Revision: From Structure to Word Choice

 

The final step in revision

After being off work for several months, I’ve signed a contract for a book due at the end of August. Step One is obviously to write like a maniac. Step Two is to revise. 

But to make the process as smooth as possible, you must know where to start. Too many writers think that revising is all about fixing spelling and punctuation errors. I’m not saying that we should ignore those errors but first, we need to look at the big picture or the structure. 

In nonfiction, that means that I make certain my sections are in the right order. I need a solid introduction and then carefully ordered chapters. When I write history, that’s easy because things are chronological. This time I’m writing about pop culture, so I start with the most popular aspect and then cycle through the rest. 

When you are looking at the big picture in fiction, you start with the overall shape of the book. This can include: 

• The Opening. Did you start your story in the right place? I tend to start too early. Another important point about the opening scene is that it is a contract with your reader. A humorous opening promises humorous moments throughout the story. Action promises action. Fantasy can be tricky, but you should at least hint at the world of magic. 
• The Closing. Just as your story starts in the correct place, it must end in the correct place. In some ways, it should probably come full circle with the beginning. 
• Plot. Does your plot hold together? Does your story have a strong beginning, middle, and end? This means different things for flash and either short stories or novels so do some reading to see how other writers do it. 
• Pacing. Your plot needs a balance of fast-paced moments and quieter moments. If your story is too fast paced, you risk wearing your readers out. Too slow and they’re going to do something more interesting like clean out the crisper. 
• Characters. Are your characters compelling? Even if they aren’t likeable, they need to be interesting. They also must be believable and three-dimensional. 
• Setting. Your setting must feel real. The reader needs to have a sense of where and when the story takes place. And the details that you include need to shore up your plot and your characters.

Once you’ve worked through any structural issues, you are ready to revise at the sentence and paragraph level. This is where you make sure that each sentence and paragraph brings something new to the story. You also look for inconsistencies just so that someone’s eye color or worse yet name doesn’t change. This is also the time to make sure you have used just the right word. Did your character stay in a cabin or was it a log home? A duplex or a town home? 

When I work on this level of revision, I have Word read the story aloud. If I read it on paper, I don’t hear clunky phrases. I miss some of the repetition. So I get out my knitting and I listen, pausing to correct the rough spots. 

Finally, it is time to proofread. This is when you look for spelling and punctuation errors. And typos! Don’t forget the typos! 

To catch these final picky errors, I print my manuscript out. Then I go into the dining room with a lovely candle and a cup of coffee. Reading print, I always spot things on paper that I didn’t see on the screen. 

Whether you are working on a piece of flash, a short story, or a novel, revision helps you hone your draft into the piece you intended to create all along. 

–SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers. To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:

• Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work 

• Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.

  

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Leave a Comment big picture revision, proofreading, revision, rewriting, Sue Bradford Edwards

Friday Speak Out!: The Submission Merry-Go-Round and How to Navigate it

by Penny Wilson

As writers, if we want to have our work published, we all go through the same thing in the attempt to get published. We write, submit, reject and repeat. At least, that’s the way that it seems.

There are almost as many WAYS to submit your writing as there are places to submit it. Everybody has their own set of rules. Let me give you a few examples: Some accept previously published pieces, others do not. Some consider a blog post as being a published piece, others do not. Some charge reading fees, others do not. Some places do not accept simultaneous submissions, while others do. Some want your submission to be blind. No name on it anywhere. Others want your name on each piece. Some places want a bio from you. These can vary wildly. Anything from a short piece, limited to 50 words or less to something longer. Some places want the bio written in the 3rd person, other do not. Then some places do not want a bio at all. Then there is the matter of font style and size. Everyone wants something different.

It’s all maddening!! Why do we do it?

Because in many instances, in order to BE published, have to have BEEN published. It’s like when you’re a 15-year-old kid, trying to get a summer job for the first time. In order to get a job, you need to have HAD experience. In order to get experience, you need to HAVE a job!

So what do you do in this mad, mad world of getting published? I know that the process can be overwhelming. Here are a few pieces of advice that will help:

*Cry yourself a river, if that makes you feel better. Yell and curse the Publishing Gods. Shake your fist and stomp your feet. Scream into your pillow, if need be.

