Write Now Editing

Writing Tips from Pegg Thomas

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Do you need some inspiration today? Are you frustrated with your writing?

Sit back and let award-winning author and editor Pegg Thomas encourage you (and maybe introduce you to some new writing resources!).

What is your favorite craft book?

My favorite is Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers.

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

The dictionary. People seriously need to broaden their vocabularies so their books are less language redundant. There. See how many people have to look that up. 😉 Seriously, you don’t want to flummox the reader, but you don’t want the monotonous repetition of words, either.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

Maranatha Christian Writers Conference near Muskegon, Michigan. Love it.

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

Podcasts

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

My granddad. That man could tell a STORY!

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

Write what you know. Really? How about doing a little research, broadening your horizons, digging deep to know the characters, the setting, and what makes your conflict work? Much better than writing just your viewpoint of your little world.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

“That book ain’t gonna write itself.”

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

Go to an in-person writers’ conference. There really is nothing to compare with those for hands-on learning and elbow-rubbing with the professionals in your chosen field. Yes, it costs money, but most forms of education do. And without education, you don’t get very far.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

Look for the telling words: saw, felt, heard, thought, imaged, seemed, smelled, etc. and nix every one that you can. Sometimes you can’t—sometimes they are necessary—but most of the time they are just shallow writing.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

The mightiest oak was once just a little nut that held its ground.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’m happy to be one half of 2 Editors for 5 Minutes with my good friend, Karin Beery!

Cobalt Skies released on January 17—coincidently (or not) on my birthday! It’s the 2nd in my series, A More Perfect Union. A post-Civil War story that joins a Union cavalryman and a Southern widow, both with more baggage than the Union Pacific, and both on a journey to a new life in the West.

Pegg Thomas lives on a homestead farm in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years. They raise chickens and keep a few barn cats, along with Murphy the spoiled rotten dog. When not working or writing, Pegg can be found in her barn, her garden, her kitchen, or sitting at her spinning wheel creating yarn to turn into her signature wool shawls. https://PeggThomas.com

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Writing Tips from Darlene Turner

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What is your favorite craft book?

My go-to craft book is The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. It is awesome!

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

It’s not a craft book, but a reference website. The best thesaurus is wordhippo.com. So good!

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

Ooo…that’s like choosing between children. LOL. I have two favorites – Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers conferences. They both offer amazing classes.

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

YouTube is an awesome resource for learning. I’ve used it often. It’s amazing what you can find there.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

DiAnn Mills has been influential in my writing journey. I first met her when she was my mentor with the Craftsman course through Jerry Jenkins, but she’s continued to guide me and has become a dear friend.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

Write what you know. I feel that limits our writing. If we only wrote what we know, we wouldn’t learn other fascinating facts during research.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t compare yourself to other writers. This is a tough one as I’ve failed many times at it! However, it’s important to remember that every author’s journey is different. Some take longer than others to publication.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

Start working on your email list now. Don’t wait until your published. Interaction with readers is trending toward using newsletters, so it’s important to grow it right away.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

Keep a list of your most repetitive words and then once your manuscript is complete, search on them and replace some. I do this all the time now and I still re-use the same words. LOL.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

If you receive an email that indicates the editor/agent is interested but wants you to revise something in your manuscript/proposal. DO IT and resubmit. You just never know!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Work hard but also take time for yourself! Exercise, get ample rest, enjoy “ME” time. Grab a treat (doesn’t have to be food…maybe go to a movie, read a book) when you reach a milestone (ie finishing a manuscript, hitting a bestseller list, etc). And…find a writers community. Most authors are introverts, but we still need each other!

Tell us about your newest release/upcoming release.

My upcoming book is called Alaskan Avalanche Escape and it releases on February 21, 2023. I’m excited as it’s my first book that is also available in audiobook!! Here’s a sneak peek:

Sabotage in the mountains … can this K-9 sniff out the truth?

After surviving a sudden avalanche, mountain survival expert Jayla Hoyt and her search-and-rescue K-9 discover that it was no accident—someone deliberately triggered the mountain explosion. To uncover the culprit, she’ll have to partner with Alaska park ranger Bryson Clarke, a man she doesn’t trust. But when the investigators become targets, can they capture the criminal mastermind…before they’re buried alive?

Pre-order links:

Amazon com – https://amzn.to/3xDe5u0
Amazon ca – https://amzn.to/3f6qqQM
Audiobook – https://amzn.to/3VC3LeI

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning and a Publishers Weekly best-selling author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders. 

Website: https://darlenelturner.com/
Facebook (author page): https://bit.ly/2Woy8dK
Facebook (personal): https://bit.ly/3kLG5ST
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Qso27O
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2UhbelT
BookBub: https://bit.ly/2QrdkhP
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/2x2Batz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenel.turner/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19553274.Darlene_L_Turner
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Darlene-L-Turner/e/B083RC78GW

Writing Tips from Cherrilynn Bisbano

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What is your favorite craft book?

Writer to Writer by Cecil Murphy. Cecil gives tips and tools for everything from book proposals to grammar.

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

Writer to Writer by Cecil Murphy. This book has bite size nuggets of writing advice. A writer can read for hours or just glean from one minute of scanning the book.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. It’s like writers heaven with worship, workshops, and great food. I have the honor of teaching book proposals this year.

