As I noted when talking about editing a novel, writers often fall into an endless editing trap. You could go over your manuscript an infinite number of times and still find things to improve—or at least change. A client and I once made two rounds of edits on his book. …
Tag: Proofreading
Q&A: When to hire an editor
Q: I took your Elements of Fiction seminar and read the blog posts and I’ve gone through the checklist. Now what? How do I know when to hire an editor or writing coach? A: When you feel stuck, or when you’re ready to go. If you’ve worked through the …
Comma rules, condensed
Misplaced commas are the most common punctuation error I see. We all need help with commas at one time or another. Even experienced writers place them where they’re not needed and omit them where they are.
Publishing Q&A: Do you need a professional editor?
This question came up several times during the Florida Writers Association conference. Sometimes it was “Do you need a professional editor to work on your manuscript before you self-publish?” and other times it was “Do you need a professional editor to work on your manuscript before you submit for traditional …
English is hard. I’m here to help.
English is a beautiful but complex language. Because it borrows words from pretty much every other language on the planet, it has a massive vocabulary. Syntax can be intricate. Word formation is often illogical; for example, flammable and inflammable both mean “easy to burn.” Rules for punctuation are almost inscrutable. …