Character vs. Plot, Par...

I love books with intricate interwoven plots that keep me on the edge of my seat. When I write, I focus a lot on what happens and when. How do I get from point A to point B? Figuring out the steps and how to set up the actions so that everything flows is one of the most enjoyable parts...

Announcing Smooth Draft...

I’m so excited to formally announce Smooth Draft! As many of my friends and readers know, in addition to writing full-time, I also work as an editor. I’ve worked with MLR Press, Ravenous Romance, and most recently Silver Publishing. I’ve also taken on private freelance...

Why Beta-reading Is Not...

When I mention my editing business, I often hear writers say, “I don’t need that. I have beta readers. Why should I pay you for something I get free?” That’s a great question. And I have some great answers. Beta readers are great for top-level impressions on a...

How to WOW an Editor

By EM Lynley I can’t guarantee you’ll get a contract–that’s up to a lot of other factors–but you will distinguish yourself by not pissing the editor off, and often, that’s halfway to getting an acceptance rather than a rejection. Remember, editors are...

NaNoWriMo 2012 Postmort...

For many writers, NaNoWriMo 2012 is already forgotten. For others, they’re still slogging away at the 50,000-word goal. Some of you gave up on Day 1 and others on Day 30. But the best part is that you tried, and whether you won or not, I’ll bet you learned a lot about writing...

Not just a flashback: P...

My latest novel released September 28 from Dreamspinner Press and let’s just say it’s a relief. It’s long, over 100,000 words, and both writing and editing was more challenging than anything I’ve worked on before, except maybe for Italian Ice, where I had to keep...