When I first heard the word “platform” in the context of writerly steps, I had a vague notion of social media followers, email subscribers, and speaking engagements. And I sort of shunned the idea. I didn’t really know what it meant, why it was important, or how to start and grow my platform. A platform […]
Sara Twinkle
Glorify God in Your Writing: 7 Authors Show You How
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Christian writers have existed ever since Christianity, from the gospel writers to modern-day novelist Chuck Black. Christian artists in general have striven to center their work right around the Lord, like Johann Sebastian Bach, […]
8 Common Writing Problems (and How To Overcome Them)
Twice a week after school in second grade, I would put on cleats and shin guards, fill up my water jug, and go to soccer practice. First, we’d do conditioning. Laps, suicide, and high knees got us warmed up before we moved on to drills. We learned passing and shooting. We learned spacing and defending. […]
How to Find a Writing Mentor and be the Best Mentee
Perhaps you’ve heard about writing mentorship. Maybe you’ve seen it on our WriterScore test or our online community. Or perchance a speaker at a writer’s conference has mentioned writing mentorship. You start to think, This mentorship stuff might be helpful. But while you’d love a senior writer to coach you, you’re unsure who to ask […]
3 Ways to Strengthen Your Story’s Sagging Middle
Sometimes, the middle of your story is like a confused forest trail. The trail starts out in front of your little cabin, so you follow it. It’s marked, “castle road,” so you assume you’re going to end up at a castle. Your trail winds under beehives, around boulders, and even through a tunnel. You follow […]
How To Choose Your Point Of View
Have you ever read a story that made you feel like you were experiencing it right alongside the characters? Or maybe you’ve noticed that some authors show you the thoughts of multiple characters, while others don’t let you into any of their thoughts. And some books purposefully leave you knowing less than the main characters, […]