Given the social upheaval ahead, we women shouldn’t be afraid to use the strongest language that we possibly can, even if that language has been traditionally denied to women. Because in the right settings, strong language is credible language.
Editing
By Karin Cather
The Singular They: A Prescriptivist’s Dream
When someone drives on a highway, they shouldn't camp out in the left lane. They? Yes, they. Because it's the correct singular pronoun to use when you don't know the gender of the person you're talking about or when you could be talking about any of them. Usage of the...
How to Pick an Editor and Avoid Bad Reviews
You have worked hard on your manuscript and you have made more revisions than you can count. You may have had friends and family read it. You may even be a talented writer who has just written what will be a best seller. Given all of that, it's hard for you to imagine...
Act Your Age: Writing Child Characters
Have you gotten some negative feedback about your characterization? Even the most minor character who is behaving, thinking, or speaking at a level that is inconsistent with their age, education, occupation, and level of experience will hurt your story and cost you...
What Does This Mean? Inside the Editorial Mind
How many of you authors have already been edited? Were you surprised at how good your manuscript looked afterward? Does it remind you of what happens when you've finally unpacked after a move, and now the house is livable, sparkling, and the best that it can be? Did...
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
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...
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...