Category: editing
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How to Find Publishing Companies and Freelancers You Can Trust
Scammers who target authors thrive on the lack of public awareness about how publishing really works, so let’s push back with some information sharing. A little knowledge goes a long way toward helping you avoid these bad actors.
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Finding and Using Theme as an Author—With Examples
If your story isn’t quite pulling together—if it’s unfocused or isn’t connecting emotionally with the reader—it might be suffering from the absence of a clear theme. Theme is the heart of a narrative. It’s the thing you want a reader to take away from the experience of reading your book.
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How to Know Your Novel is Ready for a Substantive or Developmental Editor
You’ve written a manuscript for a novel. You’re eager to plunge ahead and get an editor’s feedback…but are you ready for that step? If this is your unrevised first draft, the answer will usually be no. Almost every author needs to revise and rewrite their work extensively before the shape of their novel is fully…
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Writing Interesting Secondary Characters who Move Your Story Forward
Do your secondary characters fall flat? Or are they threatening to steal the story from your protagonist? Both are common problems that can be addressed by asking yourself this question: How do my secondary characters relate to my protagonist?
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Uncommon Tips for Self-Editing Your Book
In this post I’m sharing specialized skills for polishing your manuscript that most people won’t learn unless they train to be a copyeditor. Even when you are going to be working with a professional editor, self-editing is an important step so that your work is as clean as you can make it, leaving the editor…
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What it’s Like to Work with a Professional Book Editor
So you’re considering having your manuscript edited, but it’s a daunting decision to make. I know I can’t fully erase the anxiety that goes with handing your book over to someone else, but I hope that I can ease it by giving you a detailed look at the process.
Erin Alladin 