Remember when back-to-school meant fresh pencils, leaky lunchbox thermoses, and polyester outfits instead of Chromebooks and checkout lines? In the 1970s, September was pure chaos and excitement—and we wouldn’t trade it for today’s tech.
Passive voice sneaks into even the sharpest manuscripts, draining life out of your prose and leaving it limp as wet cardboard. Learn how to spot the culprits—“was eaten,” “were taken,” and those sneaky “by” phrases—and flip them into strong, active sentences that keep readers hooked.
Mark’s got three thrilling projects fighting for attention in his brain—another Jacobine adventure, a high-octane Billings sequel, or a brand-new season of Credible Threat. He’s throwing the decision to readers: which story should he dive into next?
Stories without time pressure tend to meander. Add a deadline—a ticking clock—and suddenly characters have to act, risk, and choose. From thrillers to romances, nothing raises tension faster than running out of time.
Mark’s desk is overflowing with thrillers, Jacobine adventures, anthology deadlines, and even a dash of erotica. Add in a Kickstarter campaign, real-world book selling, and you’ve got the “good kind of busy.” Coffee recommended.
If you’ve ever had a critique partner or an editor ask, “Wait, whose head are we in right now?” — congratulations. You’ve run into a POV problem.
Last week, I watched The Life of Chuck — twice. I’d already read the book, so I knew what was coming. But having just survived colon cancer and stared death in the face, the film landed differently for me. It stirred up all kinds of thoughts about what I’ve done with my life… and what I still want to do.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: you can technically edit your own work. Just like you can technically give yourself a root canal with a mirror, a bottle of bourbon, and a pair of pliers.
But should you?
Here are five good reasons to hire an editor instead of going solo.
Struggling with clunky conversations or over-the-top dialogue tags? Clean, compelling dialogue doesn’t just sound real — it works hard to reveal character, build tension, and move your story forward. Here’s how to write dialogue that earns its place on the page.
The editor-author relationship is professional and reciprocal: clear, honest feedback from the editor, and respect and understanding from the author. In the end, it’s your book — but professional editing comes with professional expectations.
