Karin Cather

Karin Cather

By Karin Cather

Food in Fiction

Food in Fiction

How many of us have favorite books in which there is food that drives the plot or characterization or just makes the story more interesting? How many of us remember those foods fondly? Maybe those foods make the book even more memorable. Maybe we even associate the...

Plain Language is Not For Dummies

Plain Language is Not For Dummies

What is plain language? It's what you use to communicate effectively when there is a high price for ambiguity. It's what you use when you have complicated information to convey to busy people who don't have the time for gibberish. It's language that is free of jargon...

Science Fiction and Realism

Science Fiction and Realism

Science fiction fans often have to suspend disbelief, despite efforts by the writers to explain why their ships can travel a lot faster than the speed of light and their crew can talk to alien humanoids almost immediately upon first contact, and encounter alien vessels in the almost unimaginable vastness of space.

The Cahoon Chronicles: Memoir and Story

The Cahoon Chronicles: Memoir and Story

Memoirs are deceptive. It seems like such an easy thing to tell people about your life. Just start at the beginning, right? No, don’t. Haven't you ever been trapped in That Conversation before? The one with the coworker or in-law or uncle? Or coworker uncle-in-law?...

How Much?

How Much?

Sometimes authors approach editors and ask how much it will cost to edit a manuscript sight unseen. Authors may even tell editors in the same query that they have a specific deadline in mind. Experienced editors are highly unlikely to agree to this. But why not? Don’t...

Science Fiction: Realism Required

Science Fiction: Realism Required

I had a conversation recently with an author about realism and genre. Their book was a police procedural, so there was a murder and detectives and even a search warrant, but it also took place on another planet. The author wanted to know why they should care about...

Housework: A Freelancer Speaks

Housework: A Freelancer Speaks

Over the past day or two, there has been a discussion on an editors' forum about balancing work, life, and housework. Most of the editors participating in the conversation are freelancers. It's fair to say that this issue plagues everyone, but I think it hits us...

Pin It on Pinterest