Jennifer Hallmark

Yes it is Christmas time and you are busy with gatherings, shopping, work, and school! One event leads to the other but did you know this is an important time in your career as a writer? You might say, “Wait, I take vacation at Christmas!” I understand and do so myself. However, the last week of the year is of extreme significance to me as a writer...

For the last year, I have been posting articles on-line. You mean you’ve been selling articles and making tons of money? That is a good question. No, not yet, but I have my name and articles all over the internet, over one hundred and sixty times that is. What do I mean by articles? How have I done this? Why? How? Let me answer your questions one by one…

Margie walked into the break room and found Debra talking to Jill. Immediately Jill grew silent, said hi to her and left the room. Debra just stood there, looking confused. “Anything wrong?” Margie asked. “Yes. Things at church have gotten weird and I am not sure what to do,” Debra admitted. “Sit down and tell me about it...

“Mom, do I have any clean blue jeans?” my daughter yells from her room. "Did you wash any?” I reply. “I’ve been so busy. I work full time you know.” “I work too.” “But Mom…” This is a typical conversation in our “almost” empty nest...

I walk through my quiet home on the way to the laundry room. Washing a small load of clothes, I carry the towels I folded earlier to the bathroom to put them under the sink. Music from the satellite TV is softly playing in the background. Going outside to sit on the front porch, I feel an odd mixture of peace, pain and boredom. I live in an “almost” empty nest...

A sermon at church preached on this verse brought it to the forefront in my mind. To be well pleasing to God…hmmm…is that really possible? Paul, who is writing a letter to the church at Corinth, tells them that he is making it his aim so it is possible. It is not only possible but should be our aim also. How do we become well-pleasing to God?

Several months ago, I began writing this series of articles on writing. It was birthed through several people, on the same day, asking me how I started this writing thing. They had a cousin who wrote poetry or remembered writing in high school. One woman had a notebook stashed in the back of a closet, full of journaling from her teenage years. With this in mind, I took what I had learned and put it on paper in hopes that it would help someone...

What is a writing voice you may ask? It is you. It is all your quirks, passions, desires, thoughts, feelings, strengths and weaknesses. We all sound different when we talk and we should all sound different when we write...

So many decisions in my life...it is difficult being in this new phase of children moving out, a new grandchild, and a new career. At times, I am excited and on fire about the changes and other times I feel depressed and moody. Did I mention I am also at that age of other changes? Ladies will know what I mean…

Whew! The writer’s block we dealt with last week is finally out of our system. We are back on track, for now anyway. It is time to discuss our last topic concerning the art of writing, details. What do I mean by details?

It is Saturday; the day after the Lady Hornets won the state 2A championship in basketball. We had made the long trek down to Birmingham with the other Hornet faithful and watched a well-earned victory. There was a certain sadness, however, with most of the starting line-up being seniors. These are girls who are about to venture on to college, a career or maybe a marriage and a family. Like I said, it’s Saturday.

I walk through my quiet home on the way to the laundry room. Washing a small load of clothes, I carry the towels I folded earlier to the bathroom to put them under the sink. Music from the satellite TV is softly playing in the background. Going outside to sit on the front porch, I feel an odd mixture of peace, pain and boredom. I live in an “almost” empty nest...

Writing…what is writing in its truest form? Writing that makes one laugh out loud or weep bitterly…writing in its truest form is something that moves the soul of man...

“Mom, do I have any clean blue jeans?” my daughter yells from her room. "Did you wash any?” I reply. “I’ve been so busy. I work full time you know.” “I work too.” “But Mom…” This is a typical conversation in our “almost” empty nest...

To all you who are mocked, laughed at, criticized and condemned because you follow Jesus, obey His Word and are not ashamed, I write these words to bring encouragement from the Word concerning the stand you are taking...

What is a writing voice you may ask? It is you. It is all your quirks, passions, desires, thoughts, feelings, strengths and weaknesses. We all sound different when we talk and we should all sound different when we write...

Whew! The writer’s block we dealt with last week is finally out of our system. We are back on track, for now anyway. It is time to discuss our last topic concerning the art of writing, details. What do I mean by details?

A sermon at church preached on this verse brought it to the forefront in my mind. To be well pleasing to God…hmmm…is that really possible? Paul, who is writing a letter to the church at Corinth, tells them that he is making it his aim so it is possible. It is not only possible but should be our aim also. How do we become well-pleasing to God?

The art of writing. This is a subject that will take more than one week to talk about. We have talked about many other aspects to deal with publishing, promoting and becoming a career writer but need to spend a few weeks on the actual writing itself. There are three important lessons I have learned during this writing journey that I can pass on to you...

Your local library is a smorgasbord of books, ideas and activities guaranteed to stir a writer's imagination. We've have already discussed the importance of being a reader and a learner; the library provides reading and learning at every turn. Let's talk about my local library; libraries of course differ from city to city but they all have some things in common...

Several months ago, I began writing this series of articles on writing. It was birthed through several people, on the same day, asking me how I started this writing thing. They had a cousin who wrote poetry or remembered writing in high school. One woman had a notebook stashed in the back of a closet, full of journaling from her teenage years. With this in mind, I took what I had learned and put it on paper in hopes that it would help someone...

It is Saturday; the day after the Lady Hornets won the state 2A championship in basketball. We had made the long trek down to Birmingham with the other Hornet faithful and watched a well-earned victory. There was a certain sadness, however, with most of the starting line-up being seniors. These are girls who are about to venture on to college, a career or maybe a marriage and a family. Like I said, it’s Saturday.

Set things in order! It seems like for the past month that God is saying to set things in order. It is the worst part of winter and we should have already set things in order several months ago. We should have already gotten our cars winterized, plowed under our gardens back in the fall, and wrapped pipes and outdoor faucets for freezing temperatures...

Journaling: writing down your thoughts, observations and experiences in a specific place like a journal, notebook or computer folder. While I know this is important in the pursuit of a writing career my first thought was my lack of success in keeping a journal...

You are making progress in your writing career when “bam!” out of nowhere falls a giant block of stone in front of you, impeding your journey. You cannot go forward no matter what for the words will not come. This is the dreaded ailment known as writer’s block...

Writers must be readers! That might be a strong statement but there are several reasons why reading and reading constantly and consistently makes us a better writer. We start to read at a young age and what we read, how much we read and how well we understand what we read shapes the writer within...

Whew! The writer’s block we dealt with last week is finally out of our system. We are back on track, for now anyway. It is time to discuss our last topic concerning the art of writing, details. What do I mean by details?

Learning More? You Have Attended School Your Whole Young Life, You Might Say, With Many of You Having College to Boot. if You Have Been Reading These Weekly Articles on Pursuing a Writing Career You Have Also Taken Some Writing Classes, Joined a Writing Group and are Reading. is There Yet More?

So many decisions in my life...it is difficult being in this new phase of children moving out, a new grandchild, and a new career. At times, I am excited and on fire about the changes and other times I feel depressed and moody. Did I mention I am also at that age of other changes? Ladies will know what I mean…

Your local library is a smorgasbord of books, ideas and activities guaranteed to stir a writer's imagination. We've have already discussed the importance of being a reader and a learner; the library provides reading and learning at every turn. Let's talk about my local library; libraries of course differ from city to city but they all have some things in common...