Posts in Advice & Recommendations
Sensitivity Readers: Why You Should Never Skip This Step
Sensitivity Readers: Why You Should Never Skip This Step

I’ve already touted the importance of beta readers—and I truly hope each and every one of you utilize these invaluable resources—but the purpose of this blog is to discuss a very specific beta reader niche: sensitivity readers.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, #amediting #AmEditing, #Amediting, Edits, edits, Editing, editing, Sensitivity Reader, Sensitivity Readers, Sensitivity reader, Sensitivity readers, sensitivity reader, sensitivity readers, beta reader, beta-reader, Beta-reader, Beta-Readers, Beta Readers, beta readers, beta-readersComment
Look Who’s Talking: Dialogue Tags vs. Action Beats
Look Who’s Talking: Dialogue Tags vs. Action Beats

I decided to do a post on this occasionally “controversial” topic because I’ve read a few books lately where it’s painfully obvious no one ever taught the poor soul either the difference between these two, or tips on how best to use them.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, #amediting #AmEditing, #Amediting, Edits, edits, Editing, editing, Look Who's Talking, Dialogue Tags, Dialogue tags, Dialogue, Tags, dialogue, tags, Action Beats, Action beats, action beats, Action, action, Beats, beats, Dialogue Tags vs. Action Beats Comments
Hashtag Games: Actively Building Your #AmWriting Community
Hashtag Games: Actively Building Your #AmWriting Community

In my humble opinion, one of the most important things for a writer is to find their writerly tribe. That is, a group of like-minded writers who act as a support system for one another as they travel the bumpy #amwriting road together. Because, trust me, folks, it’s bumpy. So, so bumpy. I’m talkin’ potholes the size of moon craters that’ll knock you out of alignment in 2.5 seconds flat if you don’t have people who get your pain to set you back to rights.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, Hashtag Games, Hashtag games, Hashtag, hashtag, Games, games, Building Your #AmWriting Community, Community, community, Writing Community, Writing community, writing community, #amwriting community Comment
Self-Editing: Guest Blogger Deana Birch bakes us a writing cake
Self-Editing: Guest Blogger Deana Birch bakes us a writing cake

In discussing the subject of my guest blog, Evie gave me one goal. Help Writers. And I want you all to know I am so, so, so about that. As is she. That’s why I love my Evie. I dipped into my relevant pool and came up with, dun dun dun…

 

Self-editing. Because I just edited the heck out of my next book.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, #amediting #AmEditing, #Amediting, Edits, edits, Editing, editing, Self-Editing, Self-editing, self-editing, Self Editing, Self editing, self editing, Writing Cake, Writing cake, writing cake, Deana Birch, deana birch, Guest Blogger, Guest blogger, guest bloggerComment
Starting Off Strong: Tips on Beginning Your Story in the Right Place
Starting Off Strong: Tips on Beginning Your Story in the Right Place

We’ve all heard the adage that your first five pages can make or break you, which I have always agreed with to some extent, but my understanding had always been along the lines of, “Make sure your writing sparkles and shines at the beginning so agents/editors/readers get hooked by your brilliance and keep reading.”

 

I mean, duh. That’s also important, but I was missing the “big picture” boat with that thought process. Hardcore.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, #amediting #AmEditing, #Amediting, Edits, edits, Editing, editing, Start Your Story, Start your story, Start Your story, Starting Off Strong, Starting Strong, Starting off strong, Starting Off strong, Tips on Beginning Your Story in the Right Place, Tips, Writing Tips, writing tips, Writing tipsComment
Head Hopping: Save Yourself and Your Readers from the Whiplash
Head Hopping: Save Yourself and Your Readers from the Whiplash

All right, folks, the topic I’m tackling this week is one that’s near and dear to my heart. I promise you, that is not because I’m a fan of it. *cringes, shudders, and generally attempts not to turn green at the writerly gills* The reason I hold it so bizarrely dear is because I used to be an offender of the utmost caliber. I’m talking epically impressive levels. (A little later in this post, I’ll even share a few shining examples. Prepare yourself, it’s ugly.)

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, #amediting #AmEditing, #Amediting, Edits, edits, Editing, editing, Head Hopping, Head hopping, head hopping, Head-Hopping, Head-hopping, head-hopping, Deep POV, deep pov, deep POVComment
Trigger Warnings: Protecting Your Readers
Trigger Warnings: Protecting Your Readers

As an author, it is your job to step back and take a good, hard look at the work you’re shipping out to the masses and decide whether there’s anything—no matter how small—that might trigger a reader. And if there is, it’s your duty to provide a warning.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Writer, writer, Trigger, trigger, Trigger Warning, Trigger Warnings, trigger warning, trigger warnings, Trigger warning, Trigger warnings Comments
Facing Down Major Re-Writes: How I Survived the Ouch
Facing Down Major Re-Writes: How I Survived the Ouch

I have a current work-in-progress (WIP) that I can quite honestly say might not have a single sentence left from its original version. And, yes, I exaggerate on occasion—what writer doesn’t?—but, no, I’m not in this instance.

 

So, how the heck is that even possible, you ask? Quite easy: it’s seen four—count ‘em, four—major re-writes. I’m not talking simple edits where a scene is removed here, another added over there. I’m talking axing over half the content and starting from the ground up. Over and over and over again.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie DraeWriting Advice, writing advice, Writing advice, Writing, writing, Advice, advice, #amwriting, #Amwriting, #AmWriting, #writerslife, #WritersLife, Major Re-Writes, Major re-writes, Majore Re-writes, Re-Writes, re-writes, Survived, survived, Writer, writer, Professional Edits, professional edits, Professional Editor, professional editor, Sione Aeschliman, Sione, Aeschliman, Developmental Edits, Developmental edits, developmental edits, #amediting #AmEditing, #Amediting, Edits, edits, Editing, editing Comments
Why Finding Beta Readers is so Bloody Important
Why Finding Beta Readers is so Bloody Important

If you guys remember from last week’s post, I entered the Twitter #amwriting community as a lost little chicken, desperately flailing my flightless wings in the murky depths of the writing waters. But that didn’t last for long, because I found my people. My #amwriting tweeps, to be precise.

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Advice & RecommendationsEvie Drae#amwriting, Advice, Twitter, beta readers, Writing Advice, #AmWriting, #Amwriting, beta reader, Beta Readers, Beta-Readers, beta-readers, Beta-reader, beta-reader, advice, twitter Comments