What about Those Techy Terms?
I would be remiss if I didn’t spend a moment going over hyphenation as it applies to technology-related words. This…
The Cast of Characters in a Novel
Last week we started looking at secondary characters in a novel. I often see characters populating a story that seemed…
The Editorial Burden That Weighs on the Author
In 1957, an editor at Lippincott publishing house received a manuscript on her desk from an unknown author who had…
Do You Speak to Each Other or One Another?
Sometimes people are confused about when to use each other and one another. Well, there’s a good reason for the…
Secondary Characters with Their Own Needs
We’re now getting into another one of my favorite topics—secondary characters. This pillar in your novel is so important, it…
5 Writer Goals to Help You Avoid Overwhelm
Are you feeling overwhelmed by all you have to do to be a writer? If so, join the club. Sometimes…
Scare Quotes Are Not All That Scary
There’s a time and place for every punctuation mark. Using any of them excessively or incorrectly is, well, just plain…
How to Add Meaningful Subplots to Your Novel
When I first started considering writing novels, I found the idea of subplots daunting. I knew I needed to put…
Redefining Success in Order to Stay Sane
Have you ever asked: “What on earth possessed me to want to be a novelist?” Are you starting to realize…