SHERLOCK’S WRITING TIPS

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• Don’t state the obvious. It slows the story and denies the reader the opportunity to put things together themselves.

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• The more widely you read, the more empathy you develop for others.

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• If you want to become a better writer, read well-written books, and pay attention to details.

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• “Its” or “It’s"?

• “It’s” is a contraction of “it is”. “It’s fun to run.”

• “Its” denotes ownership. “The dog wagged its tail.”

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• You can use either which or that to introduce a restrictive clause, and which to introduce a nonrestrictive clause.

• The article that explained the facts was interesting.

• The article, which I read while at lunch, was too long.

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• One of the most valuable characteristics a writer can develop is that of “dogged persistence”. Show up at your computer every day.

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• Writers understand the power of words and choose them carefully.

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• A website is essential for serious writers. People need to be able to find your books and get to know you.

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• Eliminate unnecessary verbiage:

• Each one of the cars worked.

• Better: Each car worked.

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• The worst evil often speaks in a soft voice.

• Something for writers to consider.

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• Ensure your employees have a basic grasp of English if they deal with the public.

• I recently received a professional e-mail from a large insurance company that sounded like it had be written by a ten-year-old. It was completely devoid of punctuation.

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• “Small” is an overused word that can make your writing plain.

• Replace with “minute, tiny, trivial, slight” or others to make it more interesting.

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• practice or practise?

• In British English, practise is a verb and practice is a noun. American English uses practice as both the noun and verb form.

• practise the flute

• a medical practice

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• “They raced through a narrow alley.”

• Alleys are narrow by definition, so no need to add the word, “narrow”.

• Cleaner: “They raced through an alley.”

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• Your book cover is the first thing shoppers see. Make sure it’s stunning.

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• “Scott and Sam both noticed.” Don’t need “both”.

• Scott and Sam noticed.

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• Some words can be confusing:

• assume - accept for the sake of argument

• presume - take for granted

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• When to spell out: At the start of a sentence, if a number is necessary.

• Twenty to 25 got away, as well as 10 dogs.

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• Put quotation marks around words used ironically.

• The “friendly” baseball game ended with two players arrested.

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• “He nodded his head” is too wordy.

• Simplify by saying, “He nodded.”

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• A question mark supersedes the comma or period that usually ends a quotation.

• “Who is that?” shouted the guard.

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• Copy editing is not the same as editing for content. Know the difference.

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• If your goal is to be a professional writer, you must write every day. Practice as if you were a concert pianist.

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• aggravate - means to make worse

• irritate - means to annoy or exasperate

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• allusion: a casual or indirect reference

• illusion: a false impression

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• Stationary means unmoving

• Stationery is writing material

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• Staying fit is important for writers. Ideas and enthusiasm flow more easily after a work-out or a jog in the fresh air.

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• Writers learn to focus on complex ideas for extended periods of time. This takes practice, practice, practice.

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• Acronyms that have become common words are not capitalized.

• radar (radio detection and ranging), snafu (situation normal, all fouled up)

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• Check the spelling on place names if you’re not sure. It only takes a second to get it right.

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• If you plan to write a series, record the main features and interests of your characters in a chart for later reference.

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• If we shy away from controversy, our writing is unlikely to be powerful.

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• I notice books written more than 75 yrs ago have complex sentences that require concentration of focus that is rare today. In contrast, our modern simple sentences seem like pablum for adults. I wonder if this is really progress?

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• If you find yourself running out of ideas or avoiding your WIP, perhaps it’s time to take a break. A holiday or change of pace can make all the difference.

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• Reading outside of our normal interests gives us opportunities to expand our world and to enrich our writing.

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• Read books on writing. One of my favourites is “Novelist’s Boot Camp” by Todd A. Stone. It’s so practical, I love to browse it from time to time.

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• Watch your writing for repeating words.

• “I closed the house door and opened the truck door.”

• Better: “I closed the house door and got in the truck.”

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• The apostrophe

• “Sixteen candles.” No apostrophe to pluralize.

• “The cat’s foot.” Possessive. Use apostrophe.

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• Eliminate excess words.

• “They looked down at the Earth below.”

• Eliminate “down” or “below”.

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• Is your grammar correct? When in doubt, either look it up, or rephrase the sentence.

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• Don’t state the obvious. Give your reader the pleasure of discovery.

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• When writing a series, we must be diligent in keeping characters consistent.

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• Watch for writing you can delete without compromising the story. It will make your work cleaner, and it will flow faster.

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• Naming a mystery does not remove the mystery.

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• Is it “hangar” or “hanger”?

• A “hangar” is a place to park aircraft.

• A “hanger” is used in a closet.

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• Use actions to communicate emotion.

• She flushed and bit her lip

• A muscle flexed in his jaw.

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• Hyphenate up-to-date?

