The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

Debra

Removing the Cliché from Your Characters

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Guest Posting today is Jennifer Slattery

Author Jennifer SlatteryEvery first draft I write seems to be crammed with cliché characters. The Sunday school teacher with silver hair pulled back in a bun. The buff and burly loan shark. The alcoholic husband who burps and slurps and does all sorts of other crude things unfit to share in a blog post.

With four novels in print and two manuscripts in waiting, I’ve learned how to create strong yet unique characters—in drafts two through eight. This includes allowing ugly into the first draft, swapping the expected for the unexpected, and delving deeper into the human psyche. [Read more…] about Removing the Cliché from Your Characters

Customizing the Scrivener Toolbar

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Making Scrivener work for you—rather than the other way around—can start with customizing your toolbars. Scrivener offers a lot of tools to make things easy. As you discover them, you’ll want the ones you use most, on your toolbar for easy access.

Customizing the Scrivener Toolbar

 

Last time we were talking about snapshots and I promised to tell you how to add that icon to your toolbar. So let’s get started.

[Read more…] about Customizing the Scrivener Toolbar

Has fear sabotaged your voice?

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I’ve been reading an excellent blog series by Erin Buterbaugh found in the archives of Chip MacGregor’s blog. It’s about voice—something that seems to elude writers, beginning writers especially.

To quote Erin, voice is

“the personality of the author as revealed through the writing.”

When I first started writing with the intention of earning money for it, I read Finding Your Voice by Les Edgerton (btw Ane Mulligan recommends this book on a guest post she did for MacGregor’s blog). [Read more…] about Has fear sabotaged your voice?

The Value of Critique Groups

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Author interviews have become one of my favorite posts. While there are similarities to the publication journey, there are always unique perspectives and experiences that come from each author.

The Value of Critique Groups author interviewI hope you glean information and strategies that will aid you in your journey.

Today’s interview is with Vickie Phelps. Her book, Postmark from the Past, released in Nov. 2015 by CrossRiver Media Group. Vickie writes fiction and nonfiction to encourage, inspire, and influence. She has published 200 articles in both regional and national magazines. Vickie is the author of five gift books with [Read more…] about The Value of Critique Groups

How to Use Snapshot in Scrivener

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Using Scrivener Snapshots

In my pre-Scrivener days of writing, I used MS Word. It got the job done, but when it was time to revise I got paranoid.

  • What if I didn’t like all the changes I had just made?
  • What if I liked most of them, but not all?
  • What if deleted an entire scene, then two days later realize I needed that scene after all?

So I learned work arounds… [Read more…] about How to Use Snapshot in Scrivener

Should Leap Day Be a Holiday?

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Down what road could leap day lead you?
Down what road could leap day lead you?

It’s Leap Day! That weird day that happens once every 4 years. That alone qualifies it as a holiday in my book. What about you?

Because it’s leap day and the 5th Monday of the month, I thought I’d have a little fun.

What’s the deal with February anyway? I mean, all the other months have 30 or 31 days. Why did the calendar makers only give 28 to February? Why not steal a day [Read more…] about Should Leap Day Be a Holiday?

How You Can Save Money in the Editing Process

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save money using style sheetWe all know hiring a professional editor can be an expensive proposition. So finding ways to help your editor save time in editing your book is a good thing.

I can’t take credit for today’s idea. I learned this tool from author and publisher Mark Gilroy at a Heart of America Writers Conference I attended several years ago.

It’s a tool every writer should consider using because it’s tremendously useful for your editor and can save the editor a lot of time and work.

What is that tool? [Read more…] about How You Can Save Money in the Editing Process

Should I Indie Publish?

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In a day when publishing is at our fingertips, the question whether to publish independently or traditionally is one many writers consider. Both routes have their benefits and drawbacks.

Indie publishingMaybe you are struggling with this very question right now. I hope today’s interview with author Janice Dick gives you some insight into making your decision.

Janice, what was the impetus behind your decision to go indie? [Read more…] about Should I Indie Publish?