Write Now Editing

Writing Tips from Susan Mathis

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What is your favorite craft book?

Plot and Structure – James Scott Bell

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

Writing the Breakout Novel – Donald Maass   It’s a practical, empowering classic craft book.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

ACFW-CS Write in the Springs. On April 19-20, 2024, Misty Beller will present “Writing for Success: From story concept to published author” at Glen Eyrie Conference Center’s Great Hall! This conference is limited to eighty people, so it’s personal, relational, and inspiring.

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

It may sound silly, but the online Thesaurus because I can pop on there and find just the right word when I get stuck. Smiles.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

Melanie Dobson. I’ve enjoyed watching her grow and love love love her writing. She inspires me to grow and try new things, too.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

After a career as a journalist, the editorial director at Focus on the Family, and a published author of fifteen non-fiction books and hundreds of articles, an agent said I couldn’t/shouldn’t write fiction. WRONG! I’ve written eleven award-winning stories to date. If God inspires you to write, then you should write.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Be a lifelong learner. Never, ever think you know it all. Keep on learning.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

Study the craft. Read craft books. Watch videos. Join a writers group. Go to writers conferences.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

Your brain works in two different realms…the creative and the logical/editing. Don’t mix your creative writing with your self-editing. Do each at different times. For me, when I’m writing, I have a hot cup of tea and scented candle to set my creative mood. When I’m editing, it’s cold tea, a hard chair, and an all-business mood. And I do them on different days. It works!

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

Never give up. If God’s called you to write, keep writing, even if it’s a random scene every day.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Thanks for having me on your blog, Karin. LOVE your stories!

Tell us about your newest release/upcoming release.

A Summer at Thousand Island House

She came to work with the children, not fall in love.

Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to spend her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy.

But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community?

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has ten in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment andA Summer at Thousand Island House.

Her book awards include two Illumination Book Awards, three American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Where can people find you online?

Buy links: Amazon | Barnes&Nobles | Wild Heart Books

Book trailer: A Summer at Thousand Island House book trailer

Social media links: Website |Author Central |  Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Blog | Goodreads l Instagram| Book Bub| 

Writing Tips from Michele McCarthy

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What is your favorite craft book?

I don’t know that this is considered a craft book, but one I use is Children’s Writer’s Word Book-Mogilner

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

Your Guide to Marketing Christian Books- Sarah Bolme—we can all use pointers in the marketing arena.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

Florida Christian Writers Conference

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

I will go with Rene Tatullupe’s Lyrical Language Lab—as a children’s writer, I need that rhythm and beat reminder!

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

My writing inspiration comes from the hundreds of books I’ve read, enjoying a phrase or humor that paints a picture in my mind.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received?

I’ve been blessed; seems I have encouragers all around me.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Let your words sit for a while. Come back with a fresh perspective.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

In the natural, write. Jot ideas down quickly. Read. In the Spiritual, pray. Does God have you on a specific assignment? Are you being led by Him?

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

Give your work time, set it aside, come back to it. Allow others to contribute opinions or ideas.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

Get involved in a critique group, perhaps through Word Weavers. Each meeting gives you encouragement and sage advice for this big adventure.

Tell us about your newest release/upcoming release.

Across the Sky. Two books with the same title, one a picture book, the other an elementary to adult chapter book. Both point to God’s love letter written across the sky through the constellations that tell the story of Christ.

Michel McCarthy is an author, teacher, and speaker. She taught middle school grammar and reading. She’s a wife, mom, and grandmom to six grandchildren. If she has a piece of paper, she’ll doodle and draw, and she can’t keep her head out of a book.She enjoys journaling and writing poetry, but she never thought she would become an author. Never say never! 

You can find her online at www.michelemccarthybooks.com

Writing Tips from Rhonda Dragomir

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Welcome back for another round of writing advice and inspiration from people like you–writers who understand the struggle of writing a publishing books!

Today, author Rhonda Dragomir shares her writing best practices with us. Welcome, Rhonda!

What is your favorite craft book?

I greatly appreciate The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. I also own and use other books in their thesaurus series.

