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Stephen King On Writing Still Best Out There

On Writing by Stephen King is one of the best out there! He may “put his pants on one leg at at time like everyone else,” but let’s face it… he is a hero to novice and experienced writers alike. The 10th anniversary edition of his book is part memoir and part King’s philosophy on what writing is, how he does it, and a small dose of old fashioned common sense. King just says it in an entertaining way On Writing provides a small glimpse into Stephen King’s writing life and tells how he got his start. It contains writing tips such as: reading makes a good writer, writing is about mastering vocabulary and grammar, consider what ifs, get the story written first. (Then handle rewrites after.) Much of this has been said in other books; King just says it in an entertaining way. Some have read it multiple times…

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Editing Software for Writers

MJP Editor December 17

Editing software for writers should be part of every author’s toolbox. While there many available, one we highly recommend is ProWritingAid. ProWritingAid is an excellent resource because it integrates with Microsoft Word, Open Office, and Google Docs. There is no reason to copy and paste. Works with Scrivener We’ve worked on several projects for full-length novels written in Scrivener, another of our favorite writing tools. When it was time to revise and edit the first draft, ProWritingAid worked extremely well. We were able to open the Scrivener manuscript using the ProWritingAid’s Desktop App. Consequently, it was absolutely time saving to edit right from where the story was written. Again, no need to copy and paste. Editing software is like an editor in a box This editing software is like having a personal editor in a box. With a click of a button it highlights spelling mistakes, overused words, and finds…

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What About “Show Don’t Tell”

MJP Editor October 20 show don't tell show versus tel showing and telling

What about “Show Don’t Tell” don’t you understand? This question was posed to a group of writers during a writers conference. Their answer? “Everything.” It’s a concept that is easier said than done, and by the writer’s emphatic response this statement is more true today than ever before. This was clearly the case for our conference goers who said they were as bewildered about the subject as they ever were; even after the conference workshop. Why the lingering misunderstanding? Resources, such as books, blog articles, and courses are abundant on the Internet and in local area bookstores. So, why is there a lingering misunderstanding about showing versus telling? One answer might be there is a disconnect between the theory and the practical knowledge. Practical knowledge helps a writer identify, and avoid, when they are telling in their writing. Another answer could be the writer’s limited writing experience is at fault. Either…