Let me be clear about one thing: I loved getting my English degree. I loved my professors and how they helped me to sharpen my skills as a writer and a critical reader. I loved getting to have discussions with and learn from people who thought differently from me. Most of all, I loved being in a community of people who care as much as I do about the stories we tell. That being said, I always felt as if literary academics and I were not quite on the same page (no pun intended). As the years have gone on, so has my struggle to put into words the exact…
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Judging Books by Their Covers, Part 2: Things That Will Make Me Pick Up a Book Every Time
In spite of the age-old adage, we all have to find what we like to read somehow, and covers give you the first taste of a book. From the more obvious elements like the title and cover art to more subtle aspects like the shape, size, and even texture, the title is your handshake and the cover is your interview. And as any marketer will tell you, you don’t have more than a few seconds to either wow readers or kiss them goodbye. There are lots of books in this world, after all, and they don’t have time to give too many second chances. I’ve already written about my top…
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Judging Books by Their Covers, Part 1: My Top 10 Book Icks
We all do it. Unless you read every book on the shelf in order from left to right, you can’t not do it.I’m talking about judging a book by its cover. And more than just its cover; this includes every first impression you get from a book. As creators, we walk a tightrope between packaging our work in ways that seem to work and being different enough to stand out. So whether we chase trends or eschew them, we’re probably doing so in hopes of catching readers’ attention and holding it in the face of unimaginable competition. But enough with the market trends and pressure from your agent (if you’ve…
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Gina’s Writer Confession #1
I have a confession to make: I’d rather write than read. I’m often embarrassed when people ask me what books I’ve read recently or how many, because I often give up on books or struggle to pick a new one. Don’t get me wrong—I love reading and it did a great deal to shape the person I’ve become. But I’m very picky about which authors I trust in my brain and imagination. As hypocritical as it is, I don’t like to feel vulnerable, and reading is vulnerability. You’re letting someone else drive, and sometimes they don’t take you where you want to go. Have you ever driven with someone who…
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The 10 Work Boundaries I Live By
With a whiff of the upcoming busy season at my job in the air, I felt the resurgence of my burning passion for the boundaries I use to keep myself healthy and happy, even in the corporate world. So without further ado, these are the rules I live by. I can imagine the possible objections to these rules, so let me address some of them briefly. Work is a necessary means to an end, and I hope you have or gain the courage and know-how to take control of your side of that transaction.
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That Halloween Mood
Spooky season? More like the real most wonderful time of the year! You know what I love about Halloween? The expectations are totally different from any other holiday. You can kick it however you like, and you’ll fit right in. Love horror movies? Go wild. Want to play it safe and decorate jack-o-lanterns? Go for it. Decorate with spooky elegant decor all year round? Well, now you blend in! In fact, I think it might be said that Halloween is one of the most customizable holidays. Sure, you could technically celebrate anything (or nothing) exactly as you please, but at Halloween, you’re freer from rigid expectations. Let Me Feel This…
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Spooky Things: A New Era of Courage
The Perfect Metaphor I recently remembered a story my mom likes to tell from when I was little. We were with family at a hotel pool, and I was the youngest of the group of cousins there. The others, including my older sister, were big enough and good enough swimmers to go in the deep end, and they spent most of their time there. I was…an okay swimmer. My parents had insisted I take swim lessons. “Because so much of the earth is covered with water,” I remember my mom explaining, “you don’t want it to be a true emergency for you to just fall in.” But my desire to…
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Into the Darkness: How I Approach Writing Traumatic Events
Show, don’t tell. That’s the iconic writing advice. Sensory details plunge us into a story and hold us captive. The more vivid and dramatic, the better, right? Sometimes. But every storyteller has their limits. I occasionally wonder if showing restraint in how intimately I portray dark scenes will hurt my career. Think about the most popular TV shows. They usually have some pretty traumatic and gruesome scenes, and those are constantly making the headlines. So like everyone else, I often have to make a choice. Which details enhance the story, and which ones take it too far? Let’s take a look at the competition. Movies and TV are a hard…
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An Ode to the Illusionist
Authors are not the only creators of fiction. Actors, both on the stage and the silver screen, are our brethren. They breathe characters in and walk around in their shoes, like the most intimately connected of readers. Visual artists, too, can create fiction. They may draw scenes or give a face to a character who visits readers only in little snatches. But there is one creator of fiction who is often forgotten, and that is the illusionist. I hope no one makes their entire way through life without experiencing the magic of the theater. When the lights go down and the curtains come up, it’s like your body doesn’t exist…
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“Christian Fiction” vs. Faith in Fiction (and Why I Prefer the Latter)
Christian fiction sounds pretty straightforward. You would think that the quickest way to recognize whether a book fits in that genre would be to ask the question, “If you ran into God in the middle of this novel, how surprised would you be to see him?” If you’re not surprised at all, you’re probably reading Christian fiction. If he took you considerably by surprise, you’re probably in a different section. Right? But that’s not the case. Even if you don’t regularly read Christian fiction, let’s walk down that aisle. What would you expect to see? You’ve got your Amish romance section (a weirdly specific niche, but it’s a thing), your…