

- Sep 6, 2019
- 3 min
Getting Someplace while Going Nowhere: Two lessons about writing that I learned from stationary swim
Let’s start with the obvious question: What in the world is stationary swimming? It is just swimming while using a contraption—basically...


- Jul 29, 2019
- 4 min
Go Ahead. Give Up: Why letting go of a goal is sometimes the right choice
Writing is hard. Building a career out of writing is even harder. That’s why people are always telling writers not to give up. You don’t...


- May 30, 2019
- 4 min
Write On!: Why “debut novel” isn’t synonymous with “first novel”
You’re writing your first novel and dreaming of publishing success. It’s hard work and you’ll take encouragement wherever you can get it....


- Apr 18, 2019
- 4 min
Quitting Time: The top four things that will make me put down the book I'm reading
There was a time when I would force myself to finish every book I started. (Though, I have to admit, even in those days, I quit Moby Dick...


- Jan 4, 2019
- 4 min
You're Not the Boss of Me: Why a developmental editor won't tell you what's "wrong" with your book
Most writers agree that hiring an editor to find the errors in their book before they publish is a good idea. But when you start talking...


- Nov 27, 2018
- 4 min
Time After Time: Common grammar errors when writing in past tense
It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post about the most common grammar errors I find while editing. In this post, I’m going to...


- Sep 1, 2018
- 4 min
The Full Monty?: How to make the most of your editing budget
When people talk about book editing, they often seem to think “an edit” is a one-step process, as if you send your manuscript to an...


- Aug 1, 2018
- 4 min
Goodbye, Darling!: What to cut from your novel so that every word counts
I’m sure you’ve all heard the advice: kill your darlings, cut ruthlessly, make every word count. We all know that we’re supposed to...


- Jul 2, 2018
- 4 min
Blah, Blah, Blah: How to reveal your characters’ emotions without naming them
When you write a novel, you hope that it will make your future readers feel something. Whether you want them to feel terrified or...


- Apr 23, 2018
- 4 min
Keep Talking: A primer on punctuating dialogue
I edit a lot of fiction, which means I edit a lot of dialogue. I’ve written several blog posts about writing good dialogue over the years...