A tour guide’s advice for writers
Last evening, I expected the TV travel program would give suggestions on visiting Europe. But travel guru Rick Steves also offered wisdom for writers.
The episode, from 2006, gave a behind-the-scenes look at how segments of Rick Steves’ Europe come together. One of their best practices can contribute to the success of any writer.
They visit each city with a script … Continue reading
Challenge yourself to create more vivid writing.
I appreciate the advice from children’s writer Christian Harder Tangvald: “Circle every is and was on your manuscript; you don’t want writing that’s “isy” and “wasy.”
So I checked each use of was while I edited the 60,000-word YA novel. It started with 942. I cut that to 786.
The word isn’t evil; but it’s often slothful. These before-and-after examples … Continue reading
Don’t try this in your initial draft.
Forget tight writing and let your book’s first draft flow. Then practice tight editing. As Strunk & White advise in The Elements of Style, retain only those words that earn their keep. No freeloaders.
In the process you’ll find many candidates for deletion.