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FINISHING WELL
Posted on May 17, 2022 Leave a Comment

My first two novels went like clockwork, once the literary agency I was signed with decided to publish them through a special Amazon program. Meghan’s Choice was released in November 2017, and Rose’s Redemption followed in 2018. No problem. More about this in the next post.
The WHY of a Degree
Posted on May 10, 2022 Leave a Comment
You might ask WHY I would spend three and half years and lots of money to get a Master of Divinity in my late 60s. The only answer I have is — that I pursue God and His purposes for me.
Transitions—Part 1
Posted on April 9, 2019 Leave a Comment
Things are changing for me. For the last five years, I’ve focused on writing Christian fiction alone. Later this year or early 2020, I hope to launch an inner healing ministry called Refreshing Streams. Stay tuned. God has been stirring my heart to help others by bringing inner healing to life’s hurts. #transitions #refreshingstreams @donnalhsmith […]
Happy New Year 2019! See the Possibilities—Part 4
Posted on January 22, 2019 Leave a Comment
What’s in front of you to do? Is it like “Let’s Make a Deal” — with Door #1, Door #2, Door #3? Do you have your fingers in many pies—or just a few? @donnalhsmith @a3writers #HappyNewYear2019 #Lookforward #SeethePossibilities TWEETABLE
Plotting 4 Pantsers – Part I
Posted on September 19, 2018 Leave a Comment
There are “outliners” or “plotters” in fiction writing. And then, there are “pantsers.” Plotters/outliners write out the essence of every scene and chapter before they write the first sentence. Pantsers, on the other hand, may have anywhere from a general idea to an informal “outline” of a few plot points they’d like to have in […]
Writing Romance 101––Part VI
Posted on April 11, 2018 Leave a Comment
We’re still building a heroine named Susie. We don’t know too much about her yet. Here’s a good tip: use little flaws or imperfections to make your heroine someone your readers can identify with. Click to Tweet #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine
Writing Your Story from the Middle––Part IV
Posted on November 8, 2017 1 Comment
We’ve been discussing writing your story from the middle, by pinning down the protagonist’s “mirror moment.” It’s a moment of self-reflection to determine what their next move is. They consider where they’ve come from, so they can plan where they’ll go from here. Click to Tweet #amwriting #writefromthemiddle
Writers’ Conference Prep 101––Part III
Posted on August 30, 2017 Leave a Comment
Attending a writers’ conference is almost mandatory in order to advance yourself personally, and professionally. But you need to know what to expect. That’s why I’m writing these posts. I’ve attended numerous conferences, from a local one-day, to a multi-day conference far away. I’ve learned a lot, and hope to pass some of that along […]
Writing Romance 101––Part I
Posted on August 16, 2017 3 Comments
So, you think you want to write a romance? It’s a great genre. We all love fairy tales where the prince and the princess live happily ever after, right? That’s probably where romance got its start. A story with a happy ending, where guy meets girl. They get together. Live happy. Click to Tweet #amwriting […]
Keeping the Middle Moving––Part I
Posted on June 21, 2017 Leave a Comment
You’ve heard of it––in more than one way. That awful, sagging, middle. In fiction, a sagging middle will bog down your story. Click to Tweet The reader may decide to stop reading. Not what you want. #keepmiddlemoving #amwriting