A thought on accepting criticism
While I might seem young, I’ve had a lot of experience with taking criticism in situations where I wasn’t able to offer a rebuttal or excuse—I just had to take it, smile, and say thank you. The most memorable of these public dressings-down came as part of my work on a newspaper copydesk. The copydesk is different than any other department at a newspaper. We worked in the evening, line editing and fact checking and writing headlines for news stories that would go into the paper the...
Read MoreCaveat writer
I always encourage writers to verify the credibility of people they’re working with, whether it be agents or publishers, designers or printers. It can be tricky, I know, but there are some excellent resources to help authors feel a bit more confident about their decisions as they seek to publish their books. I decided to create this list after I got a tweet from a company that makes book trailers for authors, then promotes those trailers. Sounds like a good thing. But it turns out that...
Read MoreBut it needs a comma
When to use a comma before the word “but” Grammatical explanation A comma should proceed a conjunction separating two independent clauses. What it means When you put a “but” between two phrases that could reasonably be made into two sentences, there should be a comma. He went to the store, but she stayed home. equals 1. He went to the store. 2. She stayed home. How to remember it Use a comma only if the “but” has a noun (person, place, or thing)...
Read MoreCommonly confused words (or I really didn’t mean that)
The English language. It’s confusing, you know? There’s something about all the synonyms, antonyms, homographs, and homonyms. It can befuddle the most literate minds. So here are a few homonyms I frequently come across that are used in the wrong sense by diligent writers. While it may seem like a small thing, getting these words right can make your writing look more professional and intelligent. Accept: to take or agree to something Except: to exclude or leave out; also other...
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