Literary heartthrob blogfest

I've done far too many technical grammar posts lately. It's high time I have a little fun, and Frankie's Literary Heartthrob Blogfest seemed just the ticket. She invited participants...

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Editor-on-call: misplaced modifiers

Dear Editor-on-call,I got this comment in a critique of mine and I have NO idea what it means. Could you shed some light? I feel so stupid, but I just don't get the terminology:...

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Overwriting (part 5): Wordy constructions

Welcome to part 5 of my series on overwriting. In case you missed the earlier posts in the series, here are the links:Part 1- Overwriting: What is it?Part 2- Overwriting: DictionPart...

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Does it pay to compare?

Quick question of the day: have you or will you use comparison books in your query letter?What if it's extremely difficult to find a few apt comparisons? I think my work is a...

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Editor-on-call: tips for critiquing an overwriter

Dear Editor-on-Call,I was just asked to beta read a piece from a very good writer friend and lo and behold, she is an overwriter. I am, too, to some extent, but this is excessive....

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Any tips for the query trenches?

I've rewritten my novel significantly enough that I've jettisoned all my marketing materials--the query letter and 2-page and 5-page synposis--from my first round of unsuccessful...

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Wielding the red pen

I'll be picking up the final installment of my overwriting series probably next week, when life isn't quite so crazy. If you missed it, I posted Overwriting (part 4): Tangents...

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Go figure(atively): the "literally" controversy

Anyone else hate the word "literally"? I avoid using it at all, it makes me that crazy. Would you believe venerated writes including Austen, Twain, Alcott and Fitzgerald have...

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Overwriting (part 4): Tangents

If you're just now joining us, I've been doing a series on the problem of "overwriting" and how to repair work suffering from this malady.Here are the links to my earlier posts...

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Overwriting (part 3): Babbling

Overwriting, according to Dictionary.com, is "to write in too elaborate, burdensome, diffuse, or prolix a style." This definition itself might qualify as overwritten, but it has...

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Yee ha!

Today I celebrate. My completed novel revisions are now in the hands of my able critique partners! Once they give the manuscript a final dusting-down, it's query time.Thanks,...

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To be continued...

Despite my best intentions, I don't think I'll be able to put in much blogging time this week. Being home with a sick kid for a few days has forced me to reshuffle how I spend...

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