 2025
Happy Friday the 13th! Enjoy today’s fun video of a delightful impressionist on America’s Got Talent.
Three Nonfiction Books Any Christian Writer Can Write
Agents routinely receive proposals from aspiring authors that are the only creative writing they have ever attempted. At the same time, someone who is eventually published successfully likely has a half dozen other things in a file they’ve never shown to anyone. If you are an experienced or aspiring writer and are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have the opportunity (or responsibility?) to …
Tension: The Key Ingredient for a Novel That Readers Can’t Put Down With Cara Putman
Have you ever started a book that grabbed you from the first page, but somewhere in the middle, you started to lose interest? Maybe you drifted off or didn’t finish it at all. That can happen to your readers, and you may not even be aware of it. If you’ve ever wondered whether your novel is gripping enough, you’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges writers face is keeping …
Proof That English Is an Amazing Language
For some wild reason, this sentence makes perfect sense. “All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life.” and “It is true for all that that that that that that that refers to is not the same that that that that refers to.” (“That” one is from The English Club.) and “No word begins with because, because, because is a …
Fun Fridays – June 6, 2025
I happen to enjoy barbershop quartets and also enjoyed the old Southern Gospel quartets when growing up. I sing bass. So this particular video simultaneously made me laugh and gasp at the vocal range displayed. There are some “inside jokes” that are funny if you follow humorous barbershop competitions. So, if you enjoy such entertainment, watch until the end. Amazing.
Nail the Hook, Nail the Book
I get together often with other writers—at conferences, online, via email, etc. So I’m often asked, “What are you looking for as an agent?” My typical answer: “Irresistible hooks and irresistible writing.” When I say that, I’m talking about both fiction and nonfiction. And you’ll notice I didn’t mention that wretched word “platform.” To be fair, I don’t mind “irresistible platforms,” either; but …
The Most Important Word Every Writer Should Know
Failure. It is a word every writer learns to appreciate with time. In the beginning, it is frustrating and angry-making. Along the way it becomes “meh” to the point of quitting completely. Eventually, there comes the realization that it is normal and part of the business. Michael Jordan, basketball icon, said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost …