Just as we as writers can’t address the possible weaknesses in our stories until we understand exactly what they are, readers can’t fully engage with those stories without a clear, concrete, granular sense of detail.
Yet one of the observations I most frequently make with authors’ manuscripts in my editing work is that key elements may lack impact because they feel vague or generalized.

Barbara Linn Probst shows how editing your work for theme can strengthen your book. In summary, "Search and Destroy" can be swapped for "Search and Employ."

The alternate title for this post could have been "How I Found My Publisher Through Rejection." K. Maze shares the lessons she learned on her path to publication.

I'm currently working on yet another edit of my young adult book that managed to eke out an RWA Golden Heart final in 2015. You'd think this baby would be in pretty good shape. When I entered my novel into that contest, it was hardly a first draft. More like Draft #72. I think I'm […]

Janice Hardy When I was first learning how to write a novel, I read tons of how-to books and tried every piece of writing advice I came across. Some of it helped, some of it didn't, and some of it did more harm than good. Luckily, I survived the experience and maintained not only my […]