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Editing - Story Tips - Publishing

How to use different points of view in your novel manuscript for fiction.

What is the Best Point of View to Use in Fiction?

Benefits and Drawbacks of Each POV in Your MS As a beginning writer who chose to write my first book in first-person narrative, I discovered the drawbacks of such an approach the hard way. Halfway through the book, I started all over in third-person – something I wouldn’t recommend. Briefly, Point of View – when...

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Should I use sentence fragments in my book manuscript? Is this bad writing or style?

Sentence Fragments – Stylistic Choice?

Should I Use Sentence Fragments? Sentence fragments. Who cares? You? Me? Anyone? Depends. Writing nonfiction? Probably wouldn’t. Work, that is. Writing fiction? Could be. Depends. On what? Style. With some authors? Might work. Others? Not so much. A hundred years ago? Wouldn’t have been acceptable. Writing fragments, that is. Too formal back then. Long run-on...

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Ten awesome ideas to reach your writing goals for your book!

Ten Super Awesome Ideas to Reach Your Writing Goals

Having Trouble Getting Motivated to Write? You’re not alone. Many writers struggle with keeping up the motivation. What you often need to keep up that motivation is keep a steady momentum with daily goals. As a writer, and (recovering) procrastinator, I’ve tried lots of ways to keep going with writing – but still often let...

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Why you should edit your manuscript before sending to an editor or beta readers.

Simple Steps to Editing Success

Editing Your Final Draft Whether you’re self-publishing your book, sending to an editor, or to a publishing company — ideally you want to send your ultimate best work — even if you’re having someone else edit it for you prior to publishing. I have done a lot of editing. Editors are people too — just...

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How to write and revise your novel manuscript with active voice - passive examples.

Active Versus Passive Voice

Engage Your Reader with Active Voice in Your Writing While it has it’s uses – mostly in business writing – passive voice is considered weak and unappealing. Technically speaking, voice is determined by the property of a transitive verb which shows whether the subject of a sentence acts or is acted upon. Lets look at...

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Adverb lessons - what do adverbs modify in writing? How do I use adverbs in writing my book novel manuscript? Is it okay to use adverbs in fiction?

Adverbs – Part Two

What Words Serve as Both Adjectives & Adverbs? Yes, some words can serve as both adjectives and adverbs. He swung hard with a right hook. Here, hard serves as an adverb which modifies the verb swung. When he fell, his head hit the hard concrete. Here, hard is an adjective modifying the noun concrete. Occasionally,...

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Do I really have to avoid adverbs in my novel manuscript? Should my story have less adverbs? How to use adverbs in fiction without overdoing it.

Adverbs – Part Three

The Dreaded LYs When discussing adverbs in regards to writing fiction, the kind we’re usually talking about are the ly words – like clearly, dearly, and madly. Many high-brow critics complain that the use of adverbs like this is a lazy man’s (or woman’s) tool. I remember the first time I turned in some of...

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How to fine-tune your book's manuscript before you send to an editor, agent, or publish - how to make your novel is the best it can be

Fine Tuning Your Manuscript – Part One

You’ve Written “The End” – But Is Your Book Ready? Okay, so you’ve finally reached the magic words, The End. But is it really? Are you done? Have you really finished your book? Chances are, you haven’t. If you’ve only written the words The End, once or twice – if you’ve spent very little time...

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