• “Bring the new staff up to date.” Not hyphenated when used as an adverb.

• “Here are up-to-date binders".” Hyphenate when used as an adjective.

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• Naming something always destroys some of its mystery. It isn’t a wondrous plant; it’s a tree.

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• It’s helpful to go over our old writing to recognize how far we’ve come. Writers keep improving.

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• Set writing goals for days, weeks, and months to keep yourself on track. Keep them somewhere visible.

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• Our writing always impacts someone. Our choice is what kind of an impact we want to make.

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• “They enjoyed the breeze that came from the ocean” becomes:

• “They enjoyed the ocean breeze.” Much cleaner.

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• The “Delete” key is your friend. Condense and cut for clean writing.

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• Appreciate criticism of your writing from those who genuinely want to help.

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• English is crazy in Canada. "I’m going to football practice so I can practise kicking the ball." Noun has a 'c'; verb has an 's'.

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• Self-censorship usually weakens otherwise impactful writing.

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• If you want your writing to be powerful, impactful, and important, you can’t shy away from controversy.

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• Before making major edits to a chapter, I save a copy in case I really mess it up and need to go back to the original. I know we can “not save changes”, but I often save as I go.

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• In these days of internet connections, it doesn’t take much to leave a review for a book we enjoyed. Many authors depend on them.

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• Getting a list of suggested edits from an editor is valuable. Every suggestion is an opportunity to improve our work.

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• We expand our vocabulary and educational level when we read books written at the upper level of our comprehension. Take the time to ponder and use a dictionary.

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• As long as it’s clear who’s speaking, I use dialogue tags as sparingly as possible.

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• Great writers are great observers. They can build a world around even the most obscure event.

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• Avoid extraneous words.

• “He fell to the ground.” can be replaced with, “He fell.” There’s nowhere else to fall.

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• Be consistent with spelling.

• Canadian: meagre (meager var)

• British: meagre

• American: meager

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• Like playing a piano, writing improves by constant practice.

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• Great writers all started as avid readers.

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• Write within the vocabulary and reading skills of your target audience.

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• Does English have male/female spellings? It turns out we have at least one. A man can be “blond”, but a woman is “blonde”.

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• It only takes a stroll through a book store to confirm the intricate link between photography/art and writing. Give your novel the best chance to be read by creating a fantastic cover!

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• Exercise refreshes the creative writing juices, so take multiple breaks a day. Go for a walk, play with a pet, or even go for a drive.

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• “I” and “me” are useful words, but they can clutter our work if overused.

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• Readers who investigate a variety of sources are much more likely to detect falsehood in media.

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• Images can be a great addition to your story. A powerful image creates an instant and lasting impact.

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• Watch of overuse of “-ing” endings.

• She was running, helping, waiting, etc.

• More concise: She ran, helped, waited.

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• Avoid overused and tired words.

• “She was happy,” becomes, “She was ecstatic, thrilled, delighted, or cheerful.”

• “He was tired,” becomes, “He was exhausted, drained, spent, or whacked.”

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• Seek to simplify: “I turned my head to see a couple of clerks watching.”

• Better: “A couple of clerks watched.”

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• Wisdom is stored in books, but it remains silent until the book is opened.

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• Every great writer has gone through the same process. Their writing was poor, mediocre, good, then great. These levels cannot be avoided, so honour yours.

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• Some writing rules are “softer” than others. Bending rules can add interest to our writing, but take care that the result makes sense.

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• I keep a description of every character I add, even minor ones. It gives me the option of using them in a sequel without having to search.

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• Between, Among, or Amongst?

• Between is used when referring to two things like, “between his feet.”

• Among or amongst is used when there are more than two choices like, “among/amongst the flowers.”

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• For the reader to turn to the second page, the first sentence, paragraph, and page must be compelling.

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• Including smells enriches your story. “The stench of a decaying carcass” engenders a different experience than does “the sweet aroma of jasmine”.

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• The protagonist of your story must have a clear objective. What is the story about? What is the end goal?

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• Give your strong protagonist a weakness to create challenges and conflict. A perfect person isn’t interesting.

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• If you’re serious about writing, improve your skills by learning at least one new thing every day.

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• Original: Each one was blue.

• Better:  Each was blue.

• “One” adds unnecessary clutter.

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• Don’t use an apostrophe to pluralize a word.

  - Correct: There are four stores.

  - Incorrect: There are four store’s.

  - Correct possessive: The store’s roof needs mending.

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• Once you choose a POV (point of view) for your book, ensure it remains constant.

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• Is it swim, swam, or swum?

• I swim in that pond.

• I swam there last week.

• I have swum there often.

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• When we’re looking for just the right word, the thesaurus in Word is a right-click away. Judicious use of a thesaurus keeps our words from becoming repetitious.

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•  Alliteration can make our writing awkward.

• “Swift birds sang sweetly.”

