The Revision Stage is where you find the story. If you're a one-and-done drafter, we all envy the pre-planning you did and the dominion your characters have over you. Or maybe you're a perfect pantser drafter. Either way, we're envious. You're a...

In a continuation of what I published last week about writers understanding story, I'd like to use this week's blog to talk about what type of skin you need to have as a writer during the creative process.Thick SkinIf you've spent any time in the pub...

When I'm screening prospective clients, I ask a series of questions for two main reasons: to get an idea about the story and to see if the writer understands the story. What I've learned in writing my MFA thesis, over and over is that neither the fir...

Cut Three Darlings and Keep Intensity, Clarity, and EmotionOne of the best things about editing is cutting words. When I wrote my first novel—over 100k—and I read that contemporary romances should be closer to 80k, I had to cut some words. And w...

This series is about mistakes I made as a new writer years ago and what I've seen as a developmental editor.MAKE ROBIN THE REAL DARK KNIGHT:Who would Batman be without Robin? Yup; just another bat. But in writing, sometimes authors forget who th...

This series is about mistakes I made as a new writer years ago and what I've seen as a developmental editor.CREATE A SHADOWY VILLAIN WHO NEVER EMERGES FROM THE SHADOWS:Simply put, this is another way to create false conflict/tension. This looks ...

This series is about mistakes I made as a new writer years ago and what I've seen as a developmental editor.BE MICHAEL SCOTT. START A SENTENCE AND HOPE YOU FIND IT ALONG THE WAY:This is a little more involved than writing the occasional run-on s...

This series is about mistakes I made as a new writer years ago and what I've seen as a developmental editor.EVERY DETAIL EVEN DOWN TO THE LENT ON THE FLOOR:When your character enters the scene, you describe everything in the space.I've edit...

This series is about mistakes I made as a new writer years ago and what I've seen as a developmental editor.LOOKING IN THE MIRROR:Where a character sees themselves in the mirror so the writer has a chance to describe what they look like (for the...