Writing Craft

15 Grammar Rules That Can be Broken

By Steve Laubeon August 12, 2019

With trepidation I step into the gladiator arena of grammar. Below is a marvelous infographic from ExpertEditor.com, an Australian professional editing and proofreading company.

Do you agree or disagree with these choices?

Grammar rules are there for a reason. Clarity, consistency, and communication. A sloppy manuscript is a terrible thing to waste.

At the same time, rigidity with some grammar rules can create awkward sentences. In my lifetime I have seen our language change incrementally. But the bones are still the same.

Feel free to weigh in with your comments.

The above infographic can be found at ExpertEditor.com.

Five Words to Strike from Your Fiction

By Bob Hostetleron July 24, 2019

Maybe you’ve heard of James A. Michener. He wrote some books. And he once said, “I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.” Rewriting is the better part of writing, and deleting words (or “killing all your little darlings,” as Faulkner put it) is a key part of rewriting. It is a painful process at times, but some words are more easily deleted than others. Here are five …

Category: Craft, Writing Craft

Oxymorons

By Steve Laubeon July 22, 2019

Oxymorons can be fun. Two words that can have contradictory meaning are put together to create a new phrase. Or it can be expanded to mean two separate thoughts or ideas that are in direct conflict with each other but when combined create something new.

For example, if you've ever worked in a cubicle you can see the humor in the description "office space."

Category: Creativity, Grammar, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Grammar, Oxymorons, Writing Craft

Romance Writing: Is Your Couple Compatible?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 11, 2019

Recently, my husband and I watched an old movie focusing on a romance. The couple devoted their time to fighting with each other over issues, both major and minor. The heroine complained to her friends about the love affair. My husband and I agreed that this couple was not compatible. They had no business marrying. But! Sigh! He was veddy, veddy rich. She married up! So surely all will be well! …

Category: Book Proposals, Genre, Writing Craft

How to Write Poorly

By Bob Hostetleron July 10, 2019

To paraphrase a pretty good writer of several centuries ago, “Some are born writers, some learn to be writers, and others have writing thrust upon them.” Whichever category you fit into, it takes practice and perseverance to write well. But it takes only a little effort to write poorly. Here are seven tips to help you write poorly: Write for everyone. Don’t write for a specific demographic or a …

Category: Writing Craft

Reflections on a Busy Writers Conference Season

By Bob Hostetleron July 3, 2019

The first six months of 2019 were an exciting whirlwind of writers-conference activity for this author and literary agent. I presented and met with writers at eight conferences from February through June—four I’d never attended before and four others I returned to. I delivered six keynote addresses and more than a dozen workshops. I met with more than 150 writers in appointments. And I renewed …

Category: Conferences

What Are Average Book Sales?

By Steve Laubeon June 24, 2019

A writer asked me, “What does the average book sell? An industry veteran at a writers conference recently said 5,000. What??? I know it all depends …. but … nowhere near 5,000, right?” My simple answer? It’s complicated. It depends. Average is a difficult thing to define. Each publishing company defines success differently. If a novel sells 5,000 copies at one publisher, …

Category: Book Business, Book Sales, Get Published, Money, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Book Sales, Get Published, Trends

How Long Does It Take to Get Published?

By Steve Laubeon June 3, 2019

How long does it take to get published? I came to the publishing business from the retail bookstore side of the equation. In the beginning, the biggest adjustment was understanding how long the process for traditional publishing takes. In retail there is instantaneous gratification (customer walks in, buys something, and walks out). With indie publishing there can be nearly instantaneous …

Category: Book Business, Book Business, Book Proposals, Contracts, Get Published, Marketing, Publishing A-Z, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, Book Business, Contracts, Editors, Proposals, waiting

Real vs. Fictitious Settings

By Guest Bloggeron May 23, 2019

Today’s guest post is from our client Mindy Obenhaus. She is a three-time Carol Award nominee who writes contemporary romance. Mindy is passionate about touching readers with biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren at her Texas ranch. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com. …

Category: Craft, Guest Post, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

Tips on Writing a Novella

By Guest Bloggeron May 16, 2019

Today’s guest post is written by one of our clients, Lynn A. Coleman (www.lynncoleman.com). She is the founder of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), as well as the author of more than 50 novels and novellas. She lives with her husband of 45 years, who is the lead pastor of a church. ___________ Novellas are fast paced, short novels that run anywhere from 20k to 30k words, depending …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Editing, Get Published, The Writing Life, Writing Craft