No ifs, ands, or buts. If you're going to self-publish, you need an editor. Choosing the editor you need depends entirely on where you are in the self-publishing process, however.

Essentially there are three editing phases: substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading. It's highly unlikely that you'll find an editor that does all three. In fact, you might be wise to run away from someone that offers to do all three…

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I'm constantly trying to improve my writing skills, checking out books on writing, seeking websites on the subject and even attending author showcases. All so that I might get better in something I enjoy doing. The other day I came across this quote from T. S. Elliot

"Do I dare disturb the universe?

Isn't that what we do as writers, try to disturb the universe with our fictional renderings?  The burning question for any writer is how to get your story to a wider…

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So many of you have been writing to ask me why The Answer to Your Question is not for sale on Amazon yet! 

Okay, a few of you have actually inquired (thank you). After all, I spouted all over the Internet that it would be available on January 1, 2013.  That was my publication date, and here I sit…

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In previous weeks I’ve explained the editorial tracks offered by She Writes Press. We’ve covered …

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As promised, as an addition to my Bonanza today, a repost from Julie Hammonds.  Her blog: Words4Wildlife: Notes from the field.

 

I worked on a piece of writing over the past weekend. It was the first new writing I’ve done, of any substance,…

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“To be a writer is to sit down at one’s desk in the chill portion of every day, and to write; not waiting for the little jet of the blue flame of genius to start from the breastbone—just plain going at it, in pain and delight. To be a writer is to throw away a great deal, not to be satisfied, to type again, and then again, and once more, and over and over...”…

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"The technology I like is the American paperback edition of Freedom. I can spill water on it and it would still work! So it's pretty good technology." –Jonathan Franzen

I’m the Mitt Romney of e-books. I…

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“Any time your text is awkward or confusing, or any time you have to pause or reread your text, revise this section. If it is at all awkward for you, you can bet it will be awkward for your reader.” –from Purdue Online Writing Lab

The easiest self-editing tip I can give any writer is this: read everything you write aloud. It’s a fantastic way to figure out if what you’ve written stumbles or is unclear. This excruciatingly simple technique quickly helps identify run-on…

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“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write.” –Stephen King

     I like to say books are for writing, not reading, but that’s a half-truth. The key to good writing is…

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“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” –Kurt Vonnegut

When it comes to an author’s writing, style can only mean one of two things—one can…

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I was crawling through my Wordpress blog, trying to find something I use as a first blog post on this website. I hope you guys don't mind me recycling in this manner. I have a heck of a time thinking up enough posts for one blog, let alone two. So here's the post I figured wasn't too opinionated or untimely to act as my entry into the She Writes blogging land:…

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(Note: Since some of us discussed novel drafts, and how we knew we were done revising, on today's novel chat, I wanted to cross-post a piece that will be running on my publisher's blog tomorrow.)

 

Congratulations! You’re done with your novel. You’ve gotten feedback from your writing group or critique partner. You’ve gone through several drafts, taking their suggestions in mind, at times swearing like a trucker when characters won’t cooperate or loose ends won’t tie…

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It's not just important, professional, smart, and saves writers loads of embarrassment, it is mandatory.



And you can't just do it once and then send it off or hit 'publish.' Nor should you rely on your spell check programs to catch all your mistakes.



There have been times when I have read things at least 10 times and begged my husband, my parents, beta readers,… Continue