I’ve been editing stories lately. As part of the process, I’ve found several of my own weaknesses when drafting my stories. Rather than struggle identifying issues through tedious searches and re-reads, I wrote a tool to help me. What it does: My word analyzer parses text or markdown files and performs various forms of frequencyContinue reading “Writing Tools for Editing”
Tag Archives: writing-tips
Catch Editing Mistakes Easily with Speechify
Editing can be a tedious process. Recently, I’ve been using Speechify.com to read sections of the work I’m editing to help catch mis-cues in the narrative. It’s a good tool that I felt others might appreciate. It has much better voices and smoother pacing for reading works aloud. I’ve been listening to it read, while following alongContinue reading “Catch Editing Mistakes Easily with Speechify”
Oxford Comma vs. No Oxford Comma: What Writers Should Know
Which is the best for comma usage in fiction? To be, or not to be? As I’ve been revising and editing “A New Past: Book One” to make a non-explicit version, I’ve run into an inconsistency in my editing tools. In the review tools built into Ulysses, where my definitive content lives, Oxford commas are used. This suggestsContinue reading “Oxford Comma vs. No Oxford Comma: What Writers Should Know”
Understanding Character Depth Through the Lens of Who
I recently started to get caught up on Writing Excuses, Season 20 while commenting into work. Specifically, Episode 5: Lens 1 – Who. The discussion introduces “the lens of who” — which means talking about characters. This is a great refresher on making characters that are multi-dimensional by showing them through different “lenses”. A key take-away is the ideaContinue reading “Understanding Character Depth Through the Lens of Who”
Marketing Mondays: The Synopsis Conundrum
Yesterday, I shared some of my efforts at creating a marketing synopsis for Technomancer. While the book is not posted for purchase yet, I need the summary for the sales pages on various sights, and also want to have a slug I can share with potential reviewers. A synopsis can be a writer’s nemesis butContinue reading “Marketing Mondays: The Synopsis Conundrum”
Crafting a Compelling Book Summary
Summarizing a novel always feels tough for me. Maybe I’m too close to the content and want too many details in the summary. Maybe I don’t know what really engages potential readers to attract their interest. Now that I’ve finished polishing my first draft of Technomancer, I need to come up with a punchy summaryContinue reading “Crafting a Compelling Book Summary”
Navigating Plot Challenges: Writing into a Corner
I’ve been editing and polishing my latest story, as discussed last month. I know I’m making the story better and stronger, but it is not without its challenges. One issue I faced is the skipping of progress in certain character/conflict arcs. My method of tracing these arcs exposed a weakness in part of the story.Continue reading “Navigating Plot Challenges: Writing into a Corner”
Essential Editing Tips for Novelists: Filling Plot Holes
Last week I discussed ongoing editing of my current work in progress. The difference between creating and editing has been a motivational struggle, but I feel I have gotten into a rhythm over the past week. Here are a few accomplishments and observations since that last post. As we come up to the end ofContinue reading “Essential Editing Tips for Novelists: Filling Plot Holes”
Marketing Monday’s: Discussion of WIP posts.
My recent marketing Monday posts have been focusing on sharing chapters and scenes from my work in progress, tentatively titled “Technomancer”. The story is intended to be a blend of fantasy and science fiction with two primary viewpoint characters, as well as some supporting characters with their own point of view narratives. To date, I’veContinue reading “Marketing Monday’s: Discussion of WIP posts.”
WIP Technomancer Excerpt: A Glimpse into Finn’s High-Tech World
Continuing to share the opening scenes from my current work in progress, Technomancer. This is the novel I completed during NaNoWriMo. Finn looked down the street without focusing on any single shop, building, or person. He felt the neighborhood as much as watched it. Despite the late hour, people were out and about living theirContinue reading “WIP Technomancer Excerpt: A Glimpse into Finn’s High-Tech World”
CharlieFoxtrotWriter 