Category: Encouragement for Christians who write fiction for children and teens

I have been thinking recently about things we just can’t do without in our writing – here are, in my opinion, four essentials we all need to remind ourselves of, time and time again:

1. We need to . . .

This week I thought I’d remind us all of something I mention every now and then, and that’s the importance of humour in children’s stories. Not every story has to be laugh out loud funny, but most books gain hugely from at least having some lighter moments.

So here are seven reasons . . .

And now for something completely different! For a change, instead of a writing tip, today I have set you a creative writing exercise. For this you will need a pen and a journal (OK, if you must use a keyboard you can, but pen and paper is better) and half an hour you can shut yourself away . . .

Good morning Christian writers, and welcome to this week’s writing tip! As you know, sometimes these writing tips are for encouragement to keep going (I know from experience how hard it is to stay focused); sometimes they are tips for better writing. This is one of the latter, because . . .

This week, instead of a writing tip from me, we are privileged to have received some excellent writing advice from Karen Witemeyer, bestselling Christian novelist from the States: . . .

And on to today’s writing tip: I’ve said this before, but I’ve seen it again more than once recently – unless you have a really good reason not to, introduce us to your protagonist/s straight away. We don’t need to know everything about them at the beginning, but it’s helpful (and intriguing) if you give us a feel for who they are; a hint of character. You might like to give . . .

I shared this on our facebook page a few days ago, but it’s such a good quote, I thought I would share it with you, too, in case you missed it!

“Read. Everything you can get your hands on. Read until words become your friends. Then when you need to find one, they will jump into your mind, waving their hands for you to pick them. And you can . . .

Happy New Year, writer friends! 2017 already – wow! Where did the last few years go? 🙂 Can it really be 17 years since the turn of the century? Incredible!

happy-new-year 2017

At the beginning of another year many of us take time to reflect on the year just gone and to look ahead at the one that has just started. Every day God’s mercies are new, and every day we can start afresh, but it is useful . . .

Hello once again Christian writer friends! Christmas has crept up on us again, so here’s an idea for the festive season:

Why not take a break from your novel, and write a short story set at Christmas?

How about a story to draw young readers into what Christmas is really all about? The awesome fact of Emmanuel, God with us, who came to serve not to be served, in the humblest of circumstances . . . apparently 36% of children don’t know whose birthday is celebrated at Christmas . . .

The best stories for younger readers often have the simplest plots . . . one main conclusion or outcome to be reached, with obstacles to overcome along the way . . .