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When to Use a Scene Break

Filed in Ask the Editor, Writing Tips by on November 10, 2020 0 Comments
When to Use a Scene Break

Did you know the symbol—most commonly three asterisks—inserted between sections of text to break the scene is called a dinkus? Scene breaks serve many purposes, but one reason it’s used is to give readers a breather. Imagine reading an intense scene that holds a lot of significance, but the chapter doesn’t end when the scene […]

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How to Write a Flashback Scene

Filed in Ask the Editor, Writing Tips by on November 5, 2020 0 Comments
How to Write a Flashback Scene

One of the best ways to work in a backstory for a character is through a powerful flashback, but getting a flashback right requires a little more time and attention than you might think. First, know why you’re thinking about including a flashback scene in your novel. Flashbacks should be used to show crucial moments […]

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How to Develop Your Characters

Filed in Ask the Editor, Writing Tips by on October 29, 2020 0 Comments
How to Develop Your Characters

When it comes to developing characters, first-time writers often fall into two camps. The first camp doesn’t focus on creating character profile sheets and instead just wings it during their writing. The second camp thinks that a character should be as close to perfect humans as the writer can get them. Both of these can […]

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How To Self-Edit Your Manuscript

Filed in Ask the Editor, Writing Tips by on October 27, 2020 1 Comment
How To Self-Edit Your Manuscript

A common thought among first-time writers is that once they finish writing their book it’s ready to go straight to a professional editor. However, there are two crucial steps that need to take place before you ship your manuscript off for editing. The first is that you must do a few rounds of self-editing yourself. […]

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Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers

Filed in Ask the Editor, Writing Tips by on October 22, 2020 0 Comments
Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers

A lot of first-time writers skip over portraying body language in their writing. They know it’s missing from their characters’ interactions, but they also aren’t sure how to include it either. To combat this, they try to mistakenly incorporate it into dialogue tags, such as “she smiled” or “he laughed.” But, if you think about […]

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