Love’s Courage is taking shape, and I have external motivation to keep working on it: an Advanced Novel Writing Class with Terri Valentine through Writers Digest University. I have submitted my first assignment, pages 1- 36, and the feedback I’ve gotten makes me wonder if I ever took a writing class. My dear friend, beta reader and editor, H.J. Smith assuaged my fear when she explained that while I’m writing, I’m using one part of my brain. Editing requires a different part of my brain. Sometimes I think the editing brain takes long vacations. In her feedback, Terri gave me Read More
Tag: Weak Words
Five Weak Words That Suck the Life Out of My Writing
I am composing this post as I finish revisions of Buried Secrets, the sequel to The Cavanaugh House. During this process, I again realize the importance—no, the necessity—no, the obligation of authors to revise, revise, revise. I have spent the last week wordsmithing and tweaking my manuscript, creating a stronger, more interesting story. Here are some particularly pesky words for me: Apparently “well” is my favorite word. As my friend and editor pointed out, I used it 122 times in a 263-page draft. That’s at least once every other page. “Well, well, well,” I said to myself, “I have to Read More