Allison Auth longs for the quiet writing life until reading about a cabin in the woods helps her see the gift of today.  

Over the Christmas break, I read two books on writing and found myself becoming envious as both authors described disappearing into their office or study to write for hours an...

My children have a wooden toy that is designed to help with concentration and coordination. Held in your hand, the challenge is to use fine adjustments in your grip to line up rotating magnetic disks in a straight tower–not an easy task, since the disks easily swing erratically in different directio...

As an author, your reputation is everything. It’s what sells your books and attracts new readers. However, bad editing can quickly ruin your reputation and turn readers away in the following ways:

A badly edited book is a poorly written book. Spelling and grammar errors, punctuation mistakes, and a...

In a recent group coaching session with our PraiseWriter members,  I explained some elements of a good writer/author bio. These elements came up again when some of our members contributed to a brand-new book, Cloud of Witnesses, which allowed them to include a brief bio at the end of their chapters....

Hi Claire,

I have a question regarding the “credentials” we discussed in the query letter meeting on Saturday. I am feeling a desire to further my education which I am praying about. I am hoping it will make me a better/more informed writer with more credibility.

You have furthered/are furthering ...

“What do you want to do?” my counselor asked me. “Let’s talk about the future and what it may hold for you.”

I really had no specific answer. After all, I had been trying to just stay afloat for so long, so I answered the best I knew how to: “I want to do God’s will.”

“Good, but I want you to dig dee...

I should probably add a disclaimer: these five tips are hard-won, and often very difficult to put into practice. I’ve made so many mistakes as an editor, not just in my editing but in my relationship with authors. I’ve messed up even with authors who are personal friends of mine (sometimes, those ar...

Do you write, or are you a writer?

Do you paint, or are you an artist?

Do you sing, or are you a musician?

And why does it matter how you describe yourself?

We tend to assume that only people who meet some arbitrary benchmark — a completed novel draft, a publishing contract, or a degree in creat...

Note from Claire: In November, we interviewed Amy Brooks, Founder of Catholics Online, in our PraiseWriters community. During our time together, she shared that she felt called to found her community because of the lack of a supportive Catholic community among influencers online.

There was a questi...

If I am serious about my writing, I want it to be the best it can be. That happens when I enlist the help and talents of others. Many books have a page of acknowledgements recognizing those who have had a part in the final published work. It’s a village of people. Here are some of those in my writin...