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Benefits of Getting a Manuscript Evaluation Before Editing

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First, what is a manuscript evaluation? Some call it a critique or an assessment, but essentially, it is an editorial letter used as a teaching tool to iron out issues in a manuscript without making direct changes. Whereas a developmental editor might focus more heavily on plot structure and character development, a line editor will focus more on writing techniques. I use it to discuss showing versus telling, point of… Read More »Benefits of Getting a Manuscript Evaluation Before Editing

Commas and Stack of books on a wooden table

Commas

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Commas are one of the most used (and misused) punctuation marks. Instead of falling into the trap of thinking you should insert a comma at each natural pause in a sentence, use this as a quick reference guide. Independent Clauses Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so) that joins two independent clauses in a compound sentence. (An exception can be made if the… Read More »Commas

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Pacing: How to use pacing to retain readers

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Have you ever wondered why a book that has a solid plot structure can receive reviews that say the pace dragged? There are other issues outside of the plot that can cause pacing problems. The four pacing problems I address most often as a line editor are repeated information, unnecessary stage direction, repetition in word choice and sentence structure, and extra dialogue tags. These provide four keys to using pacing… Read More »Pacing: How to use pacing to retain readers

Bookstore of Writing Resources

Writing Resources for Fiction Authors

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There are many good books on writing fiction that can help you hone your craft. These are the writing resources I’ve read (or listened to) and found most helpful. Crafting Your Story Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How To Edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King Hands down, this is the one I recommend most often. It uses easy-to-understand examples and covers so many fiction-writing fundamentals: point of… Read More »Writing Resources for Fiction Authors

Fiction Dialogue Mechanics

Fiction Dialogue Mechanics

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Looking at the dialogue mechanics is the fastest way for an agent, an editor, or a reader (even if it’s just subconsciously) to assess the skill level of a writer. This also makes it an effective way to quickly improve a manuscript. Follow Punctuation Conventions Dialogue tags are attached to dialogue with commas, whether the tag comes before, after, or in the middle of the dialogue. The first word of… Read More »Fiction Dialogue Mechanics