I’m going to be making graphics for each individual rule, plus a big poster of them all. (Also… a zombie version!). For now, here are the common things most people screw up. Even if you know these rules, your brain does funny things when you’re tired or not paying attention; so self-edit and make sure you catch them all. The use of “who” and “whom” Who – subjective pronoun, like
I’m about finished with my first ever full rough draft for my first ever novel. I’ve been an editor for ten years but am now working on my own fiction. Luckily, I’ve done some things right: I plotted exhaustively I went back and added tension, raised stakes, built in conflict I rearranged things so my protagonist has a character arc I hit all the right steps in the right places.
I get a lot of people who email me and ask about book editing. How do you choose an editor? What should you look for? How do you know if they’re doing a good job? Every editor will have a unique approach and style, however all we can do is build on what you give us. Your novel is kind of like a rough sketch of a product design. We’ll
I was speaking at the Willamette Writer’s conference last week and met a bunch of authors: mainly traditional or agented ones. Many bestsellers and mega-publishing stars. This is what I heard again and again: traditional publishers don’t have time to edit anymore, or they don’t have the confidence to suggest changes when dealing with superstar authors. Some authors even have in their contract that the publisher can’t edit their writing
“Quantity produces quality,” Ray Bradbury once said. “Write only a little, and you’re doomed.” Because at the end of the day, as a professional writer, you write for money. That’s what it means to be a professional. It doesn’t mean you’re better than the amateur. It means you do it for the money. A whore who only fucked one client a month would starve. And as a word whore, if