Want to be an effective critique partner? Here’s the challenge: Drop the comment “I liked or didn’t like…” from your critique tool box. Sure, when reading for pleasure, likability of a work is important. However, when in the draft stage and developing the work, someone “liking” or “not liking” what you wrote is not all that relevant. The “like/didn’t like”…
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Approach to Prayer Wednesday A unique approach to prayer is the concept of adding one’s private prayer requests to a piece of paper, folding it, and dropping it into a basket that contains many prayers from others. It reminds me so much of the story I heard a long time ago about a dad who calmed down his child’s fears…
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Today’s guest post is written by literary agent Michael Larsen, author of How to Write a Book Proposal. Pitching your nonfiction book to an agent or editor takes less than thirty seconds. The goal: generate maximum excitement in as few words as possible. Without being self-serving, you must capture the essence of your book, why it will appeal to book…
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Prayer Definitions Monday A petition is very simply the act of asking someone for something. It is a stronger way of saying “request,” and generally carries some air of formality to it, as in petitioning the government. A prayer of petition is a formal prayer asking God for specific things, though it is said with informal language. Your job today…
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Group Prayer Friday Perhaps the largest gathering of group prayer in the United States is the annual national day of prayer. Created by a presidential task force, the national day of prayer seeks to encourage persons from all religions to join in prayer one day each year in deference to the understanding that “one nation, under God” represents our country’s…
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In several previous posts I’ve discussed the need to wear both a business hat and a writing hat if you want to become a successful author. (You can find those posts, which are part of my new book, The Author Training Manual, being blogged here, by clicking on this link.) If you feel resistant to putting on a business hat,…
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Approach to Prayer Wednesday The act of confession typically involves the telling of one’s perceived sins to a religious official, like a priest or another who has the power to forgive. In my opinion, confessions are controversial because they put the power of forgiveness and healing into man, when such power is best left to God himself. Others may feel…
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