Every writer doubts their abilities. It’s the nature of the process. When working on a novel, invariably I will write something of which I am certain is effective that, upon further scrutiny, seems to suck. The reality is none of these are true; it is neither effective or awful. The fact that it can in […]
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Does where you write effect how you write? When I was starting out writing screenplays, I read an interview with Patrick Sheane Duncan, screenwriter of the film Courage Under Fire, who said that he taught himself to write anywhere with a pad of paper and a pencil so that he could write whenever he was […]
Video games can make you a better writer. I know what you’re thinking. I’m nuts. My wife would agree with you. She is fond of calling them “stupid little video games.” She’s also fond of calling anything that she thinks is a waste of time as “stupid little.” Like this “stupid little blog entry.” But, […]
Writing can be a painful experience. I spent the majority of my life around, involved in and pursuing a life in film. I studied it, I performed in it, I wrote for it, I directed it and I loved it. Some of my work made it to Hollywood, but most was of the independent nature. […]
I’ve read a lot of blogs and posts and articles and advice columns about writing and a lot of them come down to one basic conclusion: Writers write because we don’t really have a choice. It’s not that someone is holding a gun to our head or anything. Well, maybe there is a writer out […]
“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” -St. Augustine This quote exemplifies a hard lesson I have learned over my faith journey. Being obedient to God requires that we give 100% to His call while knowing it is only through Him that we can succeed. It is a […]
Want to start writing or publishing novels? There are a lot of great websites out there to help new writers learn from experts and for starting publishers to get a feel on the marketplace. Here are a few that I’ve found helpful and the ones I visit most often. Alton Gansky – a successful Christian […]
I like to challenge myself. And I like to learn new things. These attributes have come in handy as I’ve focused on writing novels. When I was a kid, I was enthralled by movies. One summer in particular, the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark was playing at a local dollar theater. Back before DVDs […]
I have a theory. This theory started when I was in college. Back before DVDs and online streaming, it was nearly impossible to watch a movie that was no longer in the theaters and movie classics could rarely be seen outside of film festivals. So, it was a special treat to see Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window in […]
A Pius Man: A Holy Thriller, by Declan Finn, is equal parts intriguing and frustrating. As a self-published novel, it is one or two professional edits away from being a top-notch thriller. A Pius Man is the first in a trilogy of books and deals with the threats against a newly elected Jesuit Pope and […]
When working on a project, I need my must-have information staring me in the face or I’ll never remember all of it. It’s just the way I’m wired. Years ago, during training for my day job, I learned that people organize their workspace in a variety of different ways, depending on how their minds manage […]
The primary reason I am attracted to creating faith-based entertainment for young adults is because they have virtually no viable options that promote a healthy faith journey. Whether it be our Nikki & Babs DVD or our upcoming Gabby Wells novel series, I feel there is a growing need for young adult characters that are […]
Creating an effective marketing campaign means you have to work backwards. For our first book, Gabby Wells: Water & Blood, Dorothea and I met and had a brainstorming session over lunch, discussing all of the things that have to happen between now and the release of the book. As you can imagine, such a list […]
When scanning through the themes available on wordpress I decided upon the Chunk theme for its simplicity and clean look. One of the default settings for this theme is it has infinite scroll. In other words, every entry ever made on this blog will be listed on this single page. You won’t have to go […]
Out of the plethora of publishing options available today, we’ve ranked three that fit the best. Our Gabby Wells novel series is about a teen sleuth who, along with solving mysteries, must also deal with the high demands of her faith. These stories are not written in a preachy sort of way. Though most people […]