Fifteen Great Picks from 2022

Throughout the year, our blog team share their insights and wisdom - it may be inspirational, a story of writerly struggles or triumphs in a messy world; tips about the writing life and writing craft, or an interview of one of our members. Sometimes it's moving, or funny or thought-provoking or all three.. Always, it's the result of thought, research, experience, passion, creativity. 

On today's blog we highlight 15 great blogs from 2022 (in no particular order). Out of close to 80 posts, it wasn't easy to choose and there are many others equally deserving of notice. 

The CWD Admin team would like to give our blog team a huge thank you for your contributions throughout 2022 (and over the last decade). We have a wealth of information and inspiration on the blogsite - accessible on multiple subjects and themes. Read, ponder, be inspired and challenged. 

Jeanette O'Hagan

1. Of Birthing Books and Babies by Jo Wanmer

A baby begins with a lone egg. A book begins with the beginning of an idea, just like a seed in a womb. Fertilization, a sperm or a boost of another idea or concept, pushes the writer to start to grow and develop the seed. Expectantly, we begin to create something for others to absorb. 

A baby in the womb develops quickly. By the end of the first trimester it even has individual fingerprints and, if a girl, more than a million eggs stored in her ovaries. (babycentre.com) Our books' skeleton's form quickly too. 

Read more here.

2. The Gift and the Blessing by Rosemary New

Reading a good Christian book is a blessing.

Writing a good Christian book is a gift from God—a ‘pay-it-forward’ blessing for readers. How long might it take for the writer’s gift to merge into the reader’s blessing?

In my book, it was 22 years.

I heard these words from God one day in 1993: “I want you to write a book.”

I was shocked. Stunned. The last time I had written anything like a book was as a 7-year-old, 

Read more here.

3. The Value of Unpublished Words by Nola Lorraine

• A traditionally published book = Value
• A quality self-published book = Value
• A homemade photocopied booklet = ?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the value we place on various types of writing. As writers, we want to find an audience for our work. In my role as an editor, however, I’ve often had to tell authors that their manuscript needs more work if they want it to be published. Sometimes a LOT of work. Many take feedback on board and polish up their drafts, but I know there are others who’ve felt discouraged and maybe even doubted whether they’re meant to be writers. This is never my intention, as I always try to be encouraging, but I have no control over how people will respond to my comments.

I think one of the problems is that we tend to equate value with publication, but they’re really two separate things. 

Read more here.

4.  Wonderful Criticism by Charis Joy Jackson

I hate criticism. OK that’s not true, I used to dislike it, but now, I’ve discovered how much constructive criticism has made me a better writer. I’m still learning and I hope I will still be honing this craft well into my 90’s. But most of all I hope by reading this, it will help you change the way you look at criticism.

Let’s be honest, none of us really like it. 

Read more here.

5.  Writing for Children: The Genesis of Pepper Masalah by Rosanne Hawke

What does it take to write good stories for children.  Multi-award winning children's writer, Rosanne Hawke explains -

When I was six I wrote a story about a cat sitting on a mat. Those were the words I could safely spell but what I really wished was to write an exciting story with interesting words.

Writing for younger readers involves our best writing, interesting words, exciting plots with genuine characters and voice. You may say that’s the same for any age group and you would be correct. So what’s different? For younger readers you’ll also need a child (or animal) main character and a topic that children will be intrigued by. Hmm, take a cat and a storm.

One night on our farm a huge storm blew up and my black cat Harry disappeared. 

Read more here. 

6. The Typical Teenager? by Claire Bell

My adult daughter commented on how many of her friends had been recently tested for autism and/or ADHD. They perhaps had always felt ‘different’ from their peers and decided to find a non-blaming reason for it. My own children always felt ‘different’ too, but put it down to the family having Christian values, or not having grown up with a television. How many young people feel ‘different’? Are they any more different than their peers, or are they simply different from the common narrative we perpetuate in fiction and media of the ‘typical teenager’?

Read more here.

7.  Reliably Write by Adele Jones

At the close of the session attendees were invited to ask questions. This led to a discussion about narration viewpoints and character/reader perceptions in the context of young, perhaps naïve, protagonists. In essence, an “unreliable narrator”.

“An unreliable narrator is a storyteller whose perspective isn’t totally reliable if we want to get the full picture or the whole truth.” ~ Kaelyn Barron


The unreliable narrator is an interesting concept and a well-used literary device. My personal leaning is that no viewpoint is ever truly reliable 

Read more here.

