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The Rudest Awakening

October 1, 2016 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Look for and then correct story problems that shock readers out of the fictional world. A list of common story problems that can ruin the reader’s experience.

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Get Ruthless—Cutting Back in Order to Add

May 24, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Cut story elements that no longer match the story that’s emerged when you write and rewrite. Sometimes finessing an element isn’t the answer. Sometimes you’ve got to ruthlessly cut out what doesn’t fit.

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Proofreading Pays Off

May 13, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Proofreading can be tough, but your stories deserve the attention to detail that a good proofreading can provide. Learn some tips for proofing your own work.

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Editing Odds and Ends

August 14, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Tips for a mix of writing situations you might have trouble with including weaved or wove, may or might, and set or sit.

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Exclude Us From Novels

August 11, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A look at words, punctuation, and writing elements that can be safely excised from novels, creating more memorable fiction.

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Zeroing in on Words

June 8, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Explore how the change in words affects individual moments and scenes and stories, and how words can direct fiction.

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Quick Manuscript Clean-up

May 21, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A quick guide to manuscript clean-up. By the time you need these tips, you should have worked through multiple drafts of your story. The manuscript should also have been edited—by you or others—and proofed—also by you or others.

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Grammatically Correct or Culturally Acceptable Wording

July 27, 2013 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

The use of there’s for there are—is it acceptable?

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Write Hot, Edit Cold? It’s Still Great Advice

May 10, 2013 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Write hot, edit cold was advice originally given to ad writers, but it’s great advice for any writer. A look at the advantages of editing and analyzing manuscripts with a cool head and from a distance.

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Cut the Flab—Make Every Word Count

January 22, 2013 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Unnecessary words can burden your stories with flab, make them sag. The wrong words can even diffuse the impact you’re trying to create. Be alert for these phrases and words that can dull your fiction.

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