Over the last few weeks, we dug into the primary and secondary elements that make up a great subplot. Today, I want to put that learning into action. We’re going to examine the logistics of weaving subplots into a story and identify the nine subplot elements in the book: The Read more
Subplots are secondary storylines woven around the main plot. Last time, I covered the four primary elements that must be present in order for a subplot to earn its place in a story. After confirming your subplots have those elements, it’s time to find little ways to make those storylines Read more
I love complex stories. I want layers. More characters, more twists, more subplots. As a result, my stories often end up as thick books. As an over-writer, I have to really scrutinize every part of my stories to see if it really needs to be there. Today, I want to Read more
As a writer who loves to error on the side of too much rather than too little, I often struggle against the big bad word count when writing novels. I always need to cut. Cut words. Cut subplots. Cut characters. The latter being the hardest for me as character development Read more
I realized that I’ve done posts on self-editing and starting your own editing business, but I haven’t talked about finding a good editor. It doesn’t matter how amazing you are at grammar and writing stories, you MUST get an editor if you plan to publish. If you do traditional publishing, Read more
Back when I first started these writing tips, I did a post on five mistakes new writers make. I meant to add more posts on other common mistakes, but I never got around to it. So, this week, I want to point out five more mistakes I often seen when Read more
I recently opened a side business for developmental editing since I love dissecting stories and finding ways to make them stronger. Many authors have supplemental income because writing books is not always a lucrative business. While I think that is smart, that isn’t why I opened my editing business. I’ve Read more
If you’ve been among writers at all, you’ve probably heard them say “kill your darlings” a time or two. It’s important to realize this is not writing advice. It’s editing advice. When you’re writing, you should follow your passion in whatever direction it takes you. However, when it’s time to Read more
After a book has been through critiques and beta readers, it’s usually ready for the public. At this point, once all your edits are completed, you want to have some proofreaders. These readers are people who go through the book and look for typos, grammar issues, and formatting problems. I’d Read more
As writers, we inevitably meet other writers who ask if we can read their manuscript and give them some feedback. If this happens, you need to first establish if they want a critique as a fellow writer, feedback as a beta reader, or proofreading. They are three very different approaches, Read more