Writing Craft

First Lines For All!

By Karen Ballon May 4, 2016

Last week we considered some powerful first lines that we’ve read. And, as promised, here are the books they’re from:

“This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.” The Princess Bride, William Goldman

“It’s Nathan’s fault I became God.” The God Game, Andrew Greely

“I once listened to an Indian on television say that God was in the wind and the water, and I wondered at how beautiful that was because it meant you could swim in Him or have Him brush your face in a breeze.” Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

“I’m going to cut him open.” Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas

Now let’s share our own first lines from the books we’re working on now. Fiction, nonfiction, children’s books…whatever you’re writing, share those first, wondrous words with us here! But please, only ONE line.

I’ll jumpstart us. From a novel I’ve been working on for a number of years…

Death was just the motivation he needed.

Okay, your turn!

The Beauty of First Lines

By Karen Ballon April 27, 2016

Has it happened to you? That moment when you open a book, let your eyes rest on the first page, and suddenly, you’re transported. Or shocked. Or laughing. Because the very first line has done exactly what the author hoped. It grabbed you, pulling you into the story as inexorably as a Pacific ocean riptide will carry you out to sea. And, depending on the kind of book, it can be equally terrifying. …

Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Craft, first lines, Writing Craft

A Day in an Editor’s Brain

By Karen Ballon April 20, 2016

How’s that for a terrifying blog title? Okay, so we won’t spend a whole day there. But as I pondered how to give you a glimpse into what freelance editors do, it occurred to me that the easiest, and best, method would be to just let you live in this editor’s brain for a short time. So buckle up, Buttercup–here we go… I’m sitting at my computer, ready to start a substantive, or line-by-line …

Category: Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Editor

What an Editor Does: Peeling Back the Layers

By Karen Ballon April 13, 2016

Okay, as we launch into the next few weeks of looking at what editors do, here are a few basics to remember: 1. We are, for the purposes of this blog, talking about Freelance Editors. Not show who work at publishing houses. 2. Editors are, in essence, coaches. They won’t rewrite your book for you, but they will pinpoint areas you need to refine. Some will go back and forth with you, until they’re …

Category: Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Editor

Be Careful with Your Facts

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 7, 2016

In light of my last post on taking care of details, I thought my readers would be interested in seeing some oddities and errors I found – in the past week! An Irish Soda bread recipe in a local circular called for: 3 cups flower Hmmm. Roses? Daffodils? Tulips? What color? Green, perhaps? And this on Amazon in describing a book: Praying in the Holy Spirit is one important bible study about the …

Category: Craft, Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Writing Craft

Details, Details (Do They Matter?)

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 31, 2016

I was chatting with a reader the other day who told me about an advertisement she’d received about a new book. She said, “I read the sample, but then the author said that Black-eyed Susans bloomed in May, but they don’t bloom until August. I didn’t buy the book.” “Did you like the story otherwise?” I asked. “Yes.” “But you’re not …

Category: Craft, Editing, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Details, Research, Writing Craft

What An Editor Does–Phase 2

By Karen Ballon March 23, 2016

Next week, I promise, we’ll jump into the nuts and bolts of editing. But today I want to talk about what editors don’t do. Why do I bring these things up? Because I’ve encountered each and every one of them as a freelance editor. I’ve had clients say, “While you’re editing, can you do the copyedit?” or “Since you’re also an agent, would you be willing to pitch just this book to an editor?” Here …

Category: Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Editor, Writing Craft

Share Your Irish Blessings!

By Karen Ballon March 16, 2016

I think there’s a touch o’ the Irish—or at least a touch o’ the Blarney Stone—in every writer. So what more appropriate way to celebrate tomorrow’s St. Patrick’s Day than to write your own, original Irish Blessing? Irish blessings can be: Long or Short May the Lord be between us and harm and protect us from the harm of the world. Heartwarming May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be …

Category: Creativity, Writing CraftTag: Creativity

What An Editor Does –Phase 1

By Karen Ballon March 9, 2016

As we saw from the comments last week, editors have many tasks. As do copyeditors and proofreaders, but for the next few blogs we’re focusing on editors. I’ve been an editor for over 35 years, both in-house and freelance. And I’ve worked with all categories of books except Children’s books and academic titles. So here, from that perspective, is my take on what editors do. First, let’s look at what …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Editor, Writing Craft

What Does an Editor Do?

By Karen Ballon March 2, 2016

When I tell people I’m an editor, I get some interesting comments… “Wow, you must really know how to spell great!” “So, what, you fix commas and stuff?” “An editor, huh? Don’t you get tired of rewriting other people’s stuff?” “Don’t you get tired of reading?” “Wow, so you get to tell authors what to do, huh?” What’s especially interesting to me is that some of these comments aren’t, as you might …

Category: Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Writing Craft