Words on Paper
Thoughts on writing, editing, language and Word.
Reminder that you’re awesome, in case you forgot.
I did a thing over the weekend. I sang a set of songs in recital as part of a trio—me, a clarinetist friend, and our pianist friend. It was lovely and exciting, terrifying and satisfying. I'm glad it's done, and I think we performed well. And it definitely...
5 Success Strategies for Writers with Health Challenges
Working through chronic illness can be a beast. How many times have you intended to write, but you’re just so tired! Or you have brain fog, or your fingers simply refuse to do the typing or writing? I wish I had a magic potion for you to make it all go away, but I...
Allow Yourself Time to Write and Edit Your Novel
Writing and editing a book takes time and publishing a book may take longer than you think. Publishing is a process, and sometimes a slow process! Unfortunately, our culture and the indie pub industry are very big on quick turnover. Get this book out, on to the...
Better Punctuation: Ellipsis, Exclamation, Question, Quotations
As we discussed in the previous blog post, I know you know how to use basic punctuation. You're good like that! But sometimes . . . well, those fancier marks get confusing, right? Never fear! Let's go over them so you can say, “Yes! I knew that already!” Or, “Oh,...
Better Punctuation: Commas, Dashes, Semicolons
If you grew up writing, whether you were forced to by teachers or wanted to as a creative outlet, you probably have at least a basic understanding of how to punctuate any written communication. But then, maybe you've forgotten. Or you read something that makes you...
How to Know What Editing You’re Looking For
Since you're here, you're probably looking for an editor. Or maybe you're doing your research. Welcome! And good on ya, thinking ahead like you are! 😄 Here are 4 questions to ask yourself. The answers will help you decide what sort of editor you need right now....
Write the most important things and no more.
Have you ever heard this maxim? Resist the urge to explain. I've been itching to share this phrase for months, but I couldn't figure out how. So I decided today to just dive in an see what happens! And then see how my editor skills kick in when I really need...
Manuscript Styles: Various Helpful Tools
This is by no means a statement of how it must be done, but a good jumping off point for you. You may find that you prefer something slightly different, or altogether different even. The main thing I try to remember is to keep within commonly accepted parameters—I...
Manuscript Styles: Creating your own templates in Microsoft Word
Creating a Template Last time we tackled how to create Styles, which give manuscripts a polished, professional look. I mentioned creating a template once you have your Styles mapped out. So here we go—how to create personalized templates! Firstly, you’ll want to get...
Creating Awesome Manuscripts with Styles in Microsoft Word
A Manuscript with Style: Part One Hey, psst. Over here… so hey. Do you want to make your editor happy? Like, really happy? I’ve got something that’s really gonna make her day. While I know your editor will be overjoyed with a properly stylish manuscript, remember that...
The best way to learn your craft is to put in the work
The other day in an online writer's group a gentleman asked, "A question for all you writers: did you spend time learning about the craft of writing before you wrote anything, or did you start writing first, and learn along the way?" After a few hours, no one...
How unusual punctuation marks convey personality
A friend of mine once posted on Facebook that she loves commas so much that she tends to overuse them. To which she received numerous comments from her geeky friends (including me) regarding which punctuation marks were their favorites. One friend owned up to adoring...