Marshall Terrill's Top 10 Writing Tips
- Write everyday no matter what (unless you are on vacation and need a vacation from the computer). Even 15 minutes a day could make a big difference over time.
- Don't answer the phone, don't look at e-mail, don't turn on the TV and cut off all communication from the outside world when you sit down to write.
- When you're in a groove, don't stop. Momentum is everything.
- Transition sentences are the glue to good writing.
- Write like Steve McQueen acted – simple, subtle and not so wordy. Win your readers over with emotion, not words.
- Weekends are made for writing, especially if you have a 9-to-5 job.
- Do not edit as you go along. That is a separate process. Write out the entire first draft before you start editing. This has stopped many people I know from getting published. I call this “paralysis of analysis” and it's a form of failure.
- Writing is like an artist working with a ball of clay: your first draft is round and ugly, and doesn't have great features. Subsequent drafts will enable you to start shaping and molding your ball of clay into a piece of fine art.
- Don't treat your readers like dummies. They don't need to be hit over the head (i.e. overuse of exclamation points). They're smart and will follow wherever you lead them.
- A good editor is worth his/her weight in gold. When you find a good one, treat them like a lover-lavish them with money, gifts and compliments. A gifted editor can turn an average manuscript into a great one.
Cheryl Hosmer's Top Five Editing Tips
1. NEVER edit your own book. There's a difference between editing as you go and editing your
finished book. Editing as you go is a process that can bind you to the smallest of details and
stagnate your creativity; not to mention, you may get so bogged down that you never finish
your book. So tread succinctly, yet lightly. Turn your finished product over to an editor and
then be patient. Your editor will suggest, not dictate, developmentally, be your grammatical
guru for the copyedit, and be your "ahh" as your proofreader. Proofreading is the final step,
generally the quickest edit--the fine tune that lets you breathe easier now that it is nearly
done.
2. Know the difference between developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading.
3. NEVER submit a manuscript to an editor without formatting the manuscript.
4. If you can be a jack-of-all-trades, by all means be one. But be an expert at what you do best.
5. Communicate honestly and frequently with your writer. Be judicious with your editing and
maintaining your writer's voice.
finished book. Editing as you go is a process that can bind you to the smallest of details and
stagnate your creativity; not to mention, you may get so bogged down that you never finish
your book. So tread succinctly, yet lightly. Turn your finished product over to an editor and
then be patient. Your editor will suggest, not dictate, developmentally, be your grammatical
guru for the copyedit, and be your "ahh" as your proofreader. Proofreading is the final step,
generally the quickest edit--the fine tune that lets you breathe easier now that it is nearly
done.
2. Know the difference between developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading.
3. NEVER submit a manuscript to an editor without formatting the manuscript.
4. If you can be a jack-of-all-trades, by all means be one. But be an expert at what you do best.
5. Communicate honestly and frequently with your writer. Be judicious with your editing and
maintaining your writer's voice.