Sometimes, sentences start to stack up. When that happens, they can feel as if they’re too similar to each other. In those spots, it’s good to check how those sentences differ. Because if you’re not careful, they can all sound the same and feel bland. See what I mean? I’ve caught sentences like this back-to-back … More CWM: #15 — No sentence variation
We’ve all heard the saying show, don’t tell. Even as I edit, I find instances where I need to point that out. However, telling does have a purpose. It’s about how it’s used. And perhaps understanding it more will help writers know when and when not to use it. There are two main concepts where … More When to tell instead of show
There are many POVs with questions surrounding all of them. I want to break them all down and discuss the biggest concerns in different posts. Today, I’ll talk about third person POV. THIRD PERSON Third person has the most variety out of all POVs. There are three types: third omniscient, third objective, and third limited. … More POV talk: third person
There are many POVs with questions surrounding them. I want to break them all down and discuss the biggest concerns in different posts. Today, I’ll talk about second person POV. SECOND PERSON Second person is one of my favorite POVs to read. When it’s done well, it creates a powerful story. It addresses the readers … More POV talk: second person
There are many POVs with questions surrounding them. I want to break them all down and discuss the biggest concerns in different posts. Today, I’ll talk about first person POV. FIRST PERSON First person is intimate between the reader and the main character (MC). You get front row seats through the MC’s eyes. It also … More POV talk: first person
The plot is coming along. We’re getting to an important moment—but wait! I forgot to mention something. Let me write it down because it’s important. But now the reader is wondering why I stopped the story to describe something in the middle of the chapter. As a writer myself, I get it. I’ve wanted to … More CWM: #6 — Unnecessary details
Author bios can seem difficult. It’s impossible to narrow a person down to a few sentences. But writers also do the impossible all the time. My experience with this is limited to Submittable. Most places ask for a bio between three to five sentences long. Bios are simple and can have a bit of creativity involved. … More How to write an author bio for submissions
In some cases, repeating words helps. “Please, Elie,” I begged. “You have to do this. You know how much it means to me. Please.” Notice how please repeats? It doesn’t overdo the dialogue since they’re separated out. It feels smooth. On the other hand, I’ve seen writers use the word please about five times in one … More CWM: #3 — Repeating words for emphasis
A novel I edited once kept saying him and his death for about twenty pages before actually explaining who he was. Instead of feeling a sense of curiosity, I was confused. I kept wondering who he was and why he mattered. I’ve run across this type of vagueness before. Some writers think that leaving information … More CWM: #2 — Vagueness for tension
“The house on the hill was old, broken, and abandoned. I always passed it on my way home. It stared back at me with its empty, death-glaring, sick eyes.” Adjectives help, but too many of them back-to-back can weigh down a story. It sounds more like a bumpy ride on a Louisiana highway than anything … More CWM: #1 — Using multiple adjectives
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