An extremely common writing foible I see when I’m editing novels reads like this… “Hey!” Nathan heard a voice say. Nathan turned to see someone approach him on the sidewalk. “What are you doing” the man asked. “Hey, Egya! Working on a blog post about why it’s confusing when characters and settings are only belatedly […]
Writing Advice
Don’t listen to condescending feedback
My editing client Saranyan landed a literary agent last week and he posted a really great thread about persevering in the face of negative feedback, starting with this post: About ten years ago, an editor told him something along the lines of “If you have to try to write #kidlit, then at least learn to […]
Mid-winter break
I’m going to take a quick break this week to refresh and will be back with new content on February 15. (I’ll be checking emails, so feel free to reach out for editing or consultations). In the meantime, in case you missed them, here are some of my favorite posts from 2020: Your writing matters […]
Action, then reaction
It feels a bit strange posting writing advice into the void given the events of the past week, but since many of you are likely channeling your emotions into writing these days, I wanted to write a quick tip about action. I often see a peculiar writing tic where writers rush and put the dramatic […]
What to expect when you work with a freelance editor
A good freelance editor can help get you unstuck, give you a valuable gut check prior to pursuing publication, and can help elevate your craft to new heights. But what should you expect from the process? How does the whole editing thing work anyway? In this post I’m going to give you advice on: What […]
Don’t ever ask somebody whether you should keep writing
By far the most common question I get when I’m working with authors is “will this sell?” (Spoiler: this is impossible to answer). The second most common is this one: “Should I keep going? Should I keep writing?” I’m always extremely sympathetic when people ask me this because I have been there. I have asked […]
