by James L. Rubart, @jameslrubart As the old adage goes, we don’t know what we don’t know. Or put another way, we often make assumptions because of our lack of …
Writerly Wisdom From a Reformed “Was” Nazi
by Mary A. Felkins, @MaryAFelkins Conventional writerly wisdom urges us to avoid using “was” in our stories wherever possible. In its place we’re taught (ad nauseam) to select strong, descriptive verbs. Use …
How to Know if You’re Overwriting: Tips to Trim the Fluff
By Mollie Joy Rushmeyer, @mollierushmeyer I debated calling this “Learn From My Mistakes: How to Avoid a 10,000-Word Trim Down in 72 Hours,” but it seemed a mouthful. But know …
Pruning—Not Just for Plants Anymore
by Andrea Christenson, @AndreaC_Author I was recently talking with a friend about her tomato plants. She described to me the beautiful fruit she’d already harvested. Then she said something even …
Tips for Series-Writing Beginners
By Susan L. Tuttle, @Susan_Tuttle5 My favorite go-to as a reader is a series. So it was no surprise that when I started writing, my story worlds poured out as …