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

Because it’s so new on the market, most writers haven’t discovered the fabulous material in Exploring the Art of Character by DiAnn Mills, published in 2020 by Bold Vision Books. All of her craft books are terrific.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

I look forward every year to attending the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

Linda Goldfarb’s podcast, Your Best Writing Life is informative and entertaining.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

I had the privilege of being mentored for a full year by DiAnn Mills. She doesn’t write in my genre, but her grasp of all aspects of writing excellent fiction is unparalleled. Her approach is thoughtful and methodical, both of which appeal to me.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

An industry pro once told me I couldn’t write a book featuring protagonists who were not members of my own race and culture. I’ve since learned this isn’t true. With the help of a sensitivity reader, my manuscript with African-American characters is authentic and meaningful.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

One hundred percent of the books you quit writing never get published. The admonition to keep writing despite discouragement and rejections is paramount to success.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

Before you submit your manuscript, be certain to hire an editor. It’s sometimes expensive, but you should never submit a manuscript that’s not been vetted by someone besides your mom or your best friends.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

I run all my writing through an online program, AutoCrit. It’s little-known, but it helps me with pacing, word choice, repetition, and many other aspects of good self-editing.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

When discouragement comes—and it does for all writers, no matter how talented—I step back for a look at the big picture. I keep a document on my desktop with my personal mission statement for writing. When I’m frustrated, I open it for reminders that I write because I’m called by God to write, not because of any certain measure of success. Success is obedience to my calling, not winning a particular award or contract.

Thank you, Rhonda!

Look for Rhonda’s Christmas stories in The Cat in the Christmas Tree by Callie Smith Grant and Christmas Spirit compiled by Terri Kalfas.

Rhonda Dragomir is a multimedia creative who treasures her fairy tale life in Central Kentucky, insisting her home is her castle, even if her prince refuses to dig a moat. She has published works in several anthologies and periodicals, and she is currently seeking publication for her finished novels and screenplays.

Rhonda has garnered numerous writing awards for both fiction and nonfiction, including her selection as 2019 Writer of the Year by Serious Writer, Inc. She was also a finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest in 2020 and 2022 in the Historical Romance category.

View Rhonda’s published works and read excerpts of her works in progress at www.rhondadragomir.com.

Writing Tips with Patricia Bradley

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What is your favorite craft book?

It’s so funny that you ask. Every time I start a new book, it’s like, how did I do this before? With so many good craft books, that’s a hard question to answer. Right now, I’m studying Story Genius by Lisa Cron in preparation for the next book in the Pearl Springs series.

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book?

Randy Ingermanson’s How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method. Why? I wish more beginning writers studied it because it shows how to write a novel using a story to explain the concepts.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

The MidSouth Christian Writers Conference!

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

K. M. Weiland’s blog—she changed the way I write books.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck took me under their wings ten years ago and taught me how to write. They poured themselves into new writers at their Deep Thinkers Retreats—it was like a college education crammed into eight days.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

I’ve never received bad writing advice. Maybe it’s the writers I hang out with… 😉 I will say that a lot of people when asked this question respond with Write what you know. But, I think they misunderstand the advice. I write romantic suspense that usually involves a murderer. Now, I’ve never murdered anyone, but I can understand the emotions that might drive someone to do that. So, the way I take that advice is, identify the emotion of a scene and write what you know about that emotion.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t give up…and study the craft and find a good mentor. I wrote for many years making the same mistakes because I wasn’t involved with a critique group or a mentor to tell me that’s what I was doing. Once I got connected to a great writing group, my writing improved.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

The same as what I received—study the craft, get connected, and don’t give up. The publishing world moves very s-l-o-w-l-y.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

Use the dictation feature in Word before you submit your manuscript. Let it read your story to you—so many things will jump out at you. Missed words, typos, cadence, and more.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

I believe that all writers are called by God to write—it’s too difficult a task otherwise. If He called you to do it, He will empower you, but you have to let Him have control. Let it be in His timing. If I’d been published any earlier than I was, I would be so embarrassed by that book. I learned so much in the year just before I received a contract. All I wanted was to sell one book, but by waiting I was offered a contract for three books. Wait on Him.

For years I focused on Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  I was delighting, but I didn’t see the desires being fulfilled. Then one day as I read that psalm, verse 7 jumped out at me: “Wait patiently for the Lord to act…”  That’s why I say, “Don’t give up!”

Tell us about your newest release/upcoming release.

Counter Attack released May 16, 2023. I loved writing this book! Not only did I get to revisit the game of chess, but I got to delve into the mysterious world of the Dark Web. Here’s the back cover copy: A brand new heart-stopping series from a USA Today bestselling author.

