Not Always “As” You “Like” It
Do you recall the 1950s’ cigarette commercial jingle that went like this: “Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should”? I…
Constructing the Two Goals for the Protagonist in Your Novel
In these first posts in our year-long course, we’re exploring the four corner support pillars in novel construction. These four…
4 Time-Saving Social Media Tips
Today’s guest post is from social media expert Frances Caballo, who has some great tips for writers on streamlining and…
Are You Fortunate or Fortuitous?
Here are two words that appear to share a root but do not, and are therefore often used interchangeably and…
A Compelling Novel Centers On the Protagonist’s Goal
Do you want to write a compelling story? Think of the word compel. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary has a great definition:…
6 Helpful Tips For Effective Social Media Promotion of Your Ebook
Today’s guest post is from Anna Fox, who runs the blog Manifest Connection—which provides practical help for writers to get…
Semicolons: Commonly Misused Bits of Punctuation
The semicolon is the most commonly misused punctuation mark. Bryan Garner (A Dictionary of Modern American Usage) calls the semicolon…
Kicking High Concept into High Gear
We’ve been exploring the first key pillar of novel construction—concept with a kicker. Last week I explained that a novel…
10 Risks You Run if You Don’t Proofread Your Manuscript
Today’s guest post is from my beloved editing mentor Kathy Ide. Kathy is the person who introduced me to the…