Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit.
Tag: writing
This is our archive pageTen More Tips on Writing for Children
Hello from Crystal Bowman! In my twenty-plus years of writing for children, I have met many writers who want to write for children because they think it would be fun. Yes–it is fun, but far from easy. It’s a craft that needs to be mastered just like anything else. The more you know about writing for children, the harder it gets. It is very difficult to break into publishing with a children’s book, so the more you know, the more you increase your chances. In January I posted seven tips on writing for children. Today I am offering ten more….
Tips from the Pros: Ellie Gustafson
An interview with Eleanor Gustafson and Marti Pieper Welcome back to the CAN blog, Ellie. How many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? I have five published novels. The ones still in print are The Stones: A Novel of the Life of King David and Dynamo. I checked out your website, and both books sound intriguing. Ellie, you were last featured on the CAN blog in 2012. What are the chief lessons you’ve learned about the writing life since then? There’s far more to publishing books than just writing them. That’s the easy…
The Name Game
Hello from Crystal Bowman! I have been writing books for children for over 20 years and have learned a few things along the way. Writing for children is much harder than most people realize. The challenge is to write an engaging, creative story using limited vocabulary and word count. Another thing to consider is naming your characters. The characters in a book may be animals or humans, but either way, they need names—and choosing the right name is important!
Proofreading Pointers #41
Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Cutting the Fat, Part Two Following on the heels of last month’s column, here are more ways you can tighten your manuscript.
Seven Tips on Writing for Children
Hello from Crystal Bowman! I have been writing for children for over 20 years. Before writing my first book, I spent 5 years as a preschool teacher and 12 years as a full-time mom. From my twenties to my forties, young children were part of my daily life. I am now in another decade with grandchildren, so I still have little ones in my world. When I teach at writers’ conferences, or when someone wants advice on writing for children, I always remind them that they have to know kids in order to write for them. They need to understand…
Avoid the Most Common Writing Mistakes
Georgia Shaffer from Pennsylvania Several of my coaching clients are writers and speakers who surprisingly make similar mistakes in their writing. Here are six suggestions I find myself repeating, which you may find helpful. 1. Write and let it sit for awhile. Your writing should be allowed to age, like great relationships. While you may not always have the luxury of time, plan ahead when possible. Work on other projects and come back to what you’ve written a couple of weeks later. You’ll be stunned at what you find that you did not notice earlier. 2. Hire a professional editor….
Pace Yourself: Part 1
Historical Post by Gail Gaymer Martin Today is the first part of Pace Yourself: Keeping Pace in Fiction. Pacing – What is it? Pacing is moving the characters from the opening situation through various growing conflicts to the resolution in a logical, realistic manner that shows character growth and, in Christian fiction, provides faith grow. Pacing is the speed at which action in the story moves and the reader gains information. Most people assume “pacing” means the book is too slow, and that is very possible. But the pacing can also be too fast if it rushes the conflicts and…
Proofreading Pointers #39
Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about “PUGS”–Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling … tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Active vs. Passive Verbs Wherever possible, strive to use strong, precise verbs rather than weak, vague verbs. Instead of saying, “They were going,” write, “They went.” Or better yet, show how they went. “They jogged,” “They raced,” “They ambled,” for example. The more description you can fit into a single action verb, the better.
Proofreading Pointers #38
Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about “PUGS”–Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling … tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Books vs. Articles US book publishers use different reference manuals than magazine or newspaper publishers do. For book manuscripts (and some popular magazines), use The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. For newspapers and journalistic-style magazines, use The Associated Press Stylebook and Webster’s New World College Dictionary.