The secret every one of us learns after many years of writing is that writing is not just about that flash of inspiration. It is mostly about re-writing and editing. Lots of it. When editing your chapters, I suggest the following: Read it aloud and fix any sentence that sounds stilted. Check your dialogue. Is […]
editing
Before You Submit Your Manuscript
You have labored for a year (or maybe more) on your book and as soon as you type “The End”, a feeling of relief and accomplishment overwhelms you right before you run to the bookshelf to get your list of literary agents and publishers. But, before you send it off, you may want to check […]
When to Cut a Scene
In a sense, the scenes in your novel are very much like pearls. Separately, they are lovely to look at but do not really add up to much until you string them all together. It is the same way with scenes–alone, they do not mean much, but all together they can be something priceless. How […]
Descriptive Phrases
I have to admit, I love cliches, aphorisms and euphemisms. I am addicted to these kinds of descriptive phrases: Don’t cry over split milk, every dog shall have his day, no use beating a dead horse etc. In every day writing of emails and blogs they are fun and comfortable means of getting our thoughts […]