editing

The 5 Things I Love About Writing Crime Fiction

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Every coin has two sides. Last week I talked about the things I hate most about writing fiction, so this week I’m flipping the coin to look at the aspects of authorship that give me a buzz. Research – Hunting for facts and context I love the constant learning, the thrill of the chase, the … Read more

Writing Lite Tip #35: Save for a developmental and then a copy edit

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Writing Lite Tip #35

We’ve already talked about developmental edits in Tip #34. I just wanted to emphasize them again. Especially if this is your first novel. Although I use a developmental editor for EVERY book. You will also, of course, need to hire a copy editor to make sure your grammar, your punctuation, Proper Nouns, and your style are consistent … Read more

Using CASTS to Write and Edit a Chapter

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Hi, all. I’m guest-posting today on Writer Unboxed, and I’m talking about CASTS, a writing and editing method developed by author extraordinaire Nancy Pickard. I can’t say enough good things about CASTS and Nancy, so I hope you’ll take a look. It’s completely changed how I write a chapter. For the better, I hope. You … Read more

Six Steps of Self-Publishing (Mostly for Traditional Authors)

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I was at Printers Row this past weekend, the annual Book Festival sponsored by the Chicago Tribune, and I was struck by how many people wanted me to tell them about self-publishing. They were mostly traditionally published authors, some of whom have large followings, but they’re dissatisfied with either the pace of traditional publishing, dislike … Read more

Traditional vs Self-Publishing: An Update (Part Two)

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  COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL VS SELF PUBLISHING TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING Pros Cons Support Distribution Editing Bookstores Awards Reviews Agents Ebook Rights and RoyaltiesReporting and payments Smaller advance/print runs Limited time/shelf space Hinky contracts Possible Bankrupty Accounting irregularities Agents   Hi, again. In part one we tackled the supposed “pros” of support and distribution that I thought … Read more