Editing: Commas Are Killing Your Publishing Dreams
That may be a little over-the-top, but here’s the truth: Last year I roomed with a literary agent at a writer’s conference. Our first night there, she admitted her complete frustration with commas. New writers and experienced writers both have been submitting manuscripts with obvious and repetitive comma issues, and [...]
You Can’t Get Something For Nothing by Steve Hutson, WordWise Media
Good news! You finally receive the email that you've been waiting for: A publisher has offered to publish your book. Then your joy turns to apprehension when you actually read that contract: Rights, sub-rights, territories, escalation, reserve? What’s that? You don’t know the rules, the customs, even the vocabulary. Should [...]
2017: Writing, Editing, Promotion, and More!
Welcome to a new year, a new day, and – introducing – my new blog! It’s not completely new, there will actually be many of the same features, but there will be some minor tweaks. Here’s what’s happening. You may remember that last year I set goals for 2017. Throughout [...]
9 Quick Fixes for Writing Contests
I love judging fiction writing contests, not because I enjoy pointing out other people’s mistakes, but because I enjoy reading the worlds others have create. I want to help them identify their weaknesses so they can improve their stories. The first time I judged, I expected synopses and chapters that [...]
Book Review: The Captain Takes a Wife by Doris Durbin
Sarah Franklin, a young teacher escaping an arranged marriage to a corrupt man, runs straight into the arms of Captain Harry Richardson as he prepares to board a train leaving Macon, Georgia, in 1875. She begs him to help her, and the captain soon finds himself in the midst of [...]