Jan 9, 20216 minWriting DialogueWe participate in conversations every day, so you'd think it'd be easy to write dialogue. But it's not. Writing a conversation is not the...
Jul 21, 20203 min8 Ways to Save Money on EditingWe all like to save money while enjoying quality goods and services. It's no different with editing. Editing can be quite pricey and...
Jul 7, 20204 min7 Self-Publishing TipsYou've done your research into both traditional publishing and self-publishing, and you've decided self-publishing is for you. Now what?...
Jun 16, 20203 minAuthenticity Reading: Why Should You Care?Words are important and can have a real, tangible impact on people. You likely know this, otherwise you wouldn't be reading a blog post...
Dec 3, 20192 min5 More Podcasts for Readers and WritersRemember my posts listing 5 podcasts for readers and 5 podcasts for writers? Well, here are 5 more podcasts for readers and/or writers....
Nov 28, 20192 minNaNoWriMo ReflectionsHave you heard of NaNoWriMo? National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) takes place every November, and people try to write an entire...
Nov 26, 20192 minAdverbs: Kill Them or Let Them Live?Adverbs are a polarizing topic in the writing and editing world. Some people think we should eliminate adverbs altogether, and some...
Oct 29, 20192 minWhat Is a Manuscript Evaluation?Most people haven't heard of a manuscript evaluation, which is surprising and unfortunate because it's a cheaper way for authors to...
Sep 19, 20192 min5 Podcasts for WritersI've written a post about 5 Podcasts for Readers, but what about for writers? There are so many podcasts out there offering fantastic...
Sep 5, 20193 minHow to Emphasize Text in FictionOne of the things I comment on the most when I edit is overemphasis. People love using exclamation marks and bolding text to make sure it...
Aug 20, 20192 minBest Writing Advice: Read MoreMany people ask what they can do to become a better writer. The best writing advice I can give you is to read more books. Why Is Reading...
May 20, 20194 minSelf-Publishing vs. Traditional PublishingDeciding whether to self-publish or traditionally publish can be difficult. Both of these routes have pros and cons, and it's worth...
May 6, 20193 minImprove Your Writing: Cut Filler WordsWords have power. They can empower people and tear down civilizations, and they can also bore people to tears. Back when authors were...
Apr 22, 20193 minFinding an EditorYou know why you need an editor, and you know more-or-less what level of editing you need. Now how do you find an editor? Editors can...
Apr 15, 20192 minEditing Life Savers: Style Sheets and Style GuidesDo you ever wonder how editors keep everything consistent when they edit? How do they know which spellings to use and whether an author...
Apr 8, 20192 minHyphens, En Dashes, Em Dashes, Oh My! Photo: an example of proofreaders' marks for inserting a hyphen, an en dash, and an em dash. Most people use hyphens on a regular basis,...
Mar 25, 20192 minTackling the Semi-ColonOh, the dreaded semi-colon. I have heard people complain about using it since I was in high school. One of my teachers told us to avoid...
Mar 18, 20193 minWhat Type of Editing Do You Need?We've established that you need an editor no matter what kind of writing you do. But what kind of editing do you need? There are multiple...
Mar 11, 20192 minWhy Do You Need an Editor?No matter what you write, whether it's blog posts, essays, cookbooks, short stories, novels, or textbooks, you will need an editor. Why?...