Narrative tense might sound like a small detail, but it’s one of the elements of writing that helps your story make sense .  It tells readers when the action is happening—past, present, or future—and keeps them grounded in your story’s timeline. When your tense shifts without warning, it can confuse readers or make your writing feel choppy. Every writer struggles with tense consistency at some point, but it's something every writer can master with a little practice and awaren

You know that moment when you sit down to watch “just one episode,” and suddenly, it’s 2 in the morning? There are many elements in screenwriting that come together to convince you to watch "just one more episode"—cliff-hangers, emotional turns, and perfectly timed reveals. That’s pacing at work—the rhythm of storytelling that keeps audiences hooked. And here’s the thing: The same techniques that make TV shows and movies addictive can make your writing do the same, convincing

When writing fiction, it’s easy to get caught up in plot twists, character arcs, and world-building. But behind every compelling story lies something deeper—something that connects the narrative to a reader’s heart. That "something" is theme. More than just a literary device, theme is the emotional core of your story, the underlying message or question that gives your novel its soul. Rather than being spelled out for the reader, or "on the nose" as I like to say, themes often

Fiction is more than a sequence of events—it’s an experience. A good story tells us what happened; a great story makes us feel  it. One of the most powerful tools a writer has to make that happen is figurative language. It’s what turns plain prose into something immersive, emotional, and unforgettable. Whether you're crafting a sweeping epic or a quiet character study, figurative language isn't just decorative—it's foundational. Perhaps you remember learning about figurative

On LinkedIn recently a fellow freelance editor challenged a few folks to rewrite a set of sentences to reduce repetition and enhance sentence style and variability. It's difficult to edit for style without full context, but it was a fun exercise, and I had even more fun reading through the comments for other people's suggestions. No two suggestions were the same! Read on for the next post in the series on elements of style in fiction: sentence structure. One of the hallmarks

A novel's atmosphere—or emotional landscape—which colors every scene is also known as mood, and it’s one of the most effective tools a...

When readers dive into a novel, they’re not just seeking plot twists or compelling characters (though those are important!). They’re also...

For writers navigating the often tricky terrain of revisions, a manuscript review can provide clear direction and feedback on how to...

Have you ever found yourself lost in the labyrinth of your own writing? Do your characters often run away with the plot? Are you staring...

Have you ever had the experience of sitting down to complete a task only to find yourself overwhelmed by what needs to be done, unsure of...

Stealing this from dev editor Kourtney Spak's Substack . Check her out! My intention for this post is not just to shout about how great 2023 was for my business; rather, I want it to be an honest reflection on where I struggled personally and professionally with forward-thinking, hopeful thoughts for the year ahead. 1. What were my top 3 wins this year? This is the easiest question to answer. In no particular order: Meeting my project goal of 50 completed projects by the end

Limited vs. omniscient narration Third person narration is a literary style where the narrative is told from the perspective of a...

Formatting attributes of speech alongside action in fiction I've written about the basics of formatting dialogue here. This blog is a...

"Passes" and "rounds" are common terms used in book publishing, but their meanings can often become confused. There are, in general,...

(And why they have nothing to do with editing.) Whether you’re a writer or an editor, putting yourself and your writing in front of...

A grammar miniblog Most writers are familiar with the basics of formatting dialogue in fiction such as in the following examples: “I...

I’ve received quite a few questions about my new manuscript review service. First, I want to say, no, this is not a review like you might...

Finding a best-fit editor for your project can be a chore. There’s a sea full of editor-fish but not one of them are alike! A writer must...

Sometimes, it can be difficult to keep the stages of editing straight and remember exactly what each one includes. From my experience, copyediting and proofreading seem to cause the most confusion. In the business world, "proofreading" and "copyediting" are often used interchangeably. The differences, however, are distinct, and if you wish to self-publish, knowing the difference between the two is important. Stages of editing The most important part about any discussion of th

What developmental editors do can be a bit of a mystery to the uninitiated, so I asked some of my DE colleagues for a broad picture of how they go about the editing process. (No, I am not a developmental editor.) Developmental editing As described in other blog posts and places on my site, developmental editing is generally considered “big picture” editing. A developmental editor performs three tasks in the editing process: They read the client’s full manuscript at whatever s