I’ll be adding to this page from time to time. But I wanted to start sharing some of the things I’ve gleaned through my writing journey that would be helpful to published or aspiring authors. You’ll also find some resources and historical research material. 
But I’d love to hear back from you! Is there something you’d like to know? Do you have any questions you’d like my take on? Or a subject matter you’d like me to post about first? 

Christian Fiction Writers’ Clinic: I created this group on Facebook so authors can come together and learn from one another. Writing the first draft is only half the battle, it’s revising the draft where the real trouble arises. The clinic is there to help you troubleshoot problems in your draft or in other areas of your writing. The group is open to Christian published or unpublished authors.

Step One To Writing A Novel: One of the most common comments I hear is “I want to write a novel, but I don’t know where to start.” If you’ve ever found yourself saying that, then this post is for you. *COMING SOON*

Critique Partners: I’m sharing my advice on all things pertaining to critique partners in a 3 part series.
Part 1: How to find a good critique partner and How to be a good critique partner
Part 2: Prepare yourself for feedback and What to do with feedback
Part 3: Dealing with hard feedback and Dealing with conflicting feedback

Writer’s Block: Those are some of the most hated words for an author. Here’s my advice on how to deal with it. *COMING SOON*

Character Development: I had written a 4 post series featuring some writing tips on character development. This particular series was written for both the readers and authors, so there are some more personal details here about my characters. But authors will find some tips and be able to relate to my struggles.
The Easy
The Underdeveloped
The Withdrawn
The Hardheaded

How To Use Social Media To Help Your Favorite Author: Originally this post was written because Amazon had unfairly revoked my ability to review on their site. Whether you’re a reader going through this or an author looking for more ways to get your readers involved, this post lays out several options besides leaving a review.

Author Branding Overview AND Social Media Cleaning List: I have some quick tips on establishing or enhancing your author brand. Plus there’s a thorough list of various areas to clean up. I recommend going over the list at least once a year so your branding and social media platforms stay up to date.

Troubleshooting Rules: In order to better understand how to correct common problems found in manuscripts, Dana Kamstra and I have crafted some memorable rules. I’ve divided them into 6 categories.
Author Interference: 
Mother Hen Knows Best

Chemistry and Tension:
Bring Out the Rocks

Plot Problems: 

Summaries and Backstories: 

Character Problems:

Dialogue Issues:

The Feedback Peptalk: Hearing back from your critique/beta readers can oftentimes be both a blessing and a swift kick in the teeth. Whether you’re sending your manuscript out for the first time or not, we can all use a little pep talk to get us through. Here are some things I remind myself. *COMING SOON*

Learn How To Climb Mountains: There are times when the task seems so great that you’re convinced you’ll never finish. In this post, I share one of the most valuable pieces of advice I had found in my writing journey.

Standing Before The Burning Bush: Are you comfortable letting God lead you into the unknown? In this post, I share what I had learned during two major moments along my writing journey. It’s the sort of lesson that writers and nonwriters can benefit from.

Blurbs: Most authors agree that the hardest step to writing a novel is nailing down the perfect blurb (or book description). This post is sure to help you unwind as we take a humorous look at how authors feel about the process.

You Are Beautifully And Wonderfully Made: As silly as it sounds, the Lord used a coloring book to teach me a valuable lesson. It’s one that I often refer back to. Sometimes in the creative world, we can feel bogged down by the expectations of those around us. This post will remind you Who made you and how you can create with freedom instead of fear.

Editing Novels or Life’s Mistakes: This is a quick pep talk full of meaningful memes to help you push through the rough patches of life or novel writing.

The Value of the Silent Servant: Not all moments in a writer’s life are meant to be fame and fortune, so when you find yourself serving in those quieter seasons it’s important to remember that when serving Christ, all work has value. In this blog post, I take a strong look at that.

God’s Promise Of Success: Did you know that God promises success when we work for Him? But success may not look like we had imagined.

My Personal Research Shelf: Here’s a link to my Goodreads shelf. I make a point to list all of my research books in my personal collection on this shelf. I’ve taken to reviewing some of them, but the Goodreads shelf will show you books that I haven’t even read yet. You’ll find books on general writing as well as historical references. Feel free to snoop through them and find some to add to your wish list.

General Author Tools: 

The Making Of A Book Cover: I put together a 3 post series on how I put together my book covers. This series focuses on how I created the covers with original photographs. If you’re using stock photos, some of the same steps will apply but this particular series doesn’t address stock photo resources.
Part 1: Location and Set-Up
Part 2: The Photoshoot
Part 3: Finalizing the Cover

Writing From The Trenches: This is one of those general writing books that I highly recommend. It’s written by 10 different authors and together they offer a great overview of the craft of novel writing. You’ll find my review and more about the book in this link.

Historical Research Tools: 

The Quick Guide to Common Eras in Historical Fiction: In this post, I break down the common eras found in Christian Historical Fiction. The focus is on the late 1700s-1940s in both British and American timeline. My purpose was to offer up a quick overview, helping authors and readers understand the various periods, where they overlap, some keywords to look for, and how to tell them apart based on the fashion.

1800s Etiquette: This is a book review for a FREEBIE I picked up on my kindle. This was vital in understanding the common etiquette of the Victorian era. It’s a gem because it was written IN the day so everything from the language to the advice is helpful for understanding the people of that day.

Researching the South During the Gilded Age: I had a hard time getting my hands on detailed information on life in the South around 1880-1910s. My answer to prayer came in the form of a book and you’ll find a full review of it in this post.

The History Lover’s Playground: Digitized Newspapers: What better source of the past than those of the past. Next to journals, newspapers are great tools for finding out what was happening, what people thought about it, and how they talked about it. This link will give you a better description and the needed link.

Getting Dressed: A Collection of Historical Dressing Videos: The title says it all! This post is a collection of videos that explain the various articles of clothing and how they’re layered on.

English Through The Ages: This is another highly recommended historical research tool. I advise all historical authors to grab a copy. You can get a full review in this link.