blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Writers spend innumerable hours, bags of M&Ms (or baby carrots, but let’s be real), and cups of coffee/tea refining proposals before they’re sent to an agent to send to an editor. 
Later that afternoon, the agent sends …
Never-Fail Formula for Writing a Book That Won’t Become a Bestseller
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
(Updated)
Maybe it’s not discussed often enough in writers’ circles. We talk about what we can do to ready our work for a publisher’s eyes. We list ways to draw readers’ attention with our novels or nonfiction.…
Never-Fail Formula for Writing a Book That Won’t Become a BestsellerRead More
Life Is Research
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Life got in the way of my writing today.
Have those words crossed your mind lately?
Interruptions. Intrusions. Disrupted plans. Upheaval. Kids. Grandkids. Aging parents. Work. School. Volunteer responsibilities. Ordinary and relentless home maintenance…
Memories, good and …
Fun with Words
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Words can be fun.
Overheard in many a Panera/Starbucks/home office:
“What are you doing over there?”
“Having fun with words. I’m a writer.”
Serious writers are often…well…serious.
Intense research. Deadlines. Reading books on the craft of writing. …
Dialogue that Dances
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Dancing dialogue does double-duty. It ramps up tension and reveals character.
How can dialogue move from “lying on the couch” to “dancing with the stars”?
Do away with most space-fillers.
They don’t accomplish the casual or hesitant …
The Writer Who Speaks
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Writers speak. Speaking in public remains a perennial item on the list of things-I-think-will-kill-me-or-worse for many people, writers included. A writer who is able to communicate clearly on paper does not instantly translate into a natural speaker.…
Questions Fourth-Grade Aspiring Writers Ask
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
What questions do aspiring writers ask?
Everything imaginable, according to these questions fourth-grade aspiring writers asked during an author visit.
What is your favorite book cover?–Lexee
- Leather.
Where do you like to eat and do you write …
Fewer Words for Greater Impact
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Fewer words for greater impact?
Those who write devotions are often held to a tough task–tell a complete story with a soul-stirring point and clear takeaway for the reader with a minimum of words.
What a great …
Fruit Loops for Writers
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Fruit loops? Not the cereal. The cycle.
Whether or not you adhere to the premise that the Bible is practical for daily life–pick a subject, any subject–I personally see a strong correlation between what it teaches and …
When Bad Stuff Happens to Good Writers
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
One of my favorite children’s books adds perspective when bad stuff happens to good writers.
The publicity materials for That’s Good! That’s Bad! by Margery Cuyler (Holt and Company) says it’s written for 4-7 year olds. But …