What’s in a name? In fiction, the names of characters form the reader’s first introduction to what kind of person they are. Dickensian names like Pecksniff and Chuzzlewit are out of fashion now, but we can still suggest much about a character by what name we choose to give to him or her. Billy has a boyish feel about it, Billy-Bob is a country boy, Bill is grown up, and William seems more formal. Betty Lou Sue is a whimsical … Read More »

The universe of software for writers is constantly expanding. I’ve looked into a few of the no-cost options. NaturalReader reads your document aloud to you. It’s a great way to find the little things a spell checker misses, like when you typed “if” but meant “it.” The speed can be adjusted. I like that it reads slowly enough that I can notice when a sentence ought to be farther up in the paragraph, or a section belongs in another part … Read More »

It’s easy to hope that your beloved book will get five out of five stars from everyone who reads it. A rating of less than five stars can feel like a bit of an emotional blow, but it’s not all bad. Browsers on Amazon and elsewhere may be suspicious of books that have all five star reviews. They assume it’s mostly the writer’s friends and relatives or paid reviewers. Thus, a four-star review is terrific because it lends authenticity to … Read More »

“Gawking” is phrasing which puts an unnecessary layer between the reader and the action. If a character sees, watches, or hears another character or an event in the story, then that character is screening the reader’s view of what’s happening. The scene starts with: Out for an early morning stroll, Sean was the first to notice the fire in the old barn. For the second sentence, we have two choices: He saw the leaping flames and smelled the acrid smoke. … Read More »

Prescriptive grammar attempts to define how a language should be used. It’s important and necessary, because it maintains a touchstone that keeps language from diversifying too widely. Without it, eventually we might no longer understand each other’s speech or writing. Schools teach prescriptive grammar, giving us all a common standard of usage. Descriptive grammar reflects how people actually speak and write, in practice. Real people in casual situations say “ain’t” and “gonna,” and put sentences together in a different order … Read More »

Currently, stronger synonyms for said are out of fashion. A century or more ago, writers stretched for synonyms for said: asseverated, averred, conveyed, voiced, uttered, proclaimed … and it became distracting, even ridiculous. The current enthusiasm for just plain … may be a reaction against that excess. On the other hand, the quality of the speaker’s voice can sometimes be important information for the reader, adding texture and nuance, and conveying the character’s mood or emotion. “Over my dead body,” … Read More »