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

I’m old fashioned and love to hear a person’s voice. I phone a friend. I’m blessed to know many writers who are best-selling authors and take the time to help others.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

Cecil Murphy. He’s honest about my writing, yet kind. He told me where my writing needed improvement and gave me the tools to improve. He helps many writers behind the scenes. I’m inspired to help others now.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

Only write what you know. Personally, I love to learn. I immerse myself in study, talk to the experts, and then write about the topic. If I stuck with just what I knew, my books would be boring, and I’d miss out on the adventure of learning.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare your writing to your previous stuff. If your improving, keep learning and never stop. No one is a perfect writer.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

Listen and learn. Go to as many writing conferences as you can. They are an investment in your writing.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

I know this seems lazy, but use Grammarly, Pro Writing Aid, or another document checker before you hit send, even if your manuscript was professionally edited.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

When I’m frustrated or discouraged, I walk, pray, or call a writing friend. Every writer gets frustrated and discouraged—it’s part of the job description.

I think of writers like Stephen King, Jerry Jenkins, and others who received many rejections, even after writing a best-selling book. Rejection is part of the writing process. Your book may be good, however, the publisher may have one like it, or it’s not the genre they are looking for at the time.

Thank you for the opportunity to share. My passion is helping writers achieve their goals. If I helped in any way, I am grateful.

Experience Immanuel Daily is a 30-day devotional that can be used as an Advent reader, personal, or group Bible study. It uses Bible characters to demonstrate how Immanuel manifests himself through trials, daily tasks, and emotional difficulties. The book will be out this year.

Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer in both fiction and non-fiction. Her passion is helping other writers fulfill their dream of completing a book, article, or memoir through coaching, teaching on-line or at conferences. She loves Christ, chocolate, coffee, and cats. She is an avid sea glass hunter who loves spending time with friends and family. Cherrilynn’s husband of 24 years joins her in editing projects. Her 21 year old son is a musician and attends Ground 40 ministries.

www.cherrilynnbisbano.com
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Instagram: Cherrilynn3
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Twitter: @bisbanowrites

5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing by C.S. Lakin (book review)

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Fiction writers often struggle to improve their craft, and the biggest challenge comes from the inability to see what isn’t working. The prose feels off. The scene isn’t gelling. The dialogue sounds stilted or clunky. But they don’t know why or how to fix it. This book lays it all out.

5 Editors Tackle the Twelve Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing demonstrates the deadly dozen pitfalls on the road to a strong story, along with revisions that show writers exactly how to avoid novel failure.

No other writing craft book offers such detailed instruction in how to spot and remedy the major flaws of fiction writing. What makes this book an important addition to a writer’s bookshelf?

This in-depth guide to self-editing is an invaluable resource for any writer of any genre. It shows, not just tells, how to write better fiction. Using it, you’ll be armed with the tools and skills you need to conquer the twelve fatal flaws of fiction writing.

As an editor, I work with a lot of new novelists, and most of them make the same mistakes. I’m always looking for good books to recommend to help them learn how to identify and correct those mistakes — this book is going at the top of my list.

I’ll be honest — it’s not a great cover and the title is a bit tedious. I know three of the contributing editors, though, so I picked up a copy. Still, it took me a couple of years before I decided to read this.

If you’re a new writer struggling to understand and master the basics of fiction writing, you need a copy of this book. It approaches each “fatal flaw” from five different angles, increasing the odds that the reader will connect with and understand one of the explanations. On top of that, the book is full of before and after sections, so even if the reader doesn’t completely understand what the author is saying, all you need to do is compare the before and after examples to see how something was edited.

I’ll be adding this to my list of must-haves for new authors, next to Jeff Gerke’s The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction, Brown and Kings Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and Kathy Tyers Writing in Deep Viewpoint.

G rated. Get your copy here!

Writer to Writer: Lessons from a Lifetime of Learning by Cecil Murphy (book review)

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If you want to become the best writer you can be, Writer to Writer is for you. This isn’t a grammar book. It isn’t a rulebook for writers. It’s the “in the trenches” companion for you along your writing journey, whether you’re just starting out or have been writing for years.

In Writer to Writer, award-winning author and beloved mentor Cecil Murphey shares the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime of writing. Read one of the bite-sized entries a day, a chapter a week, or the entire book at once. Jump into the book any place you like. It’s also a handy discussion tool for writing groups. Topics include:



*how to look like a professional (even if you’re an amateur)
*writing basics you need to know
*fine-tuning your fiction
*how to keep your reader intrigued
*what annoys and pleases publishers
*dealing with writers’ block and rejections
*tips for writers groups
*literary agents and contracts
*making a living as a writer, and much more.

“Good writing demands self-discipline and constant learning. I’m still learning. In the meanwhile, Writer to Writer is my legacy gift to you. I want to help you become a better writer.”-Cecil Murphey.

I really wish I’d discovered this book a decade ago when I was learning how to write blogs, web content, newsletters, and books. Not only is this book full of information, the short lessons (usually less than a page) are easy to study and digest. You could read one per day or one topic per day — there are plenty of ways to divide this book up.

I’m so impressed by the content and the ease of reading it that I’ve recommended it to my sister for her homeschooled children. They both want to be writers, and the practical advice in this book will help them develop those skills.

I will definitely start recommending this book to new writers regarldess of what they’re writing. You’re bound to find tips and information that will help, whether you’re writing an article or a novel.

ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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Fiction: Substantive Editing Classes Substantive Editing for Fiction 101 In Substantive Fiction Editing 101, we’ll look at the basics of a well-written novel and learn how to help our … [more]