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• Original:  They advanced in a menacing manner.

• Better:  With clenched fists, they crept closer.

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• More fun homophones:

• peak, peek, peke, pique

• pair, pare, pear

• toad, toed, towed

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• Meaning of Hyperbole:

• extravagant exaggeration (such as a “mountain of chocolate bars”)

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• Never capitalize the word after a colon when the word introduces a list.

• Incorrect: Mel needs three items: A sandwich, milk, and eggs.

• Correct: Mel needs three items: a sandwich, milk, and eggs.

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• Original: The cats watched. One of them came closer.

• Better: The cats watched. One approached.

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• Before settling on a title for your precious new novel, search the internet for matches. Keep your title as unique as possible.

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• “He left without saying a word."

• “He left without a word.”

  Less is better.

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• Good grammar and punctuation in writers’ social media posts are important details.

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• -We should ask ourselves how committed we are to our writing, because the answer will predict our success.

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• We announce our level of literary proficiency every time we write something. The goal is not perfection, but constant improvement.

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• Having to slog through over-explanations can be off-putting. Use appropriate detail, but leave something for the imagination.

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• When writing different genres such as humour and horror, ensure your writing styles remain distinct.

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• Either is always paired with or, and neither is always paired with nor.

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• Extraneous stuff can creep into our writing. Stay on the lookout for “interesting” bits that don’t add to the story and jettison them ruthlessly.

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• Most Style Guides recommend hyphenating e-book, as well as most other “e” words such as e-reader and e-commerce.

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• Oxford comma

• The Oxford, or serial, comma is included before the final "and" in lists. It prevents ambiguity in writing.

• Sam took milk, butter, and cheese.

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• Capitalize sun, moon, or earth?

• If we write the sun, the moon, or the earth, capitalization usually isn’t necessary.

• Capitalize, “An asteroid is moving towards Earth.”

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• Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

  Sir Richard Steele

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• A colon is often used to introduce an item or series of items:

• You should bring:

  • rubber boots

  • a rain hat

  • an umbrella

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• Myself vs Me

• Myself is a reflexive pronoun. “I can see myself doing that.”

• “Contact me with questions,” is correct. “Contact myself,” is incorrect.

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• More crazy homophones:

• sear, seer, sere

• seas, sees, seize

• for, fore, four

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• When you’re putting your book on social media, remember to leave links to your website, Amazon, Kobo, etc.

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• English is crazy. Who knew there were so many homophones?

• ewe, yew, you;

• sew, so, sow;

• hoarse, horse; etc.

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• This one bears repeating:

• Expanding our vocabulary translates into greater opportunities. A painless way to do this is to look up every word we come across that we don't understand. It only takes seconds on a computer.

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• Be careful about starting sentences with: Well, So, Anyway…

• Well, he ran home.

• So, we can fix that.

• Anyway, should we go?

• These words can almost always be eliminated.

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• When writing a novel, don’t try to please everyone. If your work is out there, readers who love your style and genre will find you.

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• Beware of overusing adverbs in dialogue tags.

• …he said sadly, happily, kindly, etc.

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• Successful writers set goals and discipline themselves to write even on days they’d rather be doing something else.

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• Original - Her heart raced erratically and pounded so loudly she wondered if Sam could hear its booming thwack in her chest.

• Better - She wondered if Sam could hear the erratic pounding of her heart.

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• A writer's burden: When reading your old material, your fingers itch to make "just a few small edits”.

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• Focused or Focussed?

• Focused is U.S, spelling.

• Focussed is most often used in U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand

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• Like the carpenter who says, "Measure twice; cut once," check your work before publishing. Words are powerful, and we are responsible for their impact.

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• Too many adjectives:

• She padded to the small, cheerful, eat-in kitchen on the second floor of the old grey house.

• Cleaner: She padded to the cozy kitchen on the second floor.

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• If we ever doubt the power of focused attention, we need only remember that every text book, instruction manual, and novel is the result of thought.

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• A larger vocabulary enables writing precision.

  - Boring: “The book was interesting.”

  - More precise: “The book was captivating, unique, ponderous, or condescending.”

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• Every time we introduce a new character into our writing, we should ensure he/she fills an integral role. Otherwise, the character might only add clutter.

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• When your thinking gets muggy, and it's hard to concentrate on writing, ask yourself when you last took a fitness break. I get all sorts of ideas after I go for my morning run.

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• Farther vs Further

• Farther often refers to physical distance, further to figurative distance.

• E.g. The town is farther away. The value dropped further.

• They are interchangeable however, so both are correct.

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• This one bears repeating: A writer’s work collects fast, so save your precious creations daily. I use an external hard drive as well as a flash drive I carry in my purse.

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• Editing is as much about what to leave out as it is about what to keep.

