Cover me.
I’m going under cover.
Cover your mouth when you sneeze?
Okay, fine. I was trying to be unique and not do the standard announcement, but…
Jul26
Tag Archives: editing
Jul6
Writing and Martial Arts
The Writing Part
Anyway, here’s something funny and ironic. How many of you caught the typo in my last post?
“Despite all the work, I know stuff it still going to get missed.”
Wow.
Jun25
Bookblock and book cover
The email from the publisher began:
“We have now begun the production cycle for your book, Wish I Was Here. Your submitted final manuscript has been professionally formatted into a custom PDF bookblock and attached here for your review.”
I had been texting with a coworker when this email popped up, prompting me to hastily exit that conversation and clock out of my day job.
The cover was also attached. Naturally, I began there. Oh, how I wish I could show you the cover, but it’s still a work in progress. When I saw it, I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t love it.
I sent it to my Faithful Few for feedback. (Isn’t it wonderful when alliteration happens naturally?) I got varied responses:
Mar7
Comma Conundrum Continued
Some of you really got into the comma discussion from my last post. Some others of you are thinking, “Where are the bruise pictures?”
BTW, funny thing about that wannabe black eye post, it earned likes from three CBD dispensaries and one counseling service. LOL. I’m okay, people. Really.
But getting back to the Comma Conundrum…
Here’s what your votes added up to, including a write-in from my mother via text. And, yes, friends, I do know the elementary comma conjunction rule when what follows is an independent clause.
1a At first there was nothing then a slight tickling as though from fur. TWO VOTES
1b At first there was nothing, then a slight tickling as though from fur. 14 VOTES
2a Even if I told them about the van, I didn’t know where it was headed, besides north. TWO VOTES
2b Even if I told them about the van, I didn’t know where it was headed besides north. 12 VOTES
What did the editor say?
Mar6
Okay, you writer types. Let’s talk editing.
A funny thing happened when I got feedback from the “kick-start editor” for my debut novel, Wish I Was Here. She checks the first 20 pages of your manuscript to give you an idea of stuff to look out for in the rest of your book. Mainly, it was all about the commas.
This cracked me up because commas were Mark’s primary concern when he did a run-through also. I specifically remember him adding a comma before “then” somewhere.
This lady? “No commas before then unless what follows is a complete thought.”
I understand the mechanics of that, sure, but what about when there’s a natural pause where the comma would go?
I’d love your guys’ take on The Great Comma Debate. Here are two examples. Please vote 1 a or b and 2 a or b.
Jan25
This is real stress
The deadline looms for turning in my final-final manuscript of Wish I Was Here to the publisher. The feedback I’ve gotten from beta readers has been good, but that’s mostly been men in their fifties. Clearly, I need to expand my friend group.
But the harsh reality is, I should get the reaction of my target audience: teenage girls, especially ones who are well-read.
Gulp.
I needed to let my own children read this thing.
Writing and Martial Arts 