Deborah

Is that creature venomous or poisonous?

Knowing your venomous creatures from your poisonous ones will go a long way in building trust with your readers. Using the correct words shows you know what you’re talking about.

How to reduce the number of ‘I’s in your writing

I went here, I saw this, I did that. Too many ‘I’s can make your narrative all about you, which makes for a dull narrative akin to a report from Julius Caesar: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Can I use brand names in my story?

Can I use brand names in my story? The short answer is yes, but be careful about how you use those brands.

How to use verbs to boost your descriptions

Verbs convey action, but some verbs can have the opposite effect: they can flatten your writing and drain all the energy from a scene.

Improve your writing by removing filter words

Removing filter words from your writing is an easy way to deepen your narrative and engage your readers.

When do you capitalise “mum” and “dad”?

“Mum” can be used as a title or as a common noun. When it’s used as a title, it’s capitalised. When it’s used as a common noun, it’s lower case.

What does editing look like?

If you’re nervous about having an editor review your work, you’re not alone! Sending your manuscript to someone you’ve never met is daunting. What can you expect? What will they change? What if you don’t like their changes?

Can I use song lyrics in my story?

Song lyrics can give a scene a particular mood or evoke a particular memory or time. They can set the tone when used as a quote at the start of a chapter. But song lyrics are copyrighted, raising the question: can you use them in your book?

How to write (great) sex scenes

Picture the scene: your characters have been pining over each other for months and they’ve finally had their first kiss. They’re ready for more. They want to, no, need to have sex, right now.

How to use apostrophes

In this article I will show you how to use apostrophes to indicate missing letters and possession, and how they are used with years, time, Māori words, and abbreviations.