Last month I posted about “weasel words”—those unnecessary words that sneak into your manuscript. These weasels have companions that accompany them. Their friends are phrases or words that spoil the ‘show vs. tell’ aspect of your work. I’m talking about words like: thought wondered felt knew saw noticed observed realized noted […]
Writing Lesson 2.16 – Write Better-Read & Review
December 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment
You may have heard it said that good writers are those who read. Chances are you already love reading. Each of us has our own tastes and preferences when it comes to reading. Some love action books, others prefer a sweet romance. And within each book genre there are many flavors, so that one action […]
Writing Lesson 2.15 – Weasel Words
December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A weasel is a small carnivorous mammal with short legs and elongated body. We associate them with sneaky tendencies. The term can also describe a treacherous or deceptive person. Writers use the phrase “weasel words” to denote unnecessary phrases or extra words that sneak into a manuscript and ruin our well-crafted sentences. Every writer has […]
Writing Lesson 2.9 – 10 Common Mistakes Writers Make
October 22, 2010 By 1 Comment
After teaching writing and critiquing many chapters for the past several years, I’ve come up with a list of the common mistakes I see in manuscripts.
Writing Lesson 2.2 – Good Writing is REwriting
September 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The best writers will tell you that good writing happens during the editing process. Don’t let perfectionism paralyze your creativity.