Then:

*Take a deep breath, slow down and pause.

*Print out the submission guidelines and keep them next to you as you prepare your piece for submission. This way, you won’t overlook anything.

*FOLLOW the submission guidelines to the letter. No matter how brilliant your piece is, if you did not follow the rules, you’re out on your ear often before the piece is ever read.

*Proof your piece. For heaven’s sake, you don’t want to be rejected because of a spelling error or a simple typo, do you? Proof, proof, proof!!

When it’s all said and done, why do we put ourselves through this? Because we’re writers, that’s why. If it were easy, anyone could do it.

* * *

Penny Wilson is a freelance writer who writes in several genres. She's had a successful blog with a growing and loyal following for more than 5 years. Penny has written articles for Counseling Directory .org, Introvert Dear .com, and WOW Women on Writing. Her poetry has been published on Ariel Chart, a monthly online Journal, Spill Words Press and the Poppy Road Review. Penny is a member of the Austin Poetry Society and a member of All Poetry .com Her poetry has been featured in the publication America's Emerging Poets 2018 by Z Publishing. She is currently working on her first novel. You can find more of her writings on her blog at: https://pennywilsonwrites.com/ and follow her on Twitter @pennywilson123.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2 comments Friday Speak Out, getting published, Penny Wilson, proofreading, submission guidelines, writer inspiration

Self-Publishing Pitfalls

So I’ve been reading more self-published novels these days and I’m finding a much improved product out there. But as excited as I am to see professional standards in self-publishing, I’m still finding errors. The good news is that they’re not major errors; they’re easily fixable errors!

PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD

By far the biggest error I come across is the misplaced, extra word in the sentence:

My heart nearly broke in two in when John’s puppy licked my face.

There is a very good reason why this kind of error ends up so often on the written page. As sophisticated as our technology is, a computer program cannot discern when an extra word is lurking about in a sentence. It’s up to the human writer to correct that sort of mistake. There’s also a very good reason why the human writer misses an extra word: we don’t see it.

When we write, whether it’s a manuscript, email, or tweet, we know what we mean to say and that’s what our brain reads. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read an email that I’ve sent where I’ve omitted a word in the sentence or added an extra word. I just didn’t see the error because my brain automatically corrected it. So how to guard against this self-publishing pitfall?

Ask a writer friend who has never read the manuscript to do a line proofread. Granted, that’s asking a lot and you’re going to owe that writer friend big time. But a fresh read will give your work the best chance of fixing those kinds of errors. Plus, there’s something else that a new reader can do for you.

GET RID OF REPETITION

We all have a word or cliché or phrase we over use. Trouble is, we’re not aware of it. We love our favorite words, expressions, or phrases because they make us laugh, or because we think they’re different and/or unique, or just because. But it’s because these expressions are funny or different that a reader remembers them. Take, for instance, the word “quirk” used as a verb. As in, “He quirked an eyebrow.” Or, “Her mouth quirked.”

Quirk is a perfectly fine word. But in this day and age, we use it more as a noun than as the verb. The verb usage dates back to the 16th century and means “to move or twist suddenly.” Also a perfectly good albeit unusual verb. And for reasons I can’t explain, it’s become very contemporary and cool to say, “He quirked an eyebrow.” How interesting! How unique!

Yep! But I guarantee that the first time I read it, I’m going to notice it. And if you write an entire book and use it once, I’ll give you a pass. But I’m pretty sure I’m going to read it another five or six times, and I’m going to think about it every time. And what I’m going to think is, “Why did this writer choose to use this weird verb?” A trusted friend will call you on those over-used though interesting-the-first-time expressions. Do your readers a favor and listen.

PUNCTUATION PET PEEVES

I don’t think I need to explain how annoying it is to see a misplaced comma, random quotation marks, or an incorrectly-used semi-colon. But I will also admit that it’s only other writers who will likely be annoyed by punctuation errors.

Or maybe it will just be me. The point is, you can easily fix these self-publishing pitfalls before I download your e-book. And that’s a win for everybody!

Cathy C. Hall spends as much time reading as she does writing, so let her know if you've published a good book! (Though her To Be Read List is very, very long. Also, she's pretty sure that she has never quirked her mouth, but she may have quirked an eyebrow or two.)

