Both and Only Are Four-Letter Words
Not those kind of four-letter words. But in the same way you might ask yourself whether those four-letter words are necessary…
Setting with a Purpose
Sad but true, setting and locale in novels is mostly ignored. It’s as if writers feel they must sacrifice attention…
Easy Tips to Help You Save Money on That Necessary Edit
Today’s post is by editor Katherine Pickett: Finished that novel? Time to get it edited by a professional? For the…
Are You Irritated or Aggravated?
Does it irritate you when people use aggravate when they mean annoy? Or are you just confused about the correct…
The Secret to Crafting Genuine Characters for Your Novel
Think about what makes you interested or drawn to certain people. What qualities of theirs pull you in? Is it…
Nailing Your Novel’s Genre in Your Opening Scene
In the last two posts on my blog in this Writing for Life section I’ve been exploring how writers can…
Don’t Abuse the Dot-Dot-Dots
Writers often succumb to dot abuse. Well, I’ve heard some people call ellipses “dots.” I’m not talking about the candy…
Add a Bit of Romance to Your Novel
There are three basic secondary character role types in novels, and we’ve looked at the first two: the nemesis or…
Tweaking Your Writing and Genre for Success
Last week I began talking about the wisdom in studying other authors’ works in order to nail a genre. This…