New Year, New You
“Whatever goals you have created for yourself for the new year, and no matter whether those goals have been reached or already broken, it is never too late to turn a new leaf and begin again.”
Research in Love for My Welfare
“Even a fraction of you is enough to sustain me for many years.”
Book Review: The Vinyl Detective-Written in Dead Wax
Reading this book was like climbing onto a rollercoaster that cascaded to its end in a dark mountain. You never knew where the next thrilling twist would take you. I devoured the pages in one day, as if I was starving and the book was my only meal.
Interview with Jinn Zamayla: Philippine Jewel
“As a writer, I believe that even though I am new to the world of publishing short stories, I have the passion, love, dedication, and desire to bring out the best writing that I have to the world and touch the lives of people through my writing.”
Book Review: What Loss Can Teach Us
First off, I have to express to you that Beth knows what she’s talking about. The book is laced with stories from her personal experiences and those as a therapist, dealing with these deep, emotionally challenging topics of loss, death, and suffering. The stories are crisp, moving, and interconnecting in a way that readers can relate and dig deep if they’re willing to do the work.
Quarterly Issues
November 21, 2021
Are you struggling to tell a story? Maybe, like me, you’re thinking of tackling the National Novel Writing Month challenge but aren’t sure you could even begin.
November 20, 2021
There is this passage, this song of creation that even babies utter praise and worship the King. Why not a fish who coughs up a coin?...why not horses…?
November 20, 2021
This year, I couldn’t decide which novel to write, so I gave myself some leeway in choosing one to start with, then the option to jump to the next ones after I complete the first. This gave me the freedom to prioritize without eliminating the possibility of working on the other four I really wanted to write this year. But as the last third of the month hits, ideas can wane, and inspiration poop out. So, I, like many of you, need some good solid writing prompts.
November 19, 2021
You’ve been at this for 18 days now. Writing, writing, pushing, pulling, breaking, mending - drafting your NaNoWriMo 2021 novel. Well, by now, you may have come to absolutely love your main characters, or you may hate them. But if you’re not feeling that strongly about them, you might need to take a pause in the storytelling and spend some time falling in love with your lead (or falling in hate, if that villain just isn’t doing it for you).
November 18, 2021
None of these are inherently good or bad. Some people will run wild with your validating words and, intentional or not, harm others in their own “freedom.” Others may rejoice and find healing. The reader’s response is not on you to determine. You cannot force anyone to do anything.
November 17, 2021
Finding motivation all month long can be tricky. Right now, we’re about halfway through the month, and the inspiration is waning for many. You’ve been writing that 1667 words a day, struggling to take the next step, write the next word, not completely blank out. You might just need some writing inspiration games at this point.
November 16, 2021
Your Words Your World, written by Louise Bélanger is one example of this influx of religious poetry. I had the privilege of reviewing this book for the Roost and am happy to report that it truly is a lovely collection of works by a woman with a creative, imaginative mind.
November 16, 2021
If you’re still working away at your NaNoWriMo novel right now, I challenge you to make the following thousand words really count. Tell your readers every smell, every touch, every sound and sight, every flavor in the scene.
November 15, 2021
I decided to try one last Ahmad brand tea this year. Since I loved the Strawberry Sensation so much, when I saw the Strawberry Velvet Cake dessert tea, I thought I’d give it a brew.
November 15, 2021
My journey along the way has been a rather unique one, I would imagine. The first year I wrote, I was “locked” away in my bedroom for the month, writing between bursts of fundraising, ministry, and theatrical endeavors. The following year, similar. The third year, I lived in a run-down motorhome in the backwoods of Florida, awaiting my move to Chicago. I had no full-time job these three years, so they didn’t take me that long to win (apart from the first one when I was gaining my “NaNo legs”).
November 14, 2021
Now, as an adult who happened to marry a man equally Christmas-crazy as myself, I decorate early for Christmas, not when it’s “normal.” I start putting up the decor in October.
November 14, 2021
Throughout this month, I and others from the Roost staff have offered some tips and suggestions for getting those juices flowing again as you push through NaNoWriMo, aiming for that 50,000-word goal. So today, I thought I’d offer up some specific writing exercises instead of merely directing you to other websites for resources. These are the ones I’ve found most effective for myself.
November 13, 2021
One of the biggest things I’ve had to work on as a writer and as a Christian is having the proper perspectives and “standards” regarding morality in my writing.
November 12, 2021
I’ve found that when I find myself overwhelmed and unmotivated to write, despite my goals and desires, I need a break. Here’s how I do it without sacrificing those NaNoWriMo badges.
November 11, 2021
The 50,000 word goal is attainable with just a little prep, various online tools, and fierce determination.
November 10, 2021
These poems were written from the core of Misha’s being. Raw and beautiful, often moving the reader to the point of tears. I couldn’t put it down.
November 10, 2021
November is a busy month in our household. From day 1 to day 30, we have NaNoWriMo on the brain. In the month, we also have my birthday, two birthdays of those who’ve passed, the anniversaries of passings, several friends’ birthdays, a local event we participate in each year, and, of course, Thanksgiving. These days lead to many reflections for me – and many memorials in written word.
November 8, 2021
“What is wrong with me? Why did I write that? It’s fatal trash….” I think many of us can say that during NaNoWriMo. We’ve written a page, chapter, or even a 10,000-word chunk of writing that we think is the worst thing ever composed by any human. And, so, we face that problem: “What do I do now? Trash what I’ve written, take the loss, and move forward from somewhere else? Or do I keep going and realize this manuscript will only ‘win’ NaNo for me and nothing else, ever? Or do I move on and just hope, somehow, I can come back in December and redeem this piece of literary vomit?”
November 7, 2021
So, as I’ve worked on my own character development, I’ve noticed something in much of the world’s “strong female lead” design. This pattern I’ve seen is this: the “weakening” of women and feminine characters by “masculinizing” the characters in order to have them considered “strong.” Let me explain via some examples.