Hey Folks, I love this topic, and it’s timely because it’s what I’ve been practicing in my last few WsIP. (grin) As I write this, I have a copyediting job that I put on the back burner because I was so close to finishing the novel. I’ll begin that copyedit today. To see what I mean by “copyedit,” please visit http://harveystanbrough.com/copyediting/. The writer also requested I check to see whether the scene and chapter breaks “make … Read more
Hey Folks, So many of us have forgotten that our primary purpose is to entertain, first ourselves and then other readers. Entertainent really is the sole purpose of writing fiction. We get wrapped around words. Yet in and of themselves, they just don’t matter. Words really are only tools, like nails to a carpenter. (If the carpenter drops a nail, does he stop the project? Uh, no.) We get wrapped around sentence structure, or about whether … Read more
Hey Folks, For many years I’ve kept a running list of awkward expressions, misplaced modifiers, and other syntactical anomalies that run the risk of distracting a reader. And by “distracting the reader” I mean jerking the reader out of the story. Most often, this is a result of inserting unintentional humor into a serious scene. If the scene is also meant to invoke feelings of sadness or despair or tension, the inadvertent insertion has an even … Read more
Hi Folks, This is a bit of an embarrassment for me. I used to actively teach that the writer should use italics to indicate the characters’ unspoken thoughts. When I was actively editing for other writers, I applied that erroneous rule. One time, I even passed up doing an edit for one writer because she adamantly refused to allow me to change characters’ unspoken thoughts from normal typeface to italics. I felt like she was paying … Read more
Hi Folks, Well, a little fun this time, at least for me. 🙂 A long while back, I listed The Thirteen Traits of a Professional Writer. I am constantly amazed at all the flak I attract for offering people something that might help them if they’ll only try it. But really, seriously, I promise, whether or not you choose to try Heinlein’s Rules or anything else I put out there is strictly up to you. I … Read more
Hey Folks, To follow up on last week’s post, this truism doesn’t favor any particular body part, really. And most of these aren’t as humorous as “her eyes drifted around the room and eventually lit in the corner on a barrel of nails.” But some of them are pretty good. Basically, any time any body part is the subject of a sentence, you probably need to recast the sentence. At least in the example that got … Read more
Hi Folks, I really hope I’m preaching to the choir here. Forgive me if that’s true, but better safe than sorry. And if you aren’t currently in the choir, this should convert you. A new literary acquaintance I’ve never met, Linda Maye Adams, commented on Dean Wesley Smith’s blog post one day awhile back: Just passing along another rights grab I ran across. It’s a writing contest sponsored by a non-profit [Story Shares] who is trying … Read more
Hey folks, Some of you might have noticed the website has a new look. If you haven’t, check it out at http://harveystanbrough.com. I’m slowly transitioning the website. Well, expanding might be a better term. The site will continue to be a valuable source for writers. I’ll continue the weekly posts each Tuesday on topics of interest to writers, and the Writers’ Resources listed in the left sidebar will remain. I’ll also continue to offer writer services … Read more
Hi Folks, Note: This post was originally scheduled for 5/30/2013. It didn’t post to MailChimp, so I’m posting it again now. I’ve revised the original post so it’s up to date. First, find a professional you can trust. For example, I am a professional fiction writer as well as a copyeditor. For details, or just to learn what comprises a good copy edit, please visit Copyediting. It costs less than you think. Thomas D. Morrow wrote … Read more
Hi Folks, Note: I ran this originally in September 2014, but it was so much fun to write I thought I’d share it again. So here it is. Other than some reparagraphing to make it more lisible, it appears as it was written originally. I sometimes experience an exchange of emails with a writer who asks for a critique of some writing with the proviso that I understand he or she is highly sensitive. Others ask … Read more