The Write Chemistry: Find your ideal editor
When you need your sword and shield just to confront the editing process, something’s amiss. A battle for the soul of your story and writing is a sure sign that …
When you need your sword and shield just to confront the editing process, something’s amiss. A battle for the soul of your story and writing is a sure sign that …
Whether you’re self-publishing your novel or trying to vault to the head of the slush pile, it’s generally true that commercial-quality books are supported by commercial-quality production. Hiring skilled, experienced …
Skillful scene openings involve more than a provocative opening hook. A smooth opening ushers readers into the scene without immersion-breaking confusion or disorientation. The first technique helps you judge the …
We’ve all read stories where the characters didn’t seem to be doing what a reasonable person would do in that situation. Heck, they’re not even doing what an unreasonable person …
If you’re all about the credo “move fast and break things,” you may feel confident diving from writing into self-revision and then editing. But if you like to get the …
Book coaching vs. editing: What’s the difference? Read More »
Action and reaction—everything in a story depends on what the characters do about whatever the story pits against them. Stiff, disconnected, or missing character reactions snap the chain of cause …
3 action-reaction misfires that flatten your writing Read More »
Should you—could you—be getting feedback on your book from peers or readers, or is it time to get professional eyes on your manuscript? My latest post as a resident writing …
Feedback or Editing: What sort of input to get when Read More »
Vocabulary and the way a character speaks are the outer layer of character voice—the icing on the cake. Instead of trying to build character voice from the outside in, get under the …
It’s actually happening: You’ve hired a professional editor and it’s time to send off the manuscript. Congratulations! Now it’s business time. What should you expect from the editing process? Are …
Best practices for working with a professional editor Read More »
“Is my writing good enough?” is one of the first questions most writers ask when they get in touch about editing or coaching. Unfortunately, I can’t answer that because there’s …
Getting a manuscript ready for professional editing is notoriously painstaking work. It drags you into seemingly endless rounds of scrutiny: searching for plot holes, questioning the characters’ motivations, adding zing …
Do you get sucked into spending more time reading about writing fiction than actually doing it? I’ve just updated my short list of the best books on writing, so you …
It’s all too easy to overstuff your writing when you’re striving for a natural, unstrained tone. We lean on filler words in conversation to soften our speech and build connections, …
If you’ve never used Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature before, the idea of getting your manuscript back from an editor filled with all sorts of lines and squiggles you have …
Writing is a supposedly solitary endeavor, but successful authors know that a supporting writing community is worth its weight in gold. Like-minded colleagues keep you aloft during the long, parched …
So how much money can you make writing novels, anyway? For traditionally published author income, short of a few blockbuster outliers, the total is probably neither as substantial nor as …
When a manuscript isn’t firing on all cylinders, there are so many ways to shift responsibility: Characters that run away with a life of their own. Plotting systems that strip …
The Conscious Writer: Taking back your creative power Read More »
Today’s publishing options have changed since you first dreamed about getting your book into print. Most authors arrive on my editorial doorstep declaring their intentions of finding literary representation, with the …
This article is about the parts of writing a novel that don’t involve writing. It’s not about the business side of being an author. It’s not about book design …
Prewriting: 6 parts of the writing process that aren’t writing Read More »
Many authors are first called to writing by the lure of memoir. Exploring the interior of one’s own life is heady stuff. And in a world held at arm’s length …
Stories demand so much from us. Taking apart the engine of a story and putting it together—that’s hard work, my friends. Much as your brain tugs at the knots of …
Productivity for Fiction Writers: Small strategies to keep you inching along Read More »
The decision on how long to query your manuscript can’t be determined by a formula. There’s always the chance that your very next query will knock at the right door …
We’re all familiar with the idea of getting the ideas on the page first, then revising and polishing later. You’ll spin your wheels endlessly if you indulge your desire to …
Keep It Rolling: Writing momentum hacks for authors Read More »
When writing is a habit and not merely a goal, tackling a creative project as large as a novel becomes manageable. Despite everything happening in the world today, writing can …
Productivity for Fiction Writers: Giving yourself the opportunity to write Read More »
Just look at this lineup of writing craft blogs and resources for authors and editors from Louise Harnby and Denise Cowle of The Editing Podcast. Denise and Louise are two …
The Editing Podcast’s 18 writing blogs for editors and authors Read More »