Did you know it’s National Proofreading Day?
That’s right, folks! It’s officially March 8, 2017, and that little ‘ol eight makes it National Proofreading Day. To celebrate today’s dedication to error-free writing, I thought I’d share my top 10 tips for exceptional proofreading. Continue reading “National Proofreading Day: 10 Tips to Proof It Up!”
Ever since I was a kid, I have been a fan of daytime soap operas. I can remember coming home from school and watching my VHS taped show for the day. I would follow the storyline and thought that no matter how ridiculous the plot, whoever wrote the lines knew what they were doing.
Being a decent writer means that you are a decent storyteller, but why stop at decent? Improving your storytelling skills will strengthen your writing and make your work more attractive and relatable—two highly sought after elements in all wanted copywriters. Practice makes perfect. So here are ten exercises you can use to improve your storytelling swag: Continue reading “10 Ways to Improve Your Storytelling Skills”
Gird your loins grammar geeks! We are about to enter the territory of heated debate known as the Oxford Comma Wars. Why is this humble punctuation mark such a big deal? Is it a dead and gone old-timey rule best to be buried? Let us debate! Continue reading “The Oxford Comma – Is It Dead?”
A third of the population look at a glass containing 50% water and 50% air, and they say the glass is half-full. The next third say it’s half empty. The final third say screw it and grab a drink. Each third have a different point of view.
Perspective is everything.
As authors of our self-created universes, the point of view we choose to tell a story in sets the stage. It is, perhaps, the single most important decision we make because telling the same tale from a different point of view (POV) creates an entirely different novel. Continue reading “Fiction Writing Rule #4: Choose (And Stick With) a Point Of View”
Guys! Guys! Guess what!
It’s Tuesday.
Do you know what that means? Continue reading “5 Ways to Be a More Productive Writer”
A story isn’t a story without characters. Much like reality, it doesn’t matter how small a person appears because their actions and personality can cause an explosion.
Throughout literature there are stunning examples of deep, multifaceted characters, without which stories would be drab and boring. Take, for example, characters like Sherlock Homes and John Watson whose depth rival that of some real life individuals.
In continuation of our Fiction Writing Series, our next topic of discussion is how to create dimensional characters. Continue reading “Fiction Writing Rule #3: Create Dimensional Characters”
As National Novel Writing Month ends, the beginning of the holiday season strikes. The time of the year has come where you embark on reading stories about obnoxious gingerbread men, elves that watch naughty children, talking turkeys, and an incessant use of the word ‘Tis.’
You find yourself watching terribly scripted made for TV holiday movies and ridiculous commercials that make you want to poke your eyeballs out. Now, imagine having to read this stuff year round.
It’s a safe bet you would never again read or watch TV, and the survival of your eyeballs would be debatable.
As you feast your eyes on your NaNoWriMo work, or set your sights on your next writing project, it’s important to focus on the importance of clear and concise writing. Let’s take a minute and review some important tips that will help you prepare a fresh and crisp piece of writing for your readers. Continue reading “The Guide to Clear and Concise Writing”
Whether you are writing a novel or a simple short story, the infancy stages of your piece will not be perfect. It is also a safe bet that one of the biggest grammatical headaches, the split infinitive, has been a thorn in your side. Don’t worry, you are not the only writer to enter split infinitive hell! Continue reading “A Guide to Split Infinitives”
Books are the closest thing to magic. It’s why so many of us nerds love a good novel. Books have the uncanny ability to transport us to new places, introduce us to new people, and take us on unforgettable adventures. But not all books are created equal. Continue reading “Fiction Writing Rule #2: Show, Don’t Tell”
Whether you’re a writer or editor, a little help with proofing is always welcome. Most word processing programs, like Microsoft Word and WordPerfect, come with basic proofreading capabilities. But what if you had access to smarter software? Would you use it? And what if you could use it for free? We’d like to introduce you to a smart software that’s been making our lives easier since 2010. It’s called Grammarly. Continue reading “How to Use Grammarly”
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