Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
We know that to engage readers, our fiction should touch them emotionally. But how do we guarantee that our writing touches readers on an emotional level? We use techniques that produce emotional responses.
Using clichés is like wearing someone else’s old and dirty clothes. They might have looked good at one time, but they don’t look good anymore. They don’t fit right and they don’t smell too good and they do nothing to improve your looks and bearing.
A novel’s first draft is never the final product. Learn both what’s missing from a first draft and what should be taken out to make it a better manuscript.
Continue reading The First Draft—What it is and What it isn’t »
Emotions pull readers into the story faster than most anything else a writer could try. They are instant connection points. Think of emotions as tentacles reaching to the reader and tying him to your tale. Wrap him tightly, so tightly that he must stay with you until the end.
No matter where you take the reader, what you drag him through or under or around, you must see that he’s satisfied. Ensure that at the moment he reads the final page, he feels the satisfaction that yes, this story could only end this way.
Sometimes it’s not about the rules. It’s about the act of writing. Just do it.
Punctuation rules are not always fun to study and learn. Yet a strong grasp of the rules can make you a stronger writer. Here are a few of the rules concerning commas, presented with a different slant—learn when not to use a comma.
A list of commonly misused words is not a very exciting article. But all writers and editors should know how to use words correctly and how to identify misused words. Here are some confusing and commonly misused words.
Not knowing how to format a novel for submissions can be more than annoying. Learn how to format your manuscript in a way acceptable to agents and publishers.
Comma splices are common writing mistakes that are easily corrected. Learn how to identify comma splices and how to correct them.
The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
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Copyright © 2010-2018 E. A. Hill Visit Beth at A Novel Edit
Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
