Do you have questions about formatting numbers? There are two main rules that apply to writing numbers: 1. Write out single-digit numbers (one through nine) and use digits for numbers for 10 and higher, or 2. Write out one hundred and everything less. Use numbers for everything greater than one hundred. Some style guides say […]
Self-editing is hard for most writers, I suspect all writers. We know what we meant to write, so that’s what we tend to see when we try to edit our work. To combat this, try these self-editing options. To find errors, such as typos, missing words, extra words, and confusing phrases, I use text-to-speech software […]
Local Critique Groups Keep looking for a local group. There may be some, but you just haven’t found them yet. Try bookstores, schools, libraries, and coffee shops—any place where writers hang out. Also, ask every writer you meet if they’re aware of any area critique groups. Another option is to start your own critique group. […]
When writing a short story, article, or blog post, I often start with a title, opening line, or concept. Then I start writing to see where it takes me. (Sometimes I have the last line in mind and write to get there.) Though this may result in extra content that I need to cut, it […]
I once signed up for a trial of grammarly.com. It’s a most impressive grammar checker. The problem was that it was too sophisticated for me. It flagged many things to check, but I lacked the needed background to comprehend the issues. Many of their suggestions were beyond me. However, I recently took a fresh look […]
Should You Bother to Pursue a Traditional Publisher? Traditional Authors Traditional publishing requires less of the author, will likely result in more book sales, and carries the prestige of a publisher selecting your book for publication. The negatives include the effort to find a publisher, the length of time to publish the book, and earning […]
Authors are advised to treat their writing like a business If you write solely for the fun of it or treat writing as a mere hobby, then don’t read this post. Seriously, it will just make you mad. But if you want to succeed as a writer, regardless of how you define success, then this […]
A few years ago, I finished a novel I was reading, the first in a series. The first chapter grabbed me, but by the second or third, some of the scenes began to irritate. They were unrealistic at portraying real-life situations. Likewise, some of the dialogue didn’t work too well for me either. It was […]
Consider all the really great books that don’t sell. Consider some of the poorly written books that do. Although this is unfair, it is also a reality. Fortuitous timing aside, these two situations point out the fact that producing and selling books is part art and part business. I’ve been in business much of my […]
I’ve never met an author who likes to write book proposals, yet if we hope to sign with a traditional publisher, we need a book proposal—a really good book proposal. Aside from being tedious and time-consuming, parts of a book proposal are challenging, such as researching competitive titles, selling ourselves as the ideal person to […]