If you have a good editor, they aren’t afraid to be brutally honest. When you’re a new writer, that can be intimidating. Well, tough shit. Rip that bandage off right now because if you really want to get published, and you really want your book to be good, then you need to build up some serious tough skin.
As brutal as the editing process can be, I have to say it’s fun for me, and therapeutic. I enjoy taking a raw story to the editor and having him tear it apart.
Since last week I wrote about my progress with Mercy Hospital, I thought this week I’d publish a bit about what many new writers dread: ideas for a story that don’t go anywhere. Thanks to a constant reader for requesting this installment theme. “Where do you get your ideas?” is likely the most common question…
Last week I took a break to bring you some poetry, and I’m delighted it was well-received. This week, I bring us back to The Editor’s Corner to talk about polysyndeton. I can just hear you now: “Anne, are you making up words now? We’re still early on with The Editor’s Corner, for crying out…
Last week I threw you a red herring to pull you off track for copy editing. But now that’s over, this week we’re back to talking about adjective use, or rather, adjective abuse. Adjectives are fine, but too many of them can wind up being boring and repetitive. Yes, they’re useful in telling a person…
Welcome to another edition of The Editor’s Corner. Let’s fish around and see what kind of devices we can reel in here: red herrings. Okay—enough with the puns. I know you didn’t come here to laugh and/or roll your eyes at my punderful style. What is a red herring? A red herring, in literature, is…
Ever have trouble making your dialogue pop? The Editor’s Corner will help you write dialogue attribution that won’t make your reader hate you.
When I was a professional editor, I got to review people’s writing before it was published, and I wound up seeing some common errors that beginners make.
These mistakes can make it more difficult to get published.
As you know, last week we just finished up a section on grief in The Psych Writer Series. So this week I wanted to take a break and head to The Editor’s Corner. After all, we’re writers, not psychologists. (For those of you enjoying TPW, we’ll get back to it soon!) I have a little…
After my piece on ProWritingAid’s blog about planning your novel, I’m back for a look at the world of self-publishing your novel and how to get through editing, cover design, and publishing platforms. Take a look at The Geek Writer: Using Technology to Self-Publish Your Novel – ProWritingAid and as always, happy writing. By the way, you…
