The Writer's Dominatrix

Quit micromanaging your editor!

scribequill — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:17:52 +0000

Hey, writer: If you don’t know anything about CMS, AP, APA or MLA, then don’t correct my editor. SHE knows CMS and you don’t. Please let her do her job and get out of her way. Your job is to write. Her job is to edit. Stop trying to micromanage something you know nothing about.

Filed under: editing Tagged: annoying habits

“Stop” it with the quotation marks “already”!

scribequill — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:03:59 +0000

Dear writer, if you’re using quotation marks around every other word in nearly every sentence you’ve written, it’s overkill. Do “you” get “what” I’m “saying”? Or do I “need” to point “it” out to “you”?! Stop making “dumb” choices when you “write.” Good thing you have an editor. Otherwise, surly readers would be tempted to bludgeon you out of frustration!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Foreword, Preface and Introduction — NOT the same!

scribequill — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:22:11 +0000

Zls Publishing reminded me of something I’ve been meaning to mention: Forewords are NOT written by authors. They are written by someone else. Authors may write a Preface or an Introduction, but NOT a Foreword.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: books, foreword, front matter, parts of a book, preface, publishing

Don’t pass off others’ work as yours! It’s called plagiarism!

scribequill — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:27:52 +0000

Swiping material, using it in your manuscript and not crediting who originally wrote such material is called plagiarism, and no self-respecting writer should do that.

Writers, CITE your source material.

KNOW the rules of Fair Use when it comes to material.

UNDERSTAND copyright laws/rules.

Don’t pass off quotes as yours.

Don’t swipe articles off the internet and pass them off as yours, either. That’s STEALING!

This is elementary stuff. It’s the basics. You should KNOW better. Don’t think your editor won’t catch you at it or call you on it, because he/she WILL!

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: authorship, basics of writing, ethics, plagiarism, writing rules

Know your semicolon!

scribequill — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:14:31 +0000

For the love of all that’s holy, if you aren’t sure know how to use a semicolon, please don’t. Yes, semicolons are sexy (at least I think they are). Yes, semicolons are exotic (in my world, at least). Yes, semicolons are sophisticated (of course they are!). However, semicolons are NOT for the faint of heart.

To avoid making yourself look like a rank amateur, do your homework on the semicolon. Research it, learn about its usage and practice using them. Only after you have a working knowledge should you consider using it.

Otherwise, if you submit a manuscript that’s riddled with misused semicolons in place of periods and commas, your editor will be one unhappy camper. Take it from me.

Filed under: Misused punctuation, Uncategorized

Could you, or couldn’t you?

scribequill — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:39:24 +0000

If you could care less, then you mean you COULD care less about something.

If you couldn’t care less, then you mean you COULD NOT care less about something.

Learn the difference. Too many people are using could care less when they really couldn’t care less!

Filed under: editing, Uncategorized

It’s “writer,” not “writter”!

scribequill — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:14:54 +0000

Guess what? The word “writer” isn’t spelled “writter.” There’s only one “t.” So if you put out there you’re a “writter,” I have serious doubts about that. If you can’t spell “writer” correctly, then you have a long way to go before you’re a professional.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: spelling, the basics

Please don’t ejaculate…at least when writing dialogue!

scribequill — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 03:55:03 +0000

My favorite of the worst dialogue tags? The word “ejaculated” instead of “said.” You’ll find it in older literature, and it always makes me wince/laugh. Example: “Oh god, you can’t be serious!” he ejaculated. I visualize something funny, yet unpleasant, when I read that tag.

If you have to add a dialogue tag, using “said” is okay. You don’t have to use the thesaurus to find replacements so you’ll sound cooler. In the end, you DON’T!

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: dialogue, writing

Thin-skinned? Skip publishing.

scribequill — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 03:12:11 +0000

I’m going to be blunt here. If you can’t develop a thick skin, then you shouldn’t get involved in the publishing industry. On any level. Especially as an author.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: authors, books, publication, publishing industry, writing

Finis? Really?

scribequill — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:37:51 +0000

Dear Random Writer: Don’t put “finis” at the end of your story or manuscript. It makes you sound ridiculous and pretentious. You’re not in an art film and your work is mainstream/genre — not literary. Don’t do it. It doesn’t fit!

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: miscellaneous, random rants