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  • Grammar Day 2015

    On March 4, word nerds, grammar gurus, and language artists collectively brandish their red pens to celebrate National Grammar Day. But I get a little nervous when self-described sticklers and grammar police make finding typos and rule breakers their singular cause—the goal almost always seems to embarrass, not aid. And yet, I’ve cheered grammatical goofs.…

  • Upcoming Events

    If you’d like to discuss a project, schedule a self-editing clinic in person, or have a beer, I will be attending multiple events this winter and spring: ConFusion, January 16–18, Dearborn, MI ACES, March 26–28, Pittsburgh, PA WisCon, May 22–25, Madison, WI Climate Change in Science Fiction, Saturday, 1:00–2:15 p.m. Scientific Utopianism in the Work…

  • Happy Holidays!

    Regardless of what you do or do not celebrate, be well. Don't forget that discounted NaNoWriMo packages expire on December 31. 

  • Discounted NaNoWriMo Editing Packages

    I love the idea of National Novel Writing Month. It’s an excuse to chase ideas and leverage oneself into a consistent writing practice. It’s a supportive (and sometimes competitive) community that offers on and offline resources to hobbyists and professionals. NaNoWriMo recognizes that cranking out wordage is crucial for producing a workable first draft, and…

  • 8 Ways to Vet Potential Editors

    A self-published writer recently confessed that while he doesn’t mind investing in a good editor, he finds it difficult to determine what constitutes a “good editor” before writing the check. I get it. Why fork over hundreds or thousands of dollars to someone who will only skim your work and correct glaring grammatical errors? Why…

  • Breaking the Rules

    Have you ever encountered a work rule so ridiculous, arbitrary, and inflexible that you want to shoot yourself or someone else into the sun at the earliest opportunity? Me too. But before you start crafting your solar cannons, put down your spanners and reassess: what’s the genesis of the offending rule? In some circumstances, hard…

  • What type of editing do you need?

    In early 2014 I attended (and accidentally helped lead) a freelance editing panel at ConFusion. The indie authors understood they probably needed an editor to move forward, but they weren’t entirely sure what they’d be paying for. It became clear that each of us—aspiring authors and seasoned editors alike—defined editing differently. “What’s the difference between…

  • What’s in a name?

    Like many children of the 1980s, I grew up playing Nintendo. I started out with a small stack of mother-approved game cartridges that included Excitebike, Super Mario Bros., Final Fantasy, and Tetris. If left to my own devices, I'd spend hours parked in front of the TV until inevitably, my mother would appear and shoo me outside. I…