“Impossible!” you cry. “Nonsense!” I reply. Here are ten common issues found in novel manuscripts and tips to help you avoid or correct them.
Tag: grammar
When to Use THAT (Which and Who, too!)
When I ask writers which word confuses them the most, the most common answer is THAT! There are some complicated grammar rules, but rest assured, I waded through them and strove to make my explanations as clear and understandable as possible. I promise we’ll ease into this slowly, starting in the shallow end and moving progressively deeper.
EVEN: JUST’S SNEAKY COUSIN
in literary terms, the four-letter word EVEN is primarily used to provide emphasis, and once invited into sentences, can infect multiple sentences without a writer’s conscious intention.
JUST: Let it Stay or Hit Delete?
The subject of this post is JUST, a four-letter word that sneaks into sentences without invitation. Learn when to let it stay…and when to hit DELETE!
Past or Present? Learn Which Tense is Best for Your Narration
If you google VERB TENSE, you’ll find lists ranging from 12 to 16 confusing forms. Fortunately, writers of middle grade and young adult literature only
VEXING VOCABULARY RETURNS!
As writers, any of us would be horrified to discover we submitted a query letter or manuscript baring/bearing an incorrect homophone. To help you avoid such mortification, TRICKY HOMOPHONES will reveal (and explain) ten of the trickiest pairs and trios.
How to Punctuate Dialogue Tags
Whenever, however, and wherever you choose to insert dialogue tags, it helps to know the punctuation rules!
Vexing Vocabulary Part TWO
Welcome to Part TWO of Vexing Vocabulary. Part ONE covered ME, MYSELF, & I, LESS/FEWER, YOUR/YOU’RE, ITS/IT’S, EFFECT/AFFECT, and TOWARD/TOWARDS. If you’d like TO read
Vexing Vocabulary Part 1
As an ELA/SAT tutor and member of multiple kidlit writing groups, I’ve noticed certain words cause more vexation than others. Worry no more! My goal
Commonly Confused Commas
Writers of all ages struggle with proper comma usage. As a writer myself, I agree that plot, characters, and word choice are infinitely more important
10 Word Pairs Even Experts Mix Up
As an editor, part of my job is to make sure that published material is correct. Words that sound alike but have different spellings are
WRITERS' RUMPUS 