How to Avoid Weasel Words When You Write

By Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @khogrefeparnell

By night, I write novels, and by day, I teach English online to ninth graders. One of my joys is when students realize my desire is not to be overly critical but to help them express themselves as clearly and effectively as possible. During one such session, a student thanked me for my detailed comments but said he didn’t understand why I highlighted certain words on his essay. 

How to Prevent Paper-Cut Words

By Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @khogrefeparnell

At what point do you print out a work-in-progress to give your red pen something to scribble on? Personally, I can only do so much editing on screen before I need to see the words on paper.

The Art of Self-Editing, Part 2

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas

Last month, we began exploring the process of self-editing, of getting our writing in the best shape we can before sending it out to a professional editor.

Notice, I didn’t say before submitting it to an agent, a publishing house, or self-publishing it. 

Can Self-editing Improve Your Writing?

by Cynthia Howerter
@CynthiaHowerter

Can self-editing improve your writing? That depends: is your goal to simply write or is it to write to the very best of your ability? While the former can lend itself to mediocrity, the latter challenges us to improve our skill, learn what we do not know, and utilize our knowledge throughout everything we write. Self-editing, when done thoroughly, forces us to scrutinize our writing and find ways to improve it.