Speculative Faith

Fantasy writers pull their readers out of the story when they make worldbuilding mistakes. Here’s how to think through rudimentary physics, basic logic, and normal character psychology.

Jenelle Leanne Schmidt’s blog

Don’t fall into the trap of creating a neat-and-tidy world. Take a hint from the real world and add in some messy human chaos.

The Write Editing

Your reader is far more invested in your story when she can feel white sand between her toes or hear the slosh of carriage wheels in the rain-soaked streets. Here’s how to make your settings come alive without interrupting the story.

Shepherd.com

I had a chance to wax eloquent (or more likely, fangirl) over some of my favorite works of fantasy, including The Last Unicorn and The Neverending Story

Emily Golus Books

We want to create something fresh and different for our audiences, but many of our ideas have their roots somewhere else. Here’s how to dig deep.

Emily Golus Books

You’re supposed to write dialogue the way people speak—but what about when you’re writing about people in a different time period, world, or even planet?

Emily Golus Books

Three types of writers and why one is destined to be unhappy.

The Write Editing

Sometimes writer’s block isn’t your enemy—it’s a helpful friend. Here’s what to do to get your story back on track.

The Write Editing

You want a convincing antagonist that raises the tension of the story, not one so goofy and unrealistic that he undermines it. Here’s how to make your story’s antagonists believable.

The Write Editing

Book-length projects can be abstract and overwhelming. Here’s how to break the project down into small, concrete goals that will help you move forward without panicking.

The Write Editing

As humans, most of us rely on sight more than any other sense. But if you really want to make readers feel immersed in your world, explore it through these other senses.

The Write Editing

Going “all-in” on being a writer and making it a key part of your identity is a recipe for anxiety. Here’s why.

Emily Golus Books

Let’s say you’ve got a great idea for a novel, a memoir, a biography, etc. but you’ve got little to no writing experience. Where do you even begin?

The Write Editing

You don’t have to “go pro” for fiction writing to be worth it. The real value of any art reaches deeper than that.

The Write Editing

Writers are often told “write what you know.” But what about if you write fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, or (gasp) murder mysteries?

The Write Editing

Faith-based writing conferences are wonderful—but they come with a few potential pitfalls. Here’s how to avoid the traps.

Between the Lines Podcast

In this audio interview, I chat with Jennifer Sienes about the origins of the Vindor universe and balancing motherhood with creativity.

Interview with Vicky Sluiter

I talk with Vicky about where I start a new novel idea, research rabbit holes, and my mild terror of a blank page.

Interview with Library Lady Kid Lit

Here I discuss faith and writing, what young writers should focus on, and why Frog and Toad are my spirit animals.

Interview with For the Love of Literature

This interview covers my semi-feral drafting style, Les Mis Easter eggs in Crack the Stone, and my 20-year writing journey.

Interview with Tell-Tale Book Reviews

I talk to Jasmine about character names, writing myself into a corner (er, city wall), and what I'd change in my past.

Interview with Through the Fire

Weird coffee habits, getting into the mind of Valshara Sh'a, and vague hints about a future Vindor novel.

Interview with the Guild Master

The real-world inspiration for the City of Elnat was WILD. I talk about that, how motherhood changed my writing style, and more in this fun interview.

Interview with A Reader’s Brain blog

 Wanna know why Makozi seems so realistic? He’s based off a real kid. Find out more about him as well as my next big goals as an author.

Interview with Back Porch Reads

Here's the heart behind Crack the Stone’s message, and how life as a parent is both shocking and magical.

Interview with A Modern Day Fairy Tale

 Real-world architecture in Crack the Stone, why I’ll never do cave exploring, and the truth that altered my personality.

Interview with Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

Jenelle ventures into Vindor’s fairy forest to speak with Valshara, the goblin heroine of Crack the Stone. Things go badly.

Interview with Adare Elyse

“My heart for Escape to Vindor is to get this book out to teens because it’s exactly the book I needed when I was younger.”

Interview with Christine Kindberg

On this live Facebook interview I discuss my writing process (and mistakes) and why fantasy matters so much to me.

Interview with Through the Fire

In my first interview with Tabitha, I talk about random research I do, writing quirks, and how a good scene is like a jump.

Interview with Wishful Endings

I nearly gave up on the early draft of Escape to Vindor. Here's what went so wrong and the difficult edits that allowed me to fix the story.