Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
Suggestions for ways to use character names in fiction, especially at the beginning of stories when readers are just meeting the characters.
Excessive and unnecessary explanations can weaken the dramatic and emotional impact of sentences. Learn why explanations are often unnecessary and annoying.
Continue reading Don’t Explain, Don’t Explain, Don’t Explain »
Information on copyright law, fair use doctrine, and creative ways to use song lyrics and poetry in your fiction.
Continue reading Lyrics and Poetry in Fiction—Copyright, Drawbacks, and Other Problems »
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 »
Explanations for why a work in progress doesn’t read like a published novel. Includes areas to work on to improve a WIP.
Continue reading Why Doesn’t My Story Read Like a Published Novel–A Reader’s Question »
Explore today’s news to get inspiration for your fiction. Don’t hesitate to use tidbits from and elements of current stories in your own work.
When you can’t find rules for punctuation or grammar, sometimes simply choosing an option and then being consistent with that choice is all the answer you need.
Somehow is a nothing word that doesn’t reveal anything new about a character or an event. Cut uses of somehow from your stories.
Like “thing,” “people” is a nothing word. A filler. But you can easily change the bland and generic “people” to a word that better fits the scene and the character using the word.
Fiction can be made stronger by simply using strong and precise words in place of do-nothing filler words. Clear your stories of the filler word “thing.”
The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
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freelance editors, and everyone who loves words
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Copyright © 2010-2018 E. A. Hill Visit Beth at A Novel Edit
Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
