Midnight thoughts surround me, messy and monstrous, so I tread carefully. I slip between the forests built of whispers of words, searching for possibilities.
Midnight Thoughts
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Story Embers
Story Embers is run by a group of Christian writers who are committed to glorifying God with excellent craftsmanship. We accept article, poetry, and short story submissions from a number of Christian storytellers around the world. You can peruse our latest posts from contributing audience members below.
Spaceless Race
I run a race that no one can see, but too often I lag behind. I watch the leaves glide on the wind and wonder what it’s like to bide time. When I pause to take a breath, the wind shoves an unchecked task list into my clenched hand.
Why You Aren’t Wasting Your Life Writing Fiction
Have you ever been tempted to tear pages from your notebooks, toss the crumpled wads into the trash, and vow to never write again because it isn’t worth your time? Some days, the words refuse to come. On other days, people insist that playing around with imaginary characters and places isn’t a real job. And every day in between, you stare at the gaping whiteness in front of you and wonder, “Why do I bother?”
SE Podcast #42: Crafting Unique Villains
In today’s episode, Josiah, Hope, and Gabby discuss how writers can create unique and interesting villains. They share their favorite examples of memorable villains, warn against common pitfalls writers encounter when crafting attention-grabbing villains, and debate whether or not a villain can be too unique.
The Stars Are Singing
Earth, an infant of giant size, rocked gently by the ocean’s rise; calm, unpeopled, its surface lies. Above are spread the lightening skies with all the joy of the planets ringing; together the morning stars are singing.
SE Podcast #41: What The Chosen Gets Right about Christian Storytelling
Last summer, several Story Embers staff members watched the first season of The Chosen together. In this episode, Josiah, Rolena, and Daeus discuss what they loved about the series and the techniques Christian storytellers can draw from it. What made the show’s...
The Man Who Lives a Few Roads Down
I know his face, I know his frown, the man who lives a few roads down. His walk didn’t change, though he grew older; his bent back and hunched shoulders.
Why Memorable Writers Need to Experience Real Adventures
The trouble with Christian writers today is that, instead of leaving everything behind as Matthew did, we sometimes stay huddled in our own little booths, waiting for excitement to tap on our windows. But not only does this mentality ignore Christ’s greatest commandment (“go into all the world”), it also stunts our growth. Only interesting people can craft interesting books. And being an interesting person requires one crucial element: adventure.
SE Podcast #40: The Power of Point of View
In today’s episode, Josiah, Hope, and Gabby tackle the strengths and weaknesses of different POVs and explore how a character’s perspective impacts readers’ relationship with the story. They share their personal preferences and give tips on how to choose the right POV character for your story.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Including Angels or Demons in Fiction
Since time began, spiritual beings have played a role in literature, ranging from stereotypical devils with horns and pitchforks to angels with halos and wings. These invisible, mystical creatures can raise the stakes and tension, rescue or endanger their human counterparts, and embody the conflict between good and evil, but since most of us have never laid eyes on one, how can we both accurately and artistically develop them as characters?
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