Browse by editing services

Basic Capitalization Rules: Proper Nouns vs Common Nouns

Whether or not to capitalize common nouns or proper nouns seems to confuse even the best of writers. I find myself often looking in my Chicago Manual of Style book or another copyediting book to see if a certain word should be capitalized whenever I am editing for my Editor 911 clients . So, why do some nouns need to be capitialized and others do not...

Creating Characters: Picking Character Names

Through my editing services , I often have writers ask me how to pick their characters' names when they are creating characters in novels. Think about when you are reading a novel. When you first read a name, it may give you a certain feeling about a character--either based on the stereotypical type of person that goes with that name, based on a...

Creating Characters: Character Notes

Creating characters is one of the best parts about writing fiction. Think about it--you can make up anyone you want--with any characteristics, hobbies, family, career, and so on. Before you start writing a novel, novella, or short story, you may want to make character notes or fill out a questionnaire or chart about your main characters. Many novelists...

Punctuation Rules: Using a Semicolon

Semicolons are often confusing for people, and I find many mistakes when I edit manuscripts for my editing service, Editor 911. Here are some punctuation rules about the semicolon. The semicolon can be used to join two complete sentences that are related. There could be a conjunction (and, or, but), but there usually isn't. Here is an example of...

Another Option for Editing Fiction: Manuscript Exchanges

If you are not interested in editing services or writers' groups, then another service you can try for editing fiction is a manuscript exchange program. You can either find a formal program through a writers' group or an on-line critique group, or you can work with a writing friend. Basically, a manuscript exchange works like this: you and another...

Find a Writers' Group or a Critique Group

If you want regular feedback on your work and you don't mind giving back in return, then a writers' group or critique group may be just what you are looking for. Generally, critique groups work like this: writers get together to discuss each other's work--the good, the bad, and the ugly. These groups may meet once a week, biweekly, or once...

Using Editing Services

A lot of writers use editing services; so do a lot of students. There are several reasons why people may use an editing service. Writers may need. . . Help with punctuation and grammar rules. A professional opinion on their writing (someone besides their family) Advice on plot and characterization Information on a certain type of writing style such...

Why Editing Fiction is Important

If you are a fiction writer, editing fiction is important. Revising fiction is important. Getting manuscript critiques is also useful. Why? Someone can help us find mistakes that our eyes just gloss over. The story on our pages might not be the same story in our heads. When we wrote it, we might have left parts out that we thought we put in the manuscripts...