Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
Lack of conflict between characters and lack of emotion-inducing scenes for readers will make stories flat, boring, and tedious. Discover why conflict and emotion are so important to fiction.
Continue reading Get Pushy—Push Character Conflict and Reader Emotion
Punctuating interrupted dialogue is a confusing topic for both writers and editors, but there is a definitive answer to the question, “how do you punctuate interrupted dialogue?” Use dashes.
Interrupters, digressions, asides, and comments can be set apart by commas, parentheses, and dashes. Explore the options for punctuating interrupters.
A reader’s questions about punctuation in dialogue. You may have had some of the same questions.
Continue reading Even More Punctuation in Dialogue—A Reader’s Question
Punctuation can overwhelm a sentence or paragraph. Poor punctuation can be a distraction, pulling readers out of the fiction and out of the mood to read your work. Let words tell the story. Use punctuation for other purposes.
Continue reading Use Words, Not Punctuation, To Tell Your Story
A style sheet is an easy way to manage consistency in a manuscript. Writer or editor, consider putting together a style sheet for every project.
We all need help with the rules of grammar and punctuation, but sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. This list can help you with a few rules you might not be familiar with.
Continue reading Rules of Grammar & Punctuation—The Weird, Odd, or Unfamiliar
Punctuating dialogue correctly can help readers follow your story with fewer distractions. Check out the rules of dialogue punctuation.
Exclamation points can easily overwhelm both stories and readers. Use them for specific purposes and with restraint.
Pile on frustrations for your characters; see what they’re made of. Give characters reasons to act up and act out.
The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
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Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
