Can you condense what you need to say?
A few months ago, I met a writer whose article I plan to print in the magazine’s next issue. He’s a font of true-life anecdotes.
Like other natural communicators, he enjoys telling longs stories. But he could, if pressed, tell a short version.
For writers, that’s a wonderful skill.
I wanted to include my new friend’s article. But space … Continue reading
Does the start of your novel offer close-ups?
When I saw at the library the latest novel in an alternative-history series, I snapped it up.
Why wouldn’t I? The previous dozen volumes had not only explored an intriguing premise, but they’d show it to me through the perspectives of an well-developed cast.
Not the latest novel. The prologue, after briefly introducing one character, immediately brought another on … Continue reading
Better messages come in smaller packages.
Many contributors to the “chapter news” section of the magazine I edit have not yet caught on that I’m enforcing the maximum word count of 75 words. It’s my only way to include everything in a point size big enough to read.
This past week, on deadline, I had no choice but to condense the 89-, 101-, and 129-word entries. … Continue reading