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Is it obliged or obligated? While both words mean you are bound to do something, they differ in tone and intent. Use obligated for legal or formal requirements (you have no choice). Use obliged for social situations, favors, or feelings of gratitude (you feel it’s the right thing to do). Usage of obliged or obligated…
You can’t change the Look Inside percentage when you self-publish a new book on Amazon because it is set automatically. It is 10% for a Kindle ebook and 20% for a print book, either paperback or hardcover. The feature also takes 7 to 10 business days to appear on your book’s Amazon sales page. But…
Change The Look Inside Percentage For An Amazon Book Read More »
Is it a good idea to keep everything you write? Yes, definitely. Words have value, even if you might not think so at the time. What you might think is a failure today could be the germ of a terrific idea tomorrow. If you are a new, young writer, make it a habit to save…
Keep Everything You Write And Never Delete Your Drafts Read More »
When you see unkept and unkempt, you might think they are the same word with alternative spelling. But no, these two words are different, with separate meanings. TL;DR: If you’re describing someone’s messy hair or appearance, the word you need is unkempt. While unkept sounds similar, it actually refers to things that haven’t been maintained…
You started a new blog, and you don’t have many pages or posts. So you consider content scraping and copying articles from around the Internet. Yes, you can publish a lot of pages in a short time by copying. But, before you start, do you know what you are about to do? Is there a…
Content Scraping And Copying Articles Is A Bad Idea Read More »
The verb get is unusual because it has two different past participles: gotten and got. You might think that the preference for either one is simply between US and British English usage. But it’s more complicated than that because the two words have different and distinct uses. Making the right choice is not so much…
Gotten And Got – The Choice Is Not As Simple As You Think Read More »
When it comes time to proofread and check all your dialogue writing in a manuscript, it can be quite a challenging process. Because there are so many elements, it’s also extremely time-consuming. Yes, you need to check your grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation when editing a book manuscript. But above all else, consistency in dialogue is…
How To Check Dialogue Writing Consistency In A Book Read More »
What is fluff in writing? It is when you use words that add little or no value to a text for a reader. Fluff can be words and phrases that are off-topic, hard to understand, unclear, unnecessary, boring, or added only to increase the word count. Every writer uses a bit of fluff in the…
Fluff In Writing And How To Wipe Away Your Filler Words Read More »
If you are considering paying a vanity press publisher to publish your book, think very carefully before deciding. So many scam publishers now use high-pressure selling to convince you to hand over a lot of money. If you receive an unsolicited email saying that a publisher is very interested in your book or wants to…
Paying A Vanity Press To Publish Your Book – Be Very Wary Read More »
If you want to become a better writer, one of the most important skills is understanding who you are writing for. Many writing guides focus on grammar, voice, and style, and those matter, but they often miss a key point: clarity comes from knowing your readers. When you can picture your audience, your writing becomes…
How To Understand Your Readers And Become A Better Writer Read More »
