Finding Comps

Finding Comps

When looking for comps, stop seeking exact matches and look instead for books that relate to your audience, themes, plot, style and voice, characters, and the general structure of the journey or tale you’re telling. Let’s back up: What’s a comp? Comparable or...
What NOT to Expect from a Developmental Edit

What NOT to Expect from a Developmental Edit

Understanding the different levels of editing can be confusing—sometimes they come with different names, sometimes things can get mushed together. But at it’s core, developmental editing is a type of creative problem-solving that takes a hard look at the big picture...
Interview with the Editor

Interview with the Editor

The following questions are based on those I suggest authors ask when determining which editor(s) to choose. FIRST: THE VIBE CHECK EXPERIENCE. Where did you gain your skills? I received my BA in Professional Writing, my MA in Writing and my MFA in Fiction. I also hold...
Build Your World—In Detail

Build Your World—In Detail

When world-building, writers should have detailed notes about the world created. You need to be able to see it, hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it. You also need to be able to pull readers in through subtext, background, and dialogue—not lengthy exposition. You need...
Playing with Punctuation

Playing with Punctuation

Playing around with punctuation can not only change the meaning of a sentence, it can also allow you to shape the pacing and emotional buildup within a scene. Clarity Punctuation’s impact on clarity is more obvious. Use the wrong punctuation marks, and you can change...
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