Category: Tips for Writers

  • What Makes a Psychological Thriller

    What Makes a Psychological Thriller

    Welcome to Part 1 of “What Makes a . . .” a series of posts where I will be sharing the top principles of what makes a certain genre really thrive. This post is all about what makes a psychological thriller work. Discover the five elements that will keep your readers guessing and questioning reality…

  • Grammar Tips from an Editor

    Grammar Tips from an Editor

    What Do Authors Need to Know? 9 Most Common Grammar Mistakes Whether you are polishing your first manuscript or gearing up for publication, grammar is essential. While storytelling is the heart of your book, clear and correct grammar is the vessel that delivers your story to readers. Even seasoned writers slip up on the basics,…

  • What it Means to Find Your Author Voice as a Writer

    What it Means to Find Your Author Voice as a Writer

    What it Means to Find Your Author Voice as a Writer “Find your voice” is advice every writer hears, but not every writer knows how to define it. How do you find your author voice? As an editor and book coach, I often see authors assume that voice is something they have to invent from…

  • Why Your Book’s First 10 Pages Matter More Than the Next 100

    Why Your Book’s First 10 Pages Matter More Than the Next 100

    You can write the most brilliant book in the world – but if the first 10 pages fall flat, most readers won’t stick around to find out. This isn’t just industry rhetoric, it’s a hard truth that shapes whether your book finds its audience, lands an agent, or ends up on a publisher’s desk. This…

  • 3 Signs You Might Be Too Close to Your Manuscript (and what to do about it)

    3 Signs You Might Be Too Close to Your Manuscript (and what to do about it)

    Are You Too Close to Your Manuscript? You’ve been living inside your manuscript for weeks, maybe months, or even years. You know it inside and out. You’ve rewritten scenes, reshaped chapters, reworked whole sections. And now? You can’t tell if it’s brilliant or a disaster. This moment is completely normal, and a telltale sign that…

  • Self-Editing My Writing Prompt

    Self-Editing My Writing Prompt

    Leaving My Bubble This February I decided to leave my introverted bubble and attend two different writer’s groups that meet locally. One of the groups does a monthly writing prompt and asks members to prepare their prompt to share before the meeting. I had quite a time editing my writing prompt. I don’t consider myself…

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