Publishers and agents want to see writers succeed. Do your homework; go to conferences; take a course at a community college. Bottom line: you must write to get better. Then -- and here’s the hard part -- you must be open to criticism if you’re going to seek publication. Let it settle, then hold onto that which seems accurate. Writing a book is much like building a house. During the foundational stages, it may look mediocre, even ugly, but as construction continues you begin to see beauty take shape.

MY APPROACH TO FICTION:

First and foremost, I want to tell fast-paced stories with memorable characters. I do hundreds of pages of research. Once that foundation for fiction is laid, then a writer can explore all of life's complexities. The more honest the search, the better. Avoiding the dust in the corners doesn't make the dust go away.

I don't want to pound people over the head with ideas through my novels. No, if that was my point, I'd write non-fiction (and someday I may).

I do believe Jesus is the Answer. Which is why I'm not afraid to wrestle with the questions. I expect my characters to do the same.