Where Bad Writers Turn Good
People who read often get annoyed about errors in published material. Their ire made me retire my own. However, it also brought up—not annoyance, because I get paid to fix mistakes—a screaming head full of chronic errors. Here, I will list the most common 21 grammatical errors that drive readers nuts. Maybe, you’ll recognize a few and nod your head in agreement. Maybe, if you’re a writer, you even make a few yourself…
Being a writer is hard. Nobody denies that. It is one of the toughest, most unforgiving career paths one can choose, and at the end of the day, only the strong (and lucky) survive. But then, why do people still do it? This collection of creative, nonfiction essays written by a diverse range of published... Continue Reading →
In reading numerous works on the writing process and receiving advice from other writers based on their own personal writing habits, I have heard numerous renditions on what up-coming or potential writers must do to cross the threshold into actualized writers. These examples tend to take a dogmatic approach to the process. For example, an established writer will say one, absolute method exists in order to write, which usually just happens to be the method that particular writer uses. I disagree with this. Even if I find the advice helpful, I disagree with the necessity of strict adherence to any singular process.
I can’t tell you how to write your short stories. That you’ll have to learn through all the other means available. But if you write short stories that are written well and have something to say creatively, then I may be able to help you get over the next hurdle of getting your short story... Continue Reading →
Patreon, Kickstarter, GoFundMe; the trio of “Give me money!” is very popular right now. Do any of these actually benefit writers though? I’ll talk about all three, and the impact they can have on you as a writer, as well as personal experience and discussions with other writers. GoFundMe GoFundMe is the number one crowdfunding... Continue Reading →
After pouring hours, months, and even years of hard work into a manuscript, few things are as crushing as the rejection a writer receives when they are striving to become published. Yet, the truth is, some manuscripts don't even get read before they're tossed into the slush pile. Sometimes the reasons are obvious, and other times, not so much. But writers may be surprised how often the reasons could have been prevented.
Here are some simple steps every writer can take to decrease the slush-pile odds.
Tools for Developing Characters Many tools exist to help you craft believable and engaging characters. Below you’ll find some of the best I’ve encountered and a very helpful technique called the secret snapshot approach which can help you discover and reveal your character’s inner most self in a way which readers will love. Sliding... Continue Reading →
The fantasy genre is rich with imagined monsters, creatures, and beasts. Creations which haunt our dreams and make us walk that little bit faster after dark. This article will first look at a few of the more common monsters before exploring ways to help you become Dr Frankenstein.
Writers always hear “Show don’t tell!” I remember as a newbie that phrase would be thrown at me, and I would frown at my screen every time.
So, you want to write a poem, but don’t know where to begin. Should it rhyme? Does it even have to rhyme? What about the different rules and poetry forms? Shrouded in more mystery than a school cafeteria lunch, it’s no wonder that writers can be somewhat hesitant to explore poetry.
Writing Bad - Official Site 