Bookmark and come back often as this page is updated with more tips.
Here are a few tips for writers while writing your story or during the editing stage:
 | break up your sentence lengths. For action/suspense, shorter sentences add punch, a 'ticking clock' rhythm to the scene. |
Long sentences add a smooth transition to the next scene.
| leave one space after a period |
| Try to use more descriptive words where the image is clearer. For example: The dog ran after Jane can be The Doberman ran after Jane. A reader can visualize the type of animal better when the breed is offered |
| If you've kept your vocabulary simple, then don't stick sporadic 'must take out my dictionary to find the meaning' words. They will stand out like a sore thumb. |
| This may sound 'but I know this' but you would be surprised how many writers don't. Make sure that each different character's dialogue is placed in a new line. |
Don't have a paragraph with three people talking in there. Very, very confusing to follow and connect with any one character.
| Please remove passive voice. Use active voice. |
| Please make sure your characters names remain consistent. I can't tell you how many times I begin reading with 'James' and a few chapters down the line he is now baptized 'Chris' for some odd reason. |
PROMOTIONAL TIPS FOR WRITERS:
| If your book has a character with a particular illness/disorder (cancer, muscular dystrophy, autism, etc) add some resource links to your website. This draws a reader back to your site to see what else you have. Drawing them back will help build traffic and traffic usually brings readers to find out what you've written. |
| Contact a local book club and offer to meet with them and workshop a writing course in exchange to set up a table with your books to sell. |
| Bookstores are not the only place for book signings. Contact your local coffee shop and ask if you can host an event - book signing, reading - at their establishment. |
| Print out and bind your first chapter with a bio and buying information as a sampler to leave in offices. |
| If your book includes a historical place in your city why not contact city hall and see if they're interested in buying and promoting your book. You are, after all, a local author. |