How to Cut the Fat Out of Your WIP

When I contracted my novella in January and had to cut 30,000 words off my WIP, I knew it was going to be hard. In fact, I almost bailed on submitting the anthology to Barbour because I knew that would mean cutting more than half of my story. The pain of deleting my brilliant prose [...]

The Five Stages of Writing Grief

From the Editor: Receiving a writing rejection can feel as if a part of your dream has died. After one such rejection last summer, I realized I was going through the stages of writing grief. When I was first told by my mentor that I should scrap my 50,000 word WIP and start over, I [...]

Top Ten Mistakes in Manuscripts

10) Inadequate use of point of view. I’m not talking about head-hopping. I’m talking about a very distant use of point of view that doesn’t get the reader into the character’s head or feeling the character’s emotions. For a first chapter, especially, this is crucial. If the reader isn’t immediately sucked into the character’s mind [...]

50 Ways to Edit Your WIP

From the Editor: When I signed my first contract in January and agreed to chop 30,000 plus words off my 55,000 word WIP, I knew what I was getting into. Well, sort of. I knew it would be painful to cut that many words. I knew scenes I loved would have to go and be [...]

Not Much Harder Than Cutting Off A Leg

Agent Rachelle Gardner has an excellent guest post by editor John Upchurch, who talks about “killing your darlings.” Writers know that this term refers to cutting segments from what you’ve written, even though you may think the words are heartbreakingly brilliant (to borrow a phrase from Randy Ingermanson). Great writers from Anne Lamott to James [...]

Choosing Words Carefully

You ever talk to someone who just doesn’t know when to shut the trap and wrap it up? People who take five minutes to say what could be said in thirty seconds? Sure you have. We all have. Some people just have diarrhea of the mouth. I’m sorry, I know that sounds awfully harsh, but [...]

100 Top Creative Writing Blogs

Needing more writing help? Here’s a list of 100 blogs. Randy Ingermanson’s Advanced Fiction Writing blog is on the list and if you haven’t checked out his site, or if you don’t subscribe to his newsletter, I encourage you to do so. It’s very hands on and Randy is a wonderful teacher!

My Book Therapy with Susan May Warren

What is My Book Therapy and why do you spend your time telling everyone your secrets? The answer to the first question is easy:  My Book Therapy is two things – a daily writing blog about craft and storytelling.  My Book Therapy is also the gateway to a forum/community of fellow writers who help each [...]

GROWING GRAMMAR: Sites for soaring

Today I’m featuring a few sites of interest and invite you to explore them. I hope they provide information, entertainment, and justification for being on the internet.   Double-Tongued Dictionary: A site to behold! You can find new words, slang, and jargon. The “About” page bills the site as one that “records undocumented or under-documented words [...]

Follow up on Fiction Editor

In her last post, Meredith Efken, freelance fiction editor and friend, shared about what a freelance editor can and can’t do for your! You might want to check it out first, then jump back over here and read what other great tips she has for us! As a freelance editor, I have seen my editing [...]

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