• mountain laurel in the sunset; finishing your novel

    The End: Finishing Your Novel

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    By the time writers find themselves writing the ending to their story, they are 80,000 words—if not more—into their story. After months or years of getting their story on paper, writers may feel burned out, ready to be done, and wanting to be onto their next project. The downside of that, however, is that a novel’s ending needs a lot of attention to avoid leaving readers dissatisfied or thinking the writer took an easier route to tie the plot points together. That’s why finishing your novel on a strong note is important. The ending needs to be just as strong—or…

  • An acrylic painting of a green field and a blue sky; 7 tips for discovering your creativity

    7 Tips To Stay Creative

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    Every-day life routines can start feeling mundane after a while. And if you’re like many of us, quarantining at home due to the current global pandemic COVID-19, life at home will definitely start feeling tedious pretty soon (if it’s not already). It’s important to shake things up a bit to stay sharp and full of fresh ideas. We’re constantly writing new stories and trying to find the next big hit, but after a while, it can become challenging to do something new. In order to raise your level of expertise, authority, and innovation as a writer, you have to become…

  • How to Write a Poetry Collection

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    From Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson to Timothy Liu and Audre Lorde, it is clear that each of these poets has a special knack for words. All possess a unique style and voice, and they all write about topics that are important to them. If you are a poet and are thinking about writing a poetry collection, here are some tips to get started and ensure that your work truly reflects what you feel. What Is a Poem? With modern poetry becoming more and more experimental, it is sometimes difficult to determine what a poem is. Poetry can be a million different…

  • woman working at a desk with books stacked; manuscript review

    What to Expect from a Manuscript Review

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    At Salem Author Services, our editors offer a Manuscript Review, sometimes called an MDR, for all authors. A Manuscript Review allows an editor to become thoroughly acquainted with a piece. Manuscript Reviews are not only an important step in the editing process, but they are the very first step! Let’s dive into what these Manuscript Reviews are all about. What Is in a Manuscript Review? The Manuscript Review starts out with the title of the reviewed piece, the author’s name (or pen name), and the word count. Simple enough so far, right? Then it goes into the general overview—what the editor believes your…