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6 comments Cathy C. Hall, overused words, proofreading, punctuation, self-publishing

Do You Need a Writing Coach or An Editor?

Since I happen to do both writing coaching and editing, I often get requests for either one of these services. Currently, I have one of the most fun coaching clients--she wants motivation to write and plot her book, and she wants me to brainstorm story elements with her. She definitely doesn't need editing right now--she's in the drafting stages. I had another client recently who wrote a very interesting ghost story, and she inquired about editing. I asked for some sample pages and let her know that I thought she was ready for a content edit, but not a full edit with proofreading yet because she was probably going to have some revisions.

How do you know if you need a writing coach or an editor (and what kind of editing)? If you don't have anyone who can help you decide or you haven't really thought about it, then here are some things to consider before you spend any money on services:

1. Have you finished a manuscript and which draft stage are you in?

If you've finished a manuscript, then you need an editor. A good editor will let you know what type of editing you need. For example, if you have a critique group that has already helped you revise your drafts, then you probably need a good proofreading. If you wrote this manuscript and no one else has ever read it, then you need a content edit, where the editor will help you with characterization, plotting, setting, and so on. 

The only time you might need a writing coach when you have finished a manuscript is when you're submitting to editors or agents and you need help, advice, and motivation with this.

2. Are you looking for someone to help you polish a manuscript or motivate you to write?

In other words, ask yourself WHY you reached out to a professional to help you with this project. If it's because you need help with punctuation and grammar, then you need a proofreader. If it's because you can't finish the thing, then you might need a few writing coach sessions to figure out why and to give you some deadlines to meet. 

3. Do you want someone to hold you accountable to deadlines?

This is what a writing coach can do. Many writers take my WOW! workshop class "Writing a Novel with a Writing Coach" because they like having to turn in 4500 words each week. It makes them work on their novel and prioritize their writing because they spent money on it, and someone is reading and discussing it. 

4. Do you need to brainstorm your plot because you are feeling stuck or unmotivated?

A rule of thumb is this: an editor is generally working with a finished manuscript or at least close to finished. A writing coach can help you at any stage, depending on your goals. A writing coach, like a life coach, is there to motivate you and discuss plot and career with you. (A writing coach can also help with branding and marketing.) An editor is there to help you with your writing and to make your finished manuscript the best it can be whether you are planning to traditionally publish or self-publish. 

If you have another situation you are in and wondering about, let us know in the comments below, and we will try to help you decide which type of services you need. OR let us know how you have previously worked with a writing coach or editor. 

Margo L. Dill is an editor, writing coach and author in St. Louis, MO. She is currently having a sale on her editing and writing coach services until the end of June. To check out these details, please click here and look at the white box at the end of the post. Or to sign up for her July writing coach class, please go to WOW's classroom  here. Her website is http://www.margoldill.com. 

Pencil photo above by Oteo on www.flickr.com 

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5 comments book publishing, editing, Margo L. Dill, proofreading, writing and submitting, writing coach, writing goals

Authentic Blogging Doesn't Require Perfection

Years ago I read a fabulous article about blogging and perfection. I don't recall who wrote it, but it stuck with me. The gist of it is that a blog (unlike a book) doesn't have to be perfect. Typos are allowed and in fact they are encouraged! Encouraged? Wait, What? Yes, you read that correctly. In a day and age where being your authentic self is the key, making mistakes is the name of the game. For years I've had as part of my bio "failing forward" because that's what my road looks like. I've stumbled, I've fallen, I've been fired, I've been hated, I've been admired, and I'm still here. I'm still moving forward. I'm sure there are people who would tell you to sugar coat the failing part, but that's not truthful. People gravitate toward people they relate to. None of us relate to perfection. If you only publish a blog post that's perfect, you'll have a very empty blog and a frustrated following. It's ok to post a photo with a messy kitchen in the background. It's okay to write about things that are painful and you may just find that your writing is choppy and there's lots of spelling errors in your posts most filled with emotion. Guess what? People will love those posts even more, because we can all relate to feeling like a hot mess. We've all had those moments when we felt nothing we did was good enough. Sharing those messy moments makes you human. It converts you from words on a screen to a friend. If you include videos on your blog or in your social media, the same holds true...don't wait for the perfect moment. Being authentic means just getting your story out there, regardless of your messy hair, noisy children, or interruptions.

