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Writer's tip: Avoid passive voice
It's an often given writer's tip, but few tips for writers cause as much confusion as the caution to avoid passive voice. Understanding what passive voice is and why it should be avoided can clear up this confusion. One of the biggest problems with this tip is that so few people understand w...
January 21st, 2014
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10 common grammar mistakes even great writers make
There are far more than 10 common grammar mistakes that even the greats make. Mistakes in the drafting stage aren't catastrophic. After all, you'll edit your novel at a later point in time. A clean manuscript appeals to agents and editors, though, so read on for 10 common grammar...
March 17th, 2014
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Descriptive verbs: 7 tips for avoiding weak adverbs
'Don't use adverbs. Only ever use descriptive verbs.' This is a writing 'rule' often repeated, partly thanks to Stephen King's strong views on the subject. It's true that beginning authors often use adverbs to cover up bland dialogue or action. You don't have to avoid&nb...
July 11th, 2016
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Great grammar tips: 7 reliable resources for writers
Great grammar gives your writing power. The author Joan Didion once said 'Grammar is a piano I play by ear... All I know about grammar is its infinite power. To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters ...
September 12th, 2016
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Writing tenses: 5 tips for past, present, future
Understanding how to use writing tenses is challenging. How do you mix past, present and future tense without making the reader giddy? What is the difference between 'simple' and 'perfect' tense? Read this simple guide for answers to these questions and more: What are the main writing tenses?...
January 26th, 2017
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Examples of adjectives from top authors' novels
Adjectives - words that describe nouns or pronouns - add specificity and detail to writing. The literal definition of adjective is 'throw towards', from the Latin prefix ad- (towards) and the verb jacere (throw). That's what great describing words do: They 'throw' readers into your fictiona...
May 29th, 2017
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Choosing description words: 10 questions to ask
There are endless ways to describe someone, from physical description to verbal tics, personal views and more. Here are 10 questions to ask about your description words to help you make your writing vivid: 1: What are the most precise, descriptive nouns? Often when we think of description ...
July 3rd, 2017
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Dialogue words: Other words for 'said' (and what to avoid)
Writing effective, compelling dialogue has multiple elements. It's not only what characters say but how they say it that matters. Read other words for said as well as tips for keeping your dialogue natural and engrossing: What is a 'dialogue tag' (or speech tag)? Tags (like name tags) iden...
November 6th, 2017
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Writing descriptive sentences: 6 simple rules
Great descriptive writing brings story scenes to life. We see the flickering candlelit banquet halls or chaotic battlefields great descriptions conjure. Here are 6 tips to write descriptive sentences that are evocative: 1: Choose precise imagery (avoid overusing abstract nouns) We often th...
November 13th, 2017
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How to build narrative pace using grammar
There are multiple factors that determine narrative pace, the rate at which your story's narrated action unfolds. Tone and word choice are two factors. Yet having a good command of grammar helps too. Try these tips to build better pacing: 1. Master the participial phrase A participle is a ...
April 5th, 2018
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Descriptive verb list: 30 words to replace dull actions
Sayings such as ‘the road to hell is paved with adverbs' scare many aspiring authors off using adverbs to describe characters' actions. Yet writers say this because there are often more descriptive, common verbs you could use instead of a duller verb-plus-adverb. Use this list of descriptive str...
May 31st, 2018
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421 ways to say said? Simplify dialogue instead
If you search for alternative dialogue tags to use in your story, you'll find many lists. While some synonyms for 'said' read naturally (such as words conveying volume like 'whispered'), others come across as overwritten and forced, particularly in the wrong context. Here are 5 simple ways to...
June 7th, 2018
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