You have the talent, you have the drive, but do you know what it takes to be a successful writer? Our Writing Essentials course gives you the help you need to make it.

If you've always wanted to take advantage of a Christian Writers Guild course, but haven't been able to make the time (or financial) commitment necessary, we may have exactly what you've been waiting for.

Fiction That Sells, Articles That Sell, and Writing Essentials are the first in an expanding series called Concentrated Courses. We focus on the essentials and provide you with what you need for writing advancement. And you accomplish your goals in less time, and for less money.

You can begin studying any time and you'll have the benefit of a mentor, just as you would in our two-year Apprentice Program.
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In Print: May/June 2010

First novel

My first novel, Pearl in the Sand, based on the life of Rahab, will be published by Moody this September. Please visit my website, TessaAfshar.com.

Tessa Afshar, Member

Guideposts article

My article, "The Wild Red Rose," has been accepted for publication in the July Guideposts magazine. Many thanks to my mentor, Sandra Byrd, for encouraging me to submit my work.

Betty S. Lawing, Apprentice grad

Profile published

For Lesson 16 I was required to write a personality profile article. I chose a young couple planting a church in Asheville, North Carolina. I submitted the article to The Apostolic Witness, and it was published in the March edition!

Robert (Bobby) Lewis, Apprentice

Marriage book

BMH has just published my most recent book, Marital Intelligence: A Foolproof Guide to Saving and Strengthening Marriage. I met BMH editor Terry White during an appointment at the 2008 Writing for the Soul conference.

Gil Stieglitz, Member

CBN.com article

I have an article, "Dealing with Pet Peeves in Your Marriage," on CBN.com. I met the editor at this year’s Writing for the Soul. I am so excited!

DenaRae Carlock, Articles That Sell grad

Upper Room check

I received my first check and some sample copies from Upper Room for a devotional in the May/June issue. And I just got an acceptance from Word Aflame Publications for an article I snail-mailed in November. It will appear in this summer’s issue of Vision.
Terry Murphy, Apprentice

Susie devotion

A few months ago I posted a devotion on the Susie magazine website. Recently as I flipped through a printed issue, I saw that article. The editors said they loved it so much, they had to share it with everyone else - my first publication!

Janae Schiele, Squire

Travel writing

My article, "Live it up as a Travel Writer," has been accepted by Advanced Christian Writer.

Kim Rojas, Craftsman grad

Tween books

Tyndale House has launched my new series for tweens, London Confidential, with the first two titles, Asking For Trouble and Through Thick and Thin. For more info, visit sandrabyrd.com.

Sandra Byrd, Mentor

Fiction online

My short story, "The Boggart and the Shoes," was posted on Disciple’s Post on May 1. This is my first fiction piece published. I met Terry Murphy, who runs this website, in February at the Writing for the Soul conference. God continually uses the CWG to bless me.

Jennifer Lindsay, Craftsman

Feature writer

I began working full-time May 3 as a feature writer for the biweekly Hood County News, a paper in my hometown of Granbury, Texas. I’m enjoying the Apprentice program and had many "God moments" and enlightening experiences at the Writing for the Soul conference in February.

Melissa Williams, Apprentice

Writer, photographer

The Harrison Daily Times printed my op-ed article on mental health. I just landed an unpaid job as regional writer and photographer for the new bimonthly magazine The Ozarks Wild Life, and am on assignment for a piece on "Fishing on the Buffalo River." As I wrote this, I got a letter from The Mountaineer Echo editor who also wanted my piece on mental health.

Nancy Janíce Rogers, Apprentice

Online article

My article, "Loss of Power," on parenting your parents, just came out in the Hope for Women Magazine newsletter. I thank mentor Judy Bodmer for her help and guidance with this, as the article was one of my homework assignments.

Western fiction

My latest novel, Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon, was released June 1 by Center Point Publishers.

Stephen Bly, Mentor

Southern fiction

Baker/Revell has just released This Fine Life, the next book in my new line of Southern fiction.

Two articles sold

Since completing the Articles That Sell course in March, two of my articles have been accepted for publication. "Out of Control" will appear in the January 2011 issue of FullFill. And "The Power of Pain" will be published in Now What? in early to mid 2011.

Marguerite (Peggi) Tustan, Articles That Sell Grad