It's important to read and re-read what you're writing. You don't want to be completely sloppy or hap-hazard with your writing. Similarly, you wouldn't want to post a picture that will haunt you (or a member of your family) for years to come and you want to put some thought into your video before hitting the record button. What you don't want to do is overthink every little part of your message. It's the imperfection that helps make your voice unique and draws people to you. If you haven't heard of Glennon Doyle Melton, you should really look her up. She's an author with over a 1/2 million followers and she's far from perfect. She struggled with bulimia and addiction, her marriage endured adultery and she is currently separated from her husband and just this week announced (via Facebook) she is in love with two time Olympic God Medalist Abby Wambach. Glennon is a Christian mom blogger who has openly admitted to falling in love with another woman. Talk about being authentic and far from perfect. Her post about Abby is beautiful. There are sentence fragments. It doesn't matter. Love and beauty aren't perfect. Authenticity isn't perfect. The imperfect message, from the imperfect blogger...now that's perfection!

The next time you sit down and write your heart out and talk yourself out of publishing the message, I want you to think about this post. What you are doing is negative self talk. You are telling yourself that your message isn't good enough. That you aren't good enough. If you wait for the perfect moment, you are not only cheating yourself, but you are cheating your readers and your potential readers. Type through the tears and the mess and just get the message out there. Authentic blogging doesn't require perfection.

What's been holding you back? What does your self talk sound like? Are you fearful of doing a video on your Facebook page because you feel awkward? We want to hear from you. More important - those of you who aren't being held back, how did you push through those fears? What advice would you give others? How do you feel about imperfections in blogging?

Share you thoughts and ideas in the comments of this post - we love to hear from you!

PS - just for fun, let me know of any imperfections you can find in the above picture of my little fix it man! There are lots!

Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 9, Andre 8, Breccan 3, and Delphine 1), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at:http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

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3 comments authentic writing, blogging, mistakes are okay, no one is perfect, perfect, perfection, proofreading, self talk, writing mistakes

Friday Speak Out!: Breaking The Golden Rule

by Mary Ann Sromoski

There are many challenges and obstacles when attempting to create a successful article. I’ve written numerous articles during my freelance career, and it seems I always find an error after the article has been submitted. They are often very small mistakes that are usually not even picked up by your average reader. However, to the seasoned writer, they stand out like a neon sign. How on earth did I miss such a silly, beginner’s mistake? I always proofread my completed drafts before submitting them, or so I thought, so why do I continue this pattern?

Okay, let’s be honest here. I don’t always proofread. The more appropriate term would be scanning. I know! The Golden Rule of writing, in my opinion, is proofreading your work several times. I admit that I was in a hurry or just plain sick of writing about the topic, so I completed it with a quick scan and submitted it. Not only did I do this for articles, but also the two e-books I had just published! How completely embarrassing. When will I learn to not break the golden rule? A rule that I’m fully aware of and constantly repeat to others.

In the beginning of my writing career, I’d often think, if you’re on a roll, just go with it. As long as you steer clear of or correct the red lines in Google docs, you were good to go. Well, not so much. I’d often just want to get the article done and be over with the assignments. Another mistake. One thing you must do is walk away from your computer and do something entirely different. Working hastily is your brain telling you that you need a break from it all. Listen to it. Don’t be in such a rush, because you’ll wind up regretting it and breaking the golden rule yourself.

I’ve just developed a new approach for myself when writing. You can call it a check list if you will.

1. Be in the right mood for writing - let’s face it, it may be our passion, but most of us are not always in the mood.

2. Look over your project instructions.

3. Do proper research as needed. 

4. Write down your thoughts.

5. Start brainstorming by writing every thought down in article format.

6. Now go back through your draft - you’ll find a bunch of mistakes, but that’s normal. During this phase, you will also notice really bad sentences and phrases and immediately have a better way of rephrasing things.