8.  Health for Writers by Marc Jeffrey

Sitting kills you

Well, the answer is ‘sitting’, described by a state government as the new smoking. It’s just no good to sit. Mind you, bus drivers will still bark ‘sit down’ to the unruly students at the back of the bus!

But (a little) more seriously, I get it that today’s society sits way too much, usually bingeing subscription TV. 

Read more here.

9. When you have no energy to write by Elizabeth Tai

The struggle to establish myself in a new niche was more daunting than I thought. I endured toxic jobs, crammed massive amounts of knowledge and struggled to maintain a foothold in impatient corporations that were more than willing to toss you out if you couldn’t catch up.

As I struggled with these challenges, writing stories about spaceships and aliens faded into the background. The worry of putting food on the table and saving enough for retirement was all-consuming.

And then the pandemic hit. I found myself without a job like thousands around the world (though of my own choosing — long story) and having to grapple with lockdowns, social distancing, isolation and family health crises.

I wish this was a “10 things to do if you don’t feel like writing” post. But I have no easy answers except to share my experience as I try to revive my dying flame of creativity.

Read more here.

10.  Creativity's Path by Jeanette O'Hagan

The path to creativity doesn't run smooth

One of the highlights of my childhood was winning the first prize in an art competition (in Grade 3). I loved to draw and paint as a child. I also had a passion for reading inspired by my parents reading the the Chronicles of Narnia to my brothers and me each night. Lewis’ imaginative stories transported me to another world, their strong symbolism and courage an inspiration. 

Read more here.

11.  The Curious Convergence of Chaos and Creativity by Mazzy Adams

While I focused on the final onslaught of Indie Publishing Licence to Die, the hotchpotch of folders, images, and documents filling my computer’s ‘desktop’ screen mirrored the paper jungle overtaking my desk.

Despite that, with focussed persistence, (and a willingness to read or listen to the same instruction six or sixteen times if necessary) the final product emerged FROM CHAOS, complete, published, and ready for the reading world.

Did I have to work hard to make it happen? Yes. Was it difficult or challenging? Frequently. Did it bring me joy? Yes (between the tears and the teeth-grinding). Will I keep writing, keep producing chaotic first drafts, edit them, submit them to scrutiny, edit them again, typeset them, design covers and promotional material, and fulfil the million-and-one other requirements for bringing a new book into the world? 

Read more here.

12. Meeting God in Every Plot Twist by Susan J Bruce

As writers, we love creating ‘plot twists’ in our stories, but we don’t like the plot twists life throws at us. When hard, horrible, or crazy stuff happens, do we believe God will help and strengthen us, or do we get in a flap like the hens in the Chicken Run film? 

Read More Here.

13. No barriers by Jo-Anne Berthelsen

Soon after my first novel Heléna was published in 2007, I became curious about where all those early copies would get to. I remember wishing I could install a tracking device on them so I could see who read them and what interesting adventures they had along the way. Of course, I also realised that could be discouraging. After all, some might end up unopened on dusty bookshelves somewhere or, worse still, in the recycling bin! On the other hand, some readers might love the novel and even lend it out—or buy it as a gift. Some copies might end up in libraries too and hopefully be borrowed often. The possibilities were endless!

Read more here.

14.  The One who makes the Difference! by Anusha Atukorala

I soon realised that this striking cloud made a difference. Wherever I went, the evening began to sparkle–all because of that Pretty Pink Parade. The horizon was laced with it. Gum trees grew tall in its presence. Our world was ablaze with colour because of its smiles. It was a reminder then, that just like this PPP, there is a Divine PPP who can turn an ordinary day into a special one and transform an unyielding moment into a joyful one. 

Read more here.

15. Shining Light into Darkness by Ruth Bonetti

Ruth Bonetti reflects on Advent Candles, St Lucia Day in Sweden and Hanukkah and the light of Christmas and leaves us with these challenging questions - which perhaps apply as much to 2023 as to the Christmas Season.

What light can you shed on this Christmas season?

How will you bring the Light of the World into your writing this Christ-mass season?

Read more here

So that's it for this year. 

We hope you've enjoyed this selective review of the many great blogs of 2022. And we'd like to thank all our active CWD members and bloggers who interact, comment and support each other and the group - and to wish you all a blessed and joyful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour and Lord and a wonderful New Year in 2023.