Verse & Vine Publishing

04/11/2025

🌿 ✍️ What if the arc bends toward resurrection?

Several years ago, I started writing this strange experimental piece—something between a journal and a prayer, a memoir and a clinical exercise. It was born out of grief, I think. Grief for my great-grandpa, yes, but also for the younger selves I kept losing and rediscovering. I called it creative...

15/10/2025

"So much of the writing process is painful for us. It would be so nice, we think, if we could simply dump our brains onto the page without having to select just the right words, or work out a train of thought. If we could only transfer the images from our mind directly onto the paper.

Many turn to AI to circumnavigate this problem.

You may as well outsource your own soul.

The writing process is painful and hard work because writing exposes the quality of your thinking. If you can't write something clearly, it shows that you haven't thought clearly.

The final product is not the only thing that matters. The writing process is important. Thinking is what we do. Yes, it’s hard and painful. It’s meant to be."

Click the link to read more from Jack Clarie.

In the Principles of Story, we’ve come to the Middle of your narrative now. This is the meat of your story; it will fill 70-80% of your word count. This is where all the ups and downs happen that get you from the past to the future, from beginning to end.

07/10/2025

🌿 "From the beginning, this was never meant to be just a business or a storefront. It was meant to be a table—set long and wide, with room for every story and every soul. It was meant to be a garden—where ideas could take root, dreams could stretch toward the light, and weary creatives could find rest while they grow.

And now, as the year begins to turn and we look toward what’s ahead, I feel that stirring again: it’s time to widen the table. It’s time to tend the garden in a new way."

Click the link to read more!

I’ve been doing a lot of listening lately—to God, to the stories that have grown here, and to the quiet ache beneath so many conversations I’ve had with writers and readers alike.

30/09/2025

I still remember the day I typed “The End.”

I thought the hardest part was behind me—the late nights, the rewrites, the courage it took to pour my story onto the page. But then came the ache no one warned me about: the moment when the writing is done, but the questions begin.

How do I share this? Where do I even start? Do I need an ISBN? A copyright? How do I design a cover or get my book into readers’ hands? And suddenly, the dream that felt so close drifts just out of reach.

I know that ache. I’ve felt the weight of it—the overwhelm, the uncertainty, the loneliness of trying to figure it all out alone. And that’s why I created Publishing 101. 🌿

It’s the guide I wish I’d had: a gentle, step-by-step roadmap that leads you from finished manuscript to published book. Inside, I’ve gathered everything I learned the hard way: the practical steps, the shortcuts, the “I wish someone had told me” lessons, all designed to give you confidence and clarity as you bring your story into the world.

Because your words deserve more than to sit hidden on a hard drive. They deserve to be held. To be read, remembered, and shared.

If your story is ready to be seen, maybe this is where the next chapter begins. 📚

Or... If you have that one friend you couldn't help but think of as you read this post, then this is your sign to tag them and help them realize their dreams.

👉 https://verseandvinepublishing.com/publishing-101/

16/09/2025

Don’t miss our latest newsletter, carefully crafted by our editor, Jack Clarie. It’s filled with reflections on imagination, the power of beginnings in story, and practical tools to help you plant the right seeds in your own writing. 🌱

At this point in the Principles of Story, we’ve covered all the Core elements of your story and the building blocks that keep a story moving. Now we’re digging into your story section by section, starting with—you guessed it—the Beginning.

09/09/2025

🤔 Does Your Story Work?

You’ve got a story to tell—a story that matters.

But maybe something feels off. The flow isn’t quite right, or your idea feels scattered. You want your story to resonate, but first, it needs to hold together.

You're not alone. Every writer faces this. That’s why we created The Principles of Story—a 9-week workshop starting September 26, 2025—to help you shape your story from the ground up.

Whether you're just starting or refining a full draft, this hands-on workshop will help you build a strong structure and a clear outline that connects with readers from beginning to end. More than that, it'll help train your intuition to know when a story works.

