Writing

When I finish writing a manuscript, the next two steps are to copy edit and proofread the text. By separating these tasks, I can work methodically to correct mistakes, improve clarity, and polish the manuscript. If you are self-publishing, you might not be able to afford professional editing, so you’ll probably need to do much…

You have a few story ideas in your head and want to know how to write a great story. Maybe you want to write romance stories, crime, detective, or science fiction. But if you are new to creative writing and fiction, you should try to avoid a few typical pitfalls. Let’s look at how you…

We use common abbreviations and acronyms all the time, but what do they mean? The English language uses many forms of word abbreviation. We use shortened forms increasingly for text messaging to reduce a word or phrase. Very often, these are acronyms using initial letters such as LOL, ROTFL, and BRB. Familiar acronyms and abbreviations Some forms use capital…

If you are looking for other words for said, you aren’t alone. Every writer reaches a point where “he said/she said” feels repetitive, and you need a more expressive verb to capture a character’s tone. However, before you dive into this list of 350 synonyms, it’s important to understand how to use them effectively. In…

Have you decided to start writing your book? Do you need book writing software? Creative writing and the publishing process have changed forever. It doesn’t matter if you plan to take the route with a traditional publisher or if you want to self-publish your book. Digital publishing, sometimes called e-publishing, is where everything starts and stops now…

What’s the difference between a denouement vs. epilogue? The denouement and an epilogue are both literary devices. It is worth understanding the difference between these two story elements for new writers. While not always essential in short stories, a novel will always have a denouement. Gustav Freytag, a German novelist and playwright, outlined the five parts of a…

What are idioms in writing? They are phrases that are a figure of speech and a cornerstone of everyday English, adding a unique flavor to our conversations and writing. Idioms are entrenched in history or cultural references and carry a symbolic meaning beyond the literal interpretation of the individual words. For instance, when we say raining…

Are you looking for writing ideas? Take a tour of our list of the best creative writing prompts for writers in need of inspiration. Whether you are writing fiction, non-fiction, articles, or blog posts, you sometimes need a little help to give you a spark of an idea. Perhaps you need a new idea to…

Weak, poor, and bad words can dilute the power of your writing. Weak words to avoid in writing are usually fluff words. Writing is not an easy business. It doesn’t matter if you write fiction or short stories or you are a freelance writer of blog posts and articles. Choosing the best vocabulary and grammar…

Using multitudinous big words in your writing will make you a sesquipedalian writer. It is always a temptation for a writer to show off the vastness of their vocabulary. There is nothing wrong at all with using big, long words in your writing. But it is the use, style, placement, frequency, relevance, and the mixing…