7. Don’t rush through the project.

8. Suffering from writer’s block? - walk away from your computer and forget about the assignment. Sometimes, your best ideas come to you when you’re not thinking about it.

9. When you feel ready, go back to sit at your computer and proofread your draft.

10. Rewrite it in the proper format.

11. Once you feel it may be the final draft, go back and reread it again!! And again! I can’t emphasize this enough. No scanning or skimming. Read it as if it was an article in a magazine you wanted to read. Pick it apart.

You certainly don’t have to follow my steps. Make a list of your own. Whatever works for you. The bottom line to take away from this article is to never break the golden rule.

* * *

Mary Ann Sromoski’s career did not begin with writing. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Science with a major focus in Psychology. Immediately following graduation, Mary Ann began working in various specialties in the mental health field. Ever since she can remember, she’s had a passion and affinity for reading and writing. Realizing she possessed a natural talent in the accurate application of English grammar and editing, she has been able to adapt to writing about a wide array of topics. 
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2 comments editing your writing, Friday Speak Out, Mary Ann Sromoski, proofreading

How to Make More Money as a Freelance Writer

Let’s be honest for a minute here—we all want to see our byline attached to feature-length articles in magazines, newspapers, and blogs, etc. But sometimes the cash flow of a freelance writer can move in the wrong direction. When that happens, it may be time to tap into your work experience and see how the skills you utilize as a writer can also earn you a paycheck. Here are a few ways I’ve filled in the gaps over the years:

Fact-checking. Tap into the relationships you’ve built with editors. There is one local magazine I’ve worked with in various capacities. I’ve written articles, edited, proofread, and worked as the calendar editor, all at different times. They recently contacted me because they needed an extra set of eyes during the copy editing process. I check each piece of content before it is flowed into the layout for AP Style, consistency, typos, etc. This magazine also publishes several annual publications (such as travel or education guides), which are typically chock full of short articles, stock photography and resource listings. This is where you come in. There is usually one person in charge of updating all the resource listings and other repeating information in the publication, and freelancers are perfect for this. Keep an eye on the various guides your clients publish and go ahead express interest at least six months ahead of time. It can provide steady work and larger paychecks than merely writing feature articles.

Calendars. Smaller magazines and newspapers have also been known to farm out calendar listing duties. I’ve done this in the past, and while it wasn’t as creative as some of the assignments I normally work on, it allowed me to work remotely and provided a monthly check I could count on. Take a look at some of your favorite local publications and you’ll find that most of them include a calendar of some sort. It’s worth contacting the editor to let them know you’d be happy to help them with that portion of the magazine if they ever get short-handed.

Public Relations and Marketing. My position as a blog tour manager requires some writing and editing, but it also involves networking, public relations, and thinking outside of the box, a skill set that can be found in the most successful and prolific freelance writers. There are writers who specialize in writing bios for small business owners, and I once had the director of a preschool pay me $200 to write a short advertorial about her school that she could send out to the local media outlets. Browse through the portfolios of a few freelance writers you trust in order to brainstorm and get ideas of other ways you can expand your own services.

While these types of jobs aren’t glamorous by any stretch of the imagination and probably won’t pay as much as an article in a national consumer magazine, they can provide monthly contracts or assignments that can help keep your writing cash flow in the right direction with prompt payment terms. And by showing your clients that you’re not afraid to take on the occasional grunt work and do it well, they’ll most likely show their appreciation by throwing a few extra writing assignments your way.

What are some ways you've earned extra income freelancing?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and blog tour manager for WOW! Women on Writing who isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves for her regular clients. Visit her website at www.FinishedPages.com.

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3 comments fact-checking, freelance advice, income streams for writers, proofreading, regional magazines, Renee Roberson

Proofreading: The Final Step

We’ve all had this experience.  You’ve just posted a blog or e-mailed a manuscript to your editor and then you look down.  Staring back up at you, waving merrily, is a typo, a punctuation error or a spelling mistake. 

How is it that you can proof your work and still miss something so obvious?  Part of the problem is familiarity.  By the time you’ve been through a manuscript five or six times, your skim rather than read closely.  You need to shake things up a bit so that you can spot errors before they go out into the publishing world. 

Follow these 5 tips for error free copy.

