Hated and incorrect buzz words

The Sydney Morning Herald (Aussie newspaper) did an article on the most hated buzzwords. I have to say mine is “invite” used as a noun. Despite everything Facebook might tell you, invite is a verb. I might invite you to my party. But the piece of paper or email I send you telling you about my party is a noun, invitation.
So imagine my joy when they chose Gifted as #10 on their list, with this comment, “Used incorrectly as a verb to mean to give a gift. Gifted is not a verb. The word is gift, which is a noun. If you don't know the difference between the various parts of speech, you probably need a refresher in primary school English.”
The same goes with invite.

Other buzz words they disliked were “big data” especially when used by people to mean any old data, “double down”, and literally, misused when people mean figuratively.

For the complete list check out: http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/trends/blogs/the-big-idea/the-most-hated-buzzwords-of-2015-20150205-3pjdf.html


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Don’t compare yourself with others

The absolutely worst thing possible for an author to do, is to try to model their writing/book/blog/website/book trailer or anything else, on the one they’ve seen of SallySellsALotofBooks. What works for Sally is unlikely to work for you simply because it’s not your voice, your style, your passion.

I fully understand that your passion might be to get rich as fast as possible, but readers want a book that draws them in, where they relate to the characters and stay up way past their bedtime reading because they absolutely have to know what happens next.
That intensity is almost impossible to achieve by modeling yourself on anyone else.

Certainly you can use their editor, their cover artist, their color scheme. But do those things work for your story? She likes yellows and sunshine and your book is all about disaster and death. That color scheme is not going to work for you.

Be yourself. Write what is your own personal passion.

By all means hire a good editor, even SallySellsALot’s editor, and cover artist. But ensure your book cover, your trailer, your blog, is all about your book and your passion.

Readers aren’t stupid and they don’t like fakes. Besides, no one knows what the next big thing will be, and it just might be the book you want to write that no one is interested in as yet.


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Can You Correctly Use These Commonly Misused Words?

Two of these were seriously tricky (or maybe it’s because I’m an Aussie not an American) but most you should know immediately.

http://www.playbuzz.com/toddbv10/can-you-correctly-use-these-commonly-misused-words?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=page-posts&utm_campaign=can-you-correctly-use-these-commonly-misused-words

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Point of View explained

POV explained by Kristen Lamb

Editor Kristen Lamb said, “P.O.V. used properly can create entire worlds, and breathe life into characters. Used improperly, it can make your reader feel like she’s been bungee-corded to Satan’s Merry-Go-Round—not good. P.O.V. stands for Point of View. Although this literary device is one of the most vital tools an author possesses, it is probably the number one style problem I encounter as an editor.”

When an author is writing in one person’s POV that person can only comment on or experience what they know and see. Convention indicates that the POV stay with that person for an entire scene. This means that if a person is killed, or goes to sleep, or just leaves, that scene needs to end immediately.

Sometimes in a long scene there can be a line break and a POV change but its best avoided. It’s better if the main characters take turns at telling the story. It’s also best if the story is told only from a few different POVs so the reader doesn’t get confused.

Make sure whatever is happening in a scene is something that could be filtered through that character’s five senses. Unless this is a paranormal story and he has the power of mindreading, he does not know what the other people are thinking.

It’s no use complaining that Famous Author head hops, POV shifts and puts two lines in at random from the POV of her pet koala bear. Until you too, are famous, I suggest not irritating your readers by giving them a headache trying to work out who knows what in your book.

Kristen Lamb’s article is here: http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/point-of-view-what-is-it-how-to-find-the-perfect-voice-for-your-story/

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

The worst things that can happen to a book lover

The worst things that can happen to a book lover

I can relate to a lot of these! Tell me which one is you.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/worst-things-that-can-happen-to-a-book-lover#.ndmw1DREA


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.