[This is a revised and expanded version of the presentation I gave for STC Milwaukee in April 2008. Though intended for editors who do substantive editing, it offers useful guidance for writers who need to outline […]

Has anybody here ever taken an editing test for a company?

I have…more than once. And would you believe I have never passed?

Suffice it to say that it is always disheartening when I receive an email from a […]

You may mail an autographed copy of your published book to NAIWE headquarters to be read and reviewed by NAIWE staff. The review will be posted on NAIWE’s blog, as well as on NAIWE’s social media’s sites […]

Italian writer Carlo Collodi wrote the children’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio in 1883. Pinocchio was a wooden puppet who wanted to become a real boy. Despite the efforts of his trusty conscience, The T […]

As you revise, proofread, and finalize what you’ve written, whack all the extra words you can to sharpen your message in compelling ways.

Watch for the following opportunities to take away the bumps so your w […]

Recently, I learned what a hot topic grammatical errors can be when one of my favorite blogs, Article Writing and Marketing Insights, from Ezine Articles, took a subject close to my heart and made it relevant to […]

What comes to your mind when you think of the word “flexible”?

For me, it’s my schedule.

I have to admit that I am one of these rigid types when it comes to my work schedule. My days are planned in my […]

Through a blog post, I recently asked what worries nonfiction authors about the editing process. The insights gained can be helpful to any editor as well as the authors they work with.

I received the following […]

When it comes to word choices and deciding what to use in your writing, check out these phrases from a book I’m editing:

. . . the answers that so-called geniuses like/such as Newton seem to embody.

. . . ce […]

Every practice has its tricks of the trade. In this week’s Word Tripper, the trick to knowing the difference between the homonym “breach” and “breech” is this: “Breach,” meaning to open by force or break an agre […]

Five Reasons to Tell Stories

To ensure what you have to say rings true universally—and that happens when you’re able to craft your story from a deeper place in your being
To get the opposite of calm […]