Critique Boutique

Being a freelance editor has afforded me ample opportunities to see the kind of mistakes new and aspiring authors make—some not so serious, some fatal.What do I mean by fatal? These are the kind of mistakes that get your manuscript rejected. So, in an effort to help you steer clear of the rejection pile, I’m going to list a few of the more common errors, along with a few helpful hints on how you can avoid making them again and again.The biggest...

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Do You Hear What I Hear?

The buzz is back.ACFW’s annual conference, held in Dallas, Texas, is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever. Already authors, presenters, and speakers are lining up to hear and be heard at one of the premier events in the publishing industry. Why? It’s simple. Mathematics.Since its inception, ACFW has more than doubled in sheer size and numbers. Drawn by the possibility of meeting editors and publishers face-to-face, authors have flocked to...

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Off to the Mountains

Even writers need to get away sometimes. This year, it'll be to the mountains of Colorado.I've planned a little family vacation, but truly, I'm the one needing the rest. How wonderful it'll be to have no Internet connection, no email capability, and no time frame in which to rush around. Among the things that troubles me most, exhaustion has to be key. My creativity is stifled when my mind is tired. That's why I'm looking forward to hiding myself...

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News Worthy Letters

Whoever told me writing would be easy should be shot.Oops. No one told me that. I just thought that. Thank goodness I am quickly learning all of the other things that come along with being a full-time author, like writing newsletter articles—something I thought I’d never do.A friend of mine contacted me recently to ask me if I might be interested in joining a local writer’s...

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