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Should we follow writing rules?
The debate. There has long been debate among authors as to whether or not they should follow writing rules. The opinions swing from the die-hard believers that good books must follow every ‘rule’ ever written to those who believe they should be ignored because following rules compromises their creativity. Many assume that editors must all believe in rigidly following ‘rules’, but that is not the case because editing is a lot more than just applying the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation; at the developmental and line editing stage, editing is an art form where the editor makes informed decisions as to how to best communicate the author’s intent. It doesn’t have to be an either/or opinion. Personally, apart from the conventions of grammar and punctuation that remain current, I think of what some call writing rules as writing tips or guidelines. The idea is to use these guidelines in a way that will help, not hinder. Don’t concern yourself with them on your first draft … [Read more...]
Review: The Mindful Writer by Dinty W. Moore
The Mindful Writer book of short inspirational passages for authors to consider and contemplate upon. The book is constructed around quotes from authors and Dinty Moore's comments on those quotes, followed by some light exercises to encourage mindfulness when writing. It's the kind of book you could pick up and dip into occasionally, and, as such, would be better in paperback than ebook. It works well enough for what it is, and it's good to see something that at least broaches the role of mindfulness in writing, but I would love to see something deeper on the topic written by someone with a lot of experience in meditation, because if this author had that experience, it didn't come across. 4 stars Find out more and BUY NOW … [Read more...]
The role of imagination in reading.
Pop over to the AIA Publishing blog for my article on the role of imagination in reading and how authors can provide a great imaginative experience for their readers. … [Read more...]
Friday Free Web Fiction: More from Steampunk Nell
Every week in Friday Free Web Fiction I post a first draft scene from my work in progress (WIP), or a short story, or an excerpt from one of my books. Today’s offering is from my Prunella Smith WIP, Past Worlds, The Lock Smith's Secret. Last week I introduced you to Nell, this week I have the second edition in her story. Enjoy this free steampunk story Nell twisted the knob, rolled the paper into her typewriter and stared at the blank white sheet. A string of expletives that would’ve made her mother blush rolled through her mind. She blamed the stable hand—if not for him she’d never have known such words existed. But that wasn’t what Bert wanted her to write, was it? Anyone could swear—except her mother. She’d have to take a more sophisticated approach if she were to show Lord Burnett he was wrong about her. She lifted her hands above the keyboard, poised to type, then dropped them. What was the point of messing up that lovely piece of white paper with ill-formed words; she’d only … [Read more...]
The Best Beta Readers are the Most Critical
When you ask someone to read your work, I suggest that you take the attitude that their criticisms will help you to make your book better. You should look forward to their criticism and understand that the harsher they seem, the better your book will be when you have fixed the problems. It’s better to have the criticism before it’s published than afterwards when it’s too late to fix it. This is why the best beta readers are the most critical and I always tell mine to be very critical and not to feel that they will hurt my feelings. Here are my suggestions for the kind of things you can ask them to look at. If you lose interest, please stop reading & I’ll send you a revised edition later. Tell me where I lost you. In general, does the story/plot work? Is there anywhere where it wanders or seems unclear or irrelevant? Is the beginning engaging? Does it make you want to read on? If not, why? Do you have any suggestions for improvement? Were any of the sections too … [Read more...]
The resurgence of shortstories – guest post & ebook give away
Today I have a guest post over at Supernatural Snark on The resurgence of shortstories If you leave a comment you'll be in the running for a free copy of A Matter of Perception. The giveaway runs untill Dec 31. … [Read more...]
