Writer. Editor. Book Coaching Student.
Why is The War of Art such a highly recommended book in writing circles? I’ve only ever thrown out two books. (Yes, I should have recycled them, apologies.) One of them was a science fiction paperback written in the 1980s that was rife with sexist and racist characters. The other was The War of Art …
Types of Editing There are several different levels or types of editing involved in taking a manuscript from first draft to finished book. Just like a medical professional has a scope of practice, an editor has a specific set of skills within each designation. In Canada, certified editors work within their scope as set out …
What does the industry say? In the publishing world these days, marketing is a shared responsibility between the writer and the publisher. While there’s still a perception that getting a publishing deal means all the marketing is done by the publishing team, this is no longer true. More and more, the onus is shifting toward …
If you’re beginning to plot a novel, it can be overwhelming to choose which method to use. Do you want to start with a loose structure (something like the Three Act Structure with a beginning, middle, and end) or a more complex structure (like Save the Cat with its 15 plot beats)? Here, I outline …
With all the strangeness of the past few years, August 2023 was my first opportunity to attend an in-person writing conference: When Words Collide. Before I went, I found myself wishing I knew what to expect. How did I choose which presentations and workshops to attend? Would I get lost? Would I actually learn anything …
Call it writer’s block, procrastination, decision paralysis, whatever you’d like, but there’s nothing like indecision to send my writing to a grinding halt. So what’s the solution? A zero draft. The Zero Draft goes by many names and just about as many definitions. The Zero Draft. The Skeleton Draft. The Chaptered Outline. Ultimately, they all …
Have you ever stared at a selection of keyboards and wondered which one would be best for writing? Unless you’re one of those solely pen-and-paper writers, we writer-folk tend to spend a fair amount of time with our computer keyboards. When selecting a keyboard, though, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the many types of …
Brain.fm: Does it Really Work? One thing I’ve been using when I write is Brain.fm. It’s music without lyrics designed to help increase focus, relaxation, or sleep (depending on which tracks you choose to listen to). I first heard about brain.fm from another writer who swears by it to increase productivity. Music that is scientifically …
What’s Your Why? If writing can be so difficult, why bother? Some writers seem to breeze through drafts while others struggle through. I’m the latter type. I parse out words, agonize over plot, and plumb the depths of my character’s motivations. Writing, like many other pursuits worth undertaking, is a journey. But just as it …
What is Show Don’t Tell? Ah, yes, the most overused piece of writing advice out there. But what does “Show Don’t Tell” actually mean? And how can you use this to strengthen your writing? Generally, “telling” is exposition where the reader is told what is happening. The reader knows the facts of what happened …