What You’ll Gain:
✅ Clarity: Discover the heart of your story and shape it into a compelling outline
✅ Confidence: Build a foundation you can trust before you start writing
✅ Direction: Map your story’s journey so every scene drives the narrative forward

What’s Included:
🌿 Live Weekly Sessions (60–90 min): Teaching, feedback, and exercises tailored to your story
🌿 Private Discord Access: Connect with editors and fellow writers for support between sessions
🌿 Downloadable Resources: PDF guides + our exclusive V&V story outline form

🚨Spaces are limited, and we believe your words deserve to bloom.

Click the link to register now and begin crafting a story that feels honest, wholesome, and beautifully yours. 👉 https://verseandvinepublishing.com/principles-of-story/

Let’s bring your vision to life, one meaningful page at a time. ✍🏻📖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"This workshop helped me stop obsessing over the details and finally move my story forward in a way that makes sense for both me as a writer and for my readers." —Tyler H.

"The Principles of Story helped me better understand the elements that shape and drive my story—and, more practically, it helped me discover its ending. I would absolutely recommend this workshop to any author who is struggling to put the pieces of their story together or who wants to be confident that their story is solid and will resonate with readers." —Joshua Guynn

08/09/2025

Oscar Wilde reminds us of the subtle magic of language—the way words give shape to what is otherwise formless. Maybe it's because it reminds us of our own Creation story, of the Word that brought form to all things, but at Verse & Vine, we cherish this alchemy, guiding words into stories that endure.

“Words! Mere words! How terrible they were! How clear, and vivid, and cruel! One could not escape from them. And yet what a subtle magic there was in them! They seemed to be able to give a plastic form to formless things, and to have a music of their own as sweet as that of viol or of lute. Mere words! Was there anything so real as words?” — Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

04/09/2025

To Hell with AI...

I recently found myself in a strange and aching moment—one that many of you may recognize. I was preparing a writing sample for a potential opportunity, and the instructions were clear: any use of AI would disqualify the submission.

03/09/2025

You wrote the book. Now it’s time to share it with the world.

Too often, writers stall at the publishing stage—not because their story isn’t worth telling, but because the process feels overwhelming. ISBNs, editing, cover design, distribution… it can feel like a maze.

That’s why we created Publishing 101: A Roadmap to Publishing Your Book—a clear, step-by-step guide to move you from finished manuscript to published book without the guesswork.

Through five focused modules, you’ll learn how to:
✨ Identify the publishing path that aligns with your vision
✨ Prepare your manuscript and publishing assets with confidence
✨ Build a thoughtful pre-launch platform and marketing plan
✨ Navigate each step from upload to launch—and beyond

At Verse & Vine, we believe stories shape hearts, minds, and culture. Publishing 101 was built to equip independent authors like you to release work that is both meaningful and professional—crafted with excellence, rooted in purpose.

📚 Ready to take the next step? Enroll today: https://verseandvinepublishing.com/publishing-101/

03/09/2025

🌿 Season One Complete—and What a Blessing It’s Been!

We just wrapped up our first season of The Principles of Story workshop, and we’re so grateful for the community that came together to learn, grow, and share their voices. 📖✨

Want to know what’s coming next? This week’s newsletter has all the updates — new sessions, resources, and encouragement for Kingdom-minded readers and writers.

📬 Haven’t subscribed yet? No worries; we’ve made it simple.

Click the link below to join our mailing list and receive content that inspires, equips, and uplifts.

↘️↘️↘️

https://mailchi.mp/381178cb7261/landing-page-signup-form

02/09/2025

"I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice." - C. S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces

29/08/2025

📚 Ever find yourself buying a book that feels important, beautiful, or timeless, only to let it rest quietly on your shelf, unread?

There’s a Japanese word for that: tsundoku.

It describes the habit of collecting books and letting them pile up, unread—not out of neglect, but because each one holds a promise. A whisper of wisdom. A story waiting for the right season.

For those of us who love the classics—Lewis, Austen, Dostoevsky, Chesterton—it’s easy to feel like we’re curating a library for the soul. But what makes us actually read one book and leave another waiting? Is it the spiritual hunger of the moment? A recommendation from a trusted friend? Or maybe God nudges us toward the right words at the right time.

We’d love to hear from you: What helps you decide which books to read and which ones simply wait on your shelf like quiet companions?