Flashbacks send readers back in time to events that happened outside your story’s “present”. Knowing how to nudge your readers in the right direction will keep readers engaged, instead of having them go “huh?”
Category Archives: Self-editing
How long should your book be? A word count guide for travel and adventure writers
The short answer: as long as it needs to be. While this is a vague answer, understanding word counts can make the difference between readers finishing your book or abandoning it half way through. Let’s discuss why your word count matters, look at some examples, and look at ways to reduce your word count whenContinue reading “How long should your book be? A word count guide for travel and adventure writers”
How to write scientific names for animals, plants, and fungi
As an adventure writer, you probably don’t often use scientific naming in your stories, but occasionally you might want to use the scientific name of a creature that you come across during your travels.
Here is how those names are formatted.
How to avoid overloading your descriptions
It’s tempting to load your adventure scenes with detail-rich descriptions that capture what you experienced in the moment. But too much detail can overwhelm a scene and slow the pace.
The problem with colonial charm
The phrase “colonial charm” often pops up in travel writing, such as in accommodation listings, descriptions of architecture, or the general vibe of a town. There’s just one problem with it. Or rather, three problems,
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.
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.
Deborah Shaw Adventure Editing 