Crutch words or phrases lack meaning. They take away from our voice, leaving readers to face wordy prose. Every writer suffers from the use of crutch words. We add them to our novels without conscious thought. So while you’re editing, how can you find the crutch words in your novel? It’s simple! Scour the internet… Continue reading Crutch Words (Part 2)
You’ve finished the first draft of your WIP…congratulations! Now enter with me into a new stage–editing. For some writers, editing is the nemesis, but it doesn’t have to drive you insane. Let’s set some practical standards. First, take advice. You have spent hours writing your piece. You’re invested. It’s hard to separate from the words… Continue reading Obtaining Your Goals (Part 3): Editing
The hardest part of rejection is the fear. We must consider whether the opinions of others hold some validity. Only a fool would say their work is perfected. So what happens when our work receives rejection for a legitimate reason? Well, that’s when we should discover gratitude. This is hard with rejection, but the editor… Continue reading Rejection with Dignity (Part 2)
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to focus on the rejection we face as writers. Face it, hearing criticism about your work is difficult. You’ve spent months, maybe years, pouring your heart into your writing. But rejection is a part of the writing industry. Every writer hears the word “no” at some point. This… Continue reading Rejection with Dignity (Part 1)
If you’re anything like me, you already have a picture of the publishing industry. Maybe it’s of Laura Ingalls Wilder marching up to a publisher’s desk with her manuscript. This is how I fancied my childhood dream, but the days of direct manuscript submissions are mostly behind us. Publishers don’t have time to wade through… Continue reading The Reality of Developing a Platform