1. Note all alerts. If you use Word, you may have developed the same bad habit that I have.  I often ignore the red and green underlines that indicate a possible error, because I’m often writing things with foreign words or names that set off the alerts.  These alerts are your first line of defense for typos and grammar mistakes.  Take a look at each one because sometimes the program does find a mistake.
2. Change your font.  Book designers know that readers can skim some fonts, including Courier and Times Roman, without having to consciously think about what they are reading.  You don’t want to skim when you are proofing.  Temporarily change your font to something that takes a conscious effort to read.  I often use Papyrus or Bradley Hand because they take more effort but aren’t too decorative. 
3. Change the size of your font.  You may not have old eyes but larger fonts are easier to read.  That’s why beginning readers are printed in larger font.  Enlarge your font to 18 or 20 point for easy viewing. 
4. Print it out.  If you write on screen like I do, printing your work out will also make it look different.  For whatever reason, I can skim over a mistake 5 or 6 times on screen (in spite of the red underline) but spot it immediately on a print out.
5. Read your work out loud.  When you read out loud, it is slower than reading to yourself.  Again, you can’t skim.  This is my last attempt to catch errors. 

Error free text impresses editors and readers. While no one is perfect, it pays to make an effort to weed out as many errors as possible.  What tricks do you use?

--SueBE

Sue teaches our class, Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults.  The next session begins in October; places in the class are open.

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6 comments copy errors, proofing, proofreading

Writing Lessons of 2013

Though I’m already making plans for next year, I’m compelled to take a look back first.

See, I don’t want to make the same mistakes I made this year. So I checked my blog for a feature I call “What Not To Do” where I share my mistakes and what I learned from said mistakes. And I thought maybe you could benefit from my year-end inventory, too. So join me as I walk down Memory Lane, reliving those magical writing moments where I messed up in 2013.


What I Learned About Book-Signings

I finally scheduled a book-signing for a couple of anthologies wherein I had stories. And I thought I’d made thorough plans. But I did not count on the wind (it was an outside festival), and I did not consider the heat (chocolate melts), but mostly, I didn’t really think about the importance of selling the book.

I suppose I thought the book would sell itself. But here’s what I learned: people want to talk to writers about the book—and they want to talk about their own experiences, too. And if you take the time to connect—to listen and interact with the people who drop by—the book sort of does sell itself.

For my next book-signing, I’ll check the weather and I’ll bring melt-proof candy. But mostly, I’ll be ready to engage with shoppers. Because shoppers are the ones who’ll buy—and read—the book!


What I Learned About Proofreading


I don’t often ask for help with proofreading. But after sending a query out to an agent, I realized I’d made an error. And not just a simple comma error. Nope, this was an epic error involving the actual text and…honestly, I still want to bang my head on the desk, thinking about it. How, I asked myself. How did this happen?

It happened because when we write, we often mentally correct an error. We know what we mean to say and our brain helps us out by showing us what we expect to see rather than what’s on the printed page.

So I learned (rather painfully) that I shouldn’t rush the proofreading step. Sometimes, it’s enough to leave the work for an hour or two. An error is likely to jump out when we return. For larger works (like an entire manuscript), there are several options for proofreading. There are premium or free services that will analyze text (search “grammar check”). But we can also ask our fellow writers for proofreading help, perhaps our critique group, or a trusted writer friend. And then we must actually do it. (Your head will thank you.)


What I Learned About Reading Writing Books


In April, I learned that, despite my best intentions, I had read only one of the writing books piled in a stack by my bed. It was an excellent book, filled with great writing advice, and so I decided that I would actually read my writing books instead of letting them sit, hoping that the advice would somehow transfer to my brain through osmosis.

But here’s what I discovered in December of 2013: I still have not read my writing books. So I’m sure you can guess what the first What Not To Do of 2014 will be.

Oh, well. Now that I’ve looked back (and learned) from my mistakes, it’s time to look forward, to figure out my What To Do list for the coming year.

Ahhhh. That’s much better. (And may your 2014 be much better, too!)

~Cathy C. Hall

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9 comments book signings, Cathy C. Hall, learning from mistakes, proofreading, setting goals, writing advice, writing books, Writing What Not To Do's