You Might Have Noticed In the last few weeks, you might have noticed that I haven’t written many blog posts. I have a good reason: I’ve been busy outlining a novel, writing character sketches for my characters, and choosing names for the characters. Naming characters sounds easy and fun, but actually, it’s challenging and frustrating. […]
Confused About the Different Kinds Editing?
Editing/Revision: Let’s Count the Ways. A few weeks ago, I received an email from another writer, asking if I would explain the different kinds of editing/revision. Since editing and revision are essential to the writing process and some writers struggle with the breakdown, I decided to write a blog post addressing the kinds of edits. […]
Scrivener: Hands Down the Best Writing Software!
Good Intentions Fail Want to hear a story of good intentions gone wrong? A few years ago, I traveled for several months and used my laptop for writing. While traveling, I downloaded a software program for writers: Scrivener. I’d heard the program was designed specifically for writers and wanted to try it. In less than […]
Writing Tip #5: Do You Know When to Use That Instead of Which?
Have you ever been confused about when you should use the word that instead of which? Or when to use which instead of that? The wrong usage of these words is common. And, yeah, it’s common to be confused. A lot of professional writers seem to be confused about this and often use these words […]
Writing Tip # 4: A Commonsense Writing Strategy
“Reading your own material aloud forces you to listen.” Stephen Ambrose. This is so basic it hardly seems necessary to say, but often, the simple strategies are overlooked. Read your prose aloud. This is one of the single most important acts for any writer. Read slowly; Say every word written on the page; Listen because […]
Ignoring the Writing Process Guarantees Failure
Just about everyone thinks he can write, and many believe their writing is inspired. When inspiration hits, they write, and they believe their pose is perfect. But, anyone who takes writing seriously, knows this kind of magical thinking is a romantic myth. Students and business people often have deadlines and have to work fast. They […]