You’ve followed your creative urge, spend hour upon hour for months curled over your keyboard pecking out words, paragraphs, and chapters, and you’ve finally finished a novel. You’ve shared your accomplishment with friends and family, and now they’re starting to call you a writer–an author. Maybe you laugh and agree. Or possibly you glow with […]
The Ambiance of a Writing Conference Makes a Difference
The co-owners of Castle Gate Press, Phyllis Wheeler and Suzanne Hartmann, attended the Realm Makers Writing Conference for Christian Speculative Fiction this past weekend. While they are both exhausted, the atmosphere of sharing and the sense of family energized and renewed them. Sensing these qualities–which Castle Gate Press also promotes–poured out in a larger arena and touching every attendee, […]
We’ll be at Realm Makers!
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost time for the Realm Makers Christian Speculative Fiction Conference, but it’s only a few weeks away. Phyllis and Suzanne will both be there to represent Castle Gate Press, so we’ve been planning, making arrangements, and preparing our costume for the awards banquet. We’ll be taking appointments to hear about […]
Common New Author Writing Issues
When I first joined a critique group, fresh from finishing the draft of my first novel, I expected everyone else’s writing to be better than mine. Instead, I found that most of us were at about the same level, we just had different issues that challenged us. As I moved into freelance editing, I discovered that the […]
Can’t Afford to Go to a Conference? Think Again!
Attending a conference is expensive—no doubt about it. Every year, many people longingly look at information about the conference they would love to go to, then look at the cost, shake their head, and think, “If only I could afford it…” But what if you can afford it? What if you’re sitting on the money that will […]
Show vs. Tell – A Beautiful Example
We often mention that telling instead of showing is the biggest reason why we reject submitted manuscripts, and we have many articles on the Castle Gate Press website that discuss ways to show rather than tell. Recently, I came across an example of what showing looks like that is so deep and vivid that I just […]
Why Write Tight
Once you start writing, it doesn’t take long before you hear the advice to “write tight.” To the veteran authors who tell this to new authors it makes perfect sense, but sometimes it confuses new authors. After all, isn’t the idea to wow readers with your brilliant word usage? Actually, that isn’t the idea. Author’s […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Jo Huddleston – Making Historical Fiction Believable
When the time came to write Promise Me, book #3 in the West Virginia Mountain series, I was comfortable writing the beginning. Promise Me is set in West Virginia, as were books #1 and #2, and I had done research by personal visits, conversations, and reading. But with the latest book, time has progressed […]
When Your Brain Won’t Work Any More
You’ve got a great idea for a novel. Scenes practically create themselves because you know your characters so well. Your passion for writing takes over for weeks, maybe even months. It might be some type of disconnect between you and your characters. Maybe they’re not agreeable to doing what your plot has in store for […]
Is Your Manuscript Ready For Publication?
One of my favorite parts of being the editorial director at Castle Gate Press is the sense of hope that fills me every time I open an e-mail with a submission. Each one brings the possibility of a great story, memorable characters, and plot twists I won’t see coming. I almost hold my breath as I […]