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When the Familiar is Too Familiar

May 11, 2018 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Fact-checking is critical so that readers trust what you tell them and so they aren’t pulled out of your stories by inaccurate details. Fact-check your fiction.

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When a Comma Isn’t Enough

April 8, 2018 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

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.

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Am I Possessive?

February 10, 2018 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Deciding between attributive and possessive can be tricky, but a few tips should help you decide if an apostrophe is needed.

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Characters Asking Questions

December 31, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Search your stories for text or practices that leach the power out of your characters’ declarations. A consideration of question tags.

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Plain Doesn’t Mean Boring

August 11, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

When plain words work, use them. Don’t feel that you must use fancy words to elevate your fiction. Choose words that make your story feel real rather than pretentious.

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Saving the Day, Solving the Problem

June 25, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

To ensure reader satisfaction and a tight story, make sure that the protagonist solves the story problem. Make sure that the main character is involved in your story’s resolution.

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When Characters are Affected by Events

June 2, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Major characters grow and change. Have you remembered to show the ways in which your characters are changed by what happens to them?

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Know Your Character’s Language

February 10, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

If a character comes from a country different from yours or different from that of your other characters, make sure that he uses words and phrases peculiar to his country and not to yours.

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Your Own Something Special

February 4, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Many writers have a “something other” that makes their writing style and their stories stand out. Explore your own something other and learn to play it up to create memorable fiction.

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Restraining Accents

January 23, 2017 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Rather than try to spell an accent, use other options for letting readers know that a character has an accent.

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