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.
Tag Archives: Writing resources
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,
Benefits of working with a human editor
Automated grammar and spelling tools can help improve your writing, but there are still benefits to working with a human editor (like me!).
When you work with a human editor, you benefit from our encouragement, suggestions, queries, and experience.
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.
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.
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.
Deborah Shaw Adventure Editing 