No sooner has Alexis Stone been sworn in as the interim sheriff for Russell County, Tennessee, when a serial killer dubbed the Queen’s Gambit Killer strikes again–this time in her hometown. Pearl Springs is just supposed to be a temporary stop along the way to Alex’s real dream: becoming the first female police chief of Chattanooga. But the killer’s calling card–a white pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it–cannot be ignored.

Pearl Springs chief of police Nathan Landry can’t believe that his high school sweetheart Alexis (he refuses to call her Alex) is back in town, and he can’t help wanting to protect the woman he never stopped loving. But as the danger mounts and the killer closes in, can Nathan come through on the promises he makes to himself to bring a killer to justice before it’s too late.

Patricia Bradley is the author of sixteen Romantic Suspense books set in the South. She is the winner of a Selah award and an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. She’s been the keynote speaker at several conferences where she also teaches workshops on writing fiction.

She and her two rescue kitties call Corinth, Mississippi home, and when she’s not writing, she likes to throw mud on a wheel to see what comes out.

https://www.patriciabradleybooks.com/
https://ptbradley.com/
https://twitter.com/ptbradley1
https://www.facebook.com/patriciabradleyauthor
https://www.instagram.com/ptbradley1/

Writing Tips from Rebecca Price Janney

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What is your favorite craft book?

I read more of those when I was first starting out, but as an established author of 26 books, I gravitate toward the inspirational, as opposed to the theoretical. My favorites would be Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, Reeve Lindbergh’s Under a Wing, and, in general, the works of George MacDonald and Catherine Marshall. I also have benefited from Karen Chase’s marketing book, Brand Author.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?
AWSA Conference

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?
My publisher, Elk Lake, regularly leads its authors to all kinds of helpful resources from a variety of sources. I am currently enjoying Robin Dykstra’s videos.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?
C.S. Lewis—his multi-faceted genres encourage me to step outside my comfort zones to write what’s on my heart at any given season. Jan Karon—I love the way she writes about the sacredness of the every day, always with a winsome hope grounded in the gospel.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?
“Just the facts, ma’am.’ For my first years as a writer, I avoided descriptive elements because my editor (who did much more good than harm) was a bare-bones kind of person. Also right up there was, “Stick to one genre.” I hate being typecast as an author when I can slip between genres and audiences.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
“Read good writing.” By immersing myself in the writing of excellent storytellers, I have become better at my own writing.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?
Manage your distractions. Stay focused. The world is too much with us, sucking our creativity dry. I read that David McCullough writes in a shed without a phone or computer because he wants to stay focused on the writing before him. I haven’t mastered that exactly, but I do try to limit the amount of time I spend on emails and social media. Click bait is the worst.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?
No one ever “arrives” as a writer. Everyone needs a good editor to come beside us and help us hone, hone, hone. There is always some improvement or discovery ahead. Come humbly before God each time you sit down to write. This is his gift, to be used according to his good purposes, inspired by him.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.
Always stay connected to the Source of all creativity. If you’re certain God has called you to this work, don’t let anything get in the way, including yourself.

Tell us about your newest release/upcoming release. 
Easton at Sunset, the sixth and final book in my award-winning Easton Series with Elk Lake Publishing. This is a split-fiction novel in which the two main characters, bound by their ancestry, live in the 18th century and today. The novels were originally inspired by Jan Karon’s Mitford Series.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I love speaking about American history almost as much as writing about it. Thanks for the opportunity to share some of my writing journey!

REBECCA PRICE JANNEY is a historian and multi-award-winning author of twenty-six books, including her beloved Easton Series. Books three and four, Easton at the Crossroads and Easton at the Pass, captured 2019 and 2020 Golden Scroll Awards for Historical Novel of the Year, along with her other winning novels Sweet, Sweet Spirit: One Woman’s Spiritual Journey to the Asbury College Revival, and Morning Glory.

She began writing professionally at the age of fourteen and by the following year was covering the Philadelphia Phillies. With her love of American history, she earned degrees in that subject from Lafayette College and Princeton Seminary, and a doctorate from Biblical Seminary. Rebecca is a popular speaker and appears regularly on radio shows and her podcast, “American Stories.” She is the Regent (President) of the Bethlehem, PA Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and resides with her husband, son, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley where her ancestors have lived since the 1740s.

Find her online at www.rebeccapricejanney.com, “American Stories” with Rebecca Price Janney on Spotify, Facebook, LinkedIn, MeWe, or Instagram.

ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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