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When we do a content edit, we focus on the big-picture stuff first. There’s no point in nitpicking small things that might be rewritten anyway. However, we do run into lots of problems at the wordcraft level. To help everyone improve their prose, let’s go … read more »
How can I write sex scenes where the woman enjoys herself without seeming sexist? – Anon Read more »
This may come as a shock, but writers don’t always agree. When these disagreements are on the technical minutiae of wordcraft, it can be especially confusing to newcomers. Most newcomers just want to write respectable prose. So, how can you tell what that is when … read more »
In the beginning, a human told a story, and another human said it was not good. Thus was born the tradition of literary criticism, which is what we’re talking about today. We’ll discuss the different schools of criticism, whether reviews are a type of criticism, … read more »
Have you heard of this thing called literary fiction? We have, but we’re not quite certain what it is or why it matters. And we’re not the only ones who are confused. This week we get deep into what “literary” means, and how much writers … read more »
Despite the growing recognition of gender-neutral pronouns, many people – particularly in the writing industry – reject singular they. These traditionalists usually complain that singular they will make English worse. But English itself has something to say about that. Read more »
As soon as I spotted the cover for Jonathan Renshaw’s Dawn of Wonder, The Wakening, I knew this was the book to critique. “Dawn of Wonder” is already dramatic sounding, and adding “The Wakening” pushes it into melodrama. It doesn’t help that these words border … read more »
But soft, what podcast through yonder feed breaks? That there was an allusion, one of the many many literary devices authors have at their disposal. But what do literary devices mean, and how can they be used in a way that’s not grating and awkward? … read more »
Many writers have a pet narrative technique they think is underused and underappreciated. For me, it’s epistolary writing. While this framing premise has its challenges, it can also be wonderfully creative and powerful. For those who haven’t tried it, allow me to give you a … read more »
Have you ever had a beta reader ask you a question about a scene you don’t remember having in your story, only to find out it was an artifact from a previous draft? Not only is that embarrassing, but it can also cost you time … read more »