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Common Issues with Quote Marks and Apostrophes
Have you ever noticed that some commas can float? If so, you’ve dealt with quote marks and apostrophes. This post will clue you in about how they like to misbehave, and give you some tips about keeping them in line. Need more advice about what to look out for in your novel draft? As a…
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Common Writing Issues
Finished writing your first draft? Wondering where to go next? Read on for ideas to get started with your revisions. Wondering if your draft has too many/too few words? Finishing a draft of a novel is an amazing achievement, and one that you should celebrate. However, it’s not the end of the process. Once the…
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Names, and How to Spell Them Correctly
Learn how lists can help you get your characters’ names right, and discover simple ways to type accents.
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Book Review: Kraken Rider Z by David Estes and Dyrk Ashton
If you’re a fan of magic, sea monsters and dragons, Kraken Rider Z will be a great choice for you! David Estes and Dyrk Ashton are both successful authors in their own rights, and with good reason. David’s written a whole heap of great books, including his Fatemarked series, and Dyrk’s made waves with his…
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Copyediting Training Update
There’s always something new to learn in the world of editing. I might not be able to study every course under the sun, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try! Copyediting is a valuable skill, but so’s proofreading. See what I thought about the training I took for that. Back in July, I announced that…
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The CIEP’s Annual Conference 2023
Are editorial professionals boring and pedantic? Absolutely not! Each year’s conference proves this from the moment it starts. Wondering what it’s like to attend virtually? Check out this post about when I did just that. In September 2023, I attended my third Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) annual conference. I’m sad it’s over,…
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Tailbone Features: Essential Parts of Early Drafts
Struggling with confidence while writing your first draft? Read on to learn how the issues you’re creating are essential. Want some solidarity? Click below to read one of my first drafts. Floppy disks were obsolete two decades ago. However, you can often click an image like the one below to save your work. I like…
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Are Your Characters in the Right Place at the Right Time Too Often?
Does your plot hinge on your protagonist just happening to overhear a conversation? Read on and find out why this can be a problem. Click below for some ideas to make life complicated for your characters. Convenience is rather nice in real life. However, it can cause issues in fiction. If your main character learns…
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How to Persuade Your Characters to Make an Unwelcome Choice
Discover how some underhanded tactics can push your characters in a bad direction. The stakes in this post (appear to) affect only the individual. But what about when others are directly involved? Early in 2023, I tried an experiment. I wrote a short piece of fiction and made it accessible from my homepage. However, I…
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Making Sure Your Meaning’s Clear
Earlier this year, my wife and I took our two-year-old son to see Hey Duggee Live at the theatre. While we were taking our seats, I nodded towards the stage and said, ‘Duggee’s going to be up there in a minute!’ When the show started and the cast appeared, my son pointed towards the ceiling…