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• “awhile” vs “a while”

•  Awhile means for a period of time and functions only as an adverb. E.g. “Can you stay awhile longer?”

• A while is two separate words. “A” is an article, and “while” is a noun meaning a period of time. These two words create a noun phrase. E.g. “I’m leaving for a while,” which could be replaced by, “I’m leaving for some time.”

• “Awhile” and “a while” are tricky and can fool you. Spend some time getting to know the difference.

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• “Less” is singular; “Fewer” is plural.

• We need less salt.

• We need fewer cars.

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• Consider keeping a journal for the next generation. My grandmother wrote her life history, and I’m grateful for her effort.

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• A semicolon indicates a pause, usually between two main clauses that are related. It is a more pronounced pause than a comma.

• Some people like to run; other people like to walk.

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• I was told years ago by a wise man that perfectionism is destructive and to aim for the top 10% in any industry. They earn more than the other 90% combined. We don't have to be #1 to be successful.

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• It’s important to block out time for our writing. It’s too easy to say, “It’s okay; I’ll write later.”

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• If your writing project inspires you, don’t give up. It will be sure to inspire someone else.

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• If you notice an error or inconsistency in your writing, it’s a good idea to correct it immediately. If you wait for later editing, you might miss it.

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• A functionally illiterate person cannot tell the difference between a statement of fact and one of opinion. Reading helps hone critical thinking skills.

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• Adjectives enrich a reader’s experience. Grass can be green, lush, tall, aromatic, burned, frozen, etc. Descriptive words give us different experiences.

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• The incredible variety of books in the world today is due solely to the fact that authors have explored ideas, good or bad, real or imagined..

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• Be careful of your character “going to do” something. Like Yoda, either do or don’t. “Going to do” seldom adds to the story.

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• Good writers are aware that men and women often have different nuances in speech patterns. Using these concepts strengthens our work.

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• When you sit down to write, be cognizant of your current state of mind. It will colour your writing.

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• Good writing arouses emotion in the reader. No emotion, no buy-in to the story.

• Make people laugh, cry, or be intrigued.

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• I swear the autocorrect feature causes as many problems as it solves. Keep a sharp eye out for autocorrect errors.

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• Be on the lookout for overused words in our writing. We’ve all heard the constant (and irritating) overuse of the word, “like” in conversations.

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• If you have any doubt as to the meaning of a word, look it up before using it in your writing.

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• The passage of time can be indicated by sentence length. Long descriptions suggest relaxation. Short compact sentences can signal urgency.

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• Homonyms - Words that sound the same but have different meanings.

• Pen can be a writing instrument or a corral for animals.

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• You don’t have to start writing a book at the beginning. If you have an idea for a great scene, start there. Ideas will come as you write.

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• Contractions are control words.

  - Don't you want to come?

  - Aren't you happy?

  - Don't tell me that!

  - Can't you see it?

  They can be useful in strengthening dialogue.

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• Using the analytics on our website and other social media provides valuable feedback.

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• The books we write contain our unquestioned beliefs and assumptions. This is important to remember when considering our target audience.

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• A sunny beach can add depth to a romantic scene, or a terrible snow storm might arise to challenge our characters. Weather conditions can be used to add emotional punch.

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• Great authors are not influenced by the agendas of others. Personal ethics guide them.

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• Writers need to refill our creativity baskets now and again. Take a walk, do a workout, talk to friends, or play with the cat. Taking a complete break can work like rebooting a computer.

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• When you write tension, laughter, or any other emotion in your story, make sure the scene warrants it. Fake emotion falls flat.

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• If your book says what you want it to say in the way you wish to present it, your job is done. Whether people like it or not is up to them.

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• Watch for repetitive sentences. Statements repeated unnecessarily are irritating for a reader.

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• When writing dialogue, contractions are our friends, as most people use them in conversations. If we write too formally, it may come across as stilted and artificial.

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• Don't get distracted. There are countless interruptions in our lives. If we want to be a serious author, writing must remain one of our top priorities.

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• If unsure of punctuation in a complex sentence, either look up the correct punctuation or simplify the sentence. Don’t guess.

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• Don’t let political correctness or other people’s hangups dictate what you write. Fads change and will date your work.

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• Write what you enjoy reading. That enjoyment will come across to the reader.

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• People can’t read your books if they don’t see them. Interacting on social media is a great way to get known and to make contacts that turn into friends.

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• The use of synonyms adds variety to our writing.

• Example: Begin, start, commence, and initiate can all be used interchangeably.

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• It an author writes in different genres, it's important to maintain consistency of style within each. Humour, for instance, has a different style than drama.

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• When we need just the right word, it's wise to use a thesaurus, but be careful to stay within the vocabulary range of your book.

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• Marketing books is about communicating value, creating desire, building relationships, and gaining trust. It’s about people.

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• Hashtags serve a valuable purpose in social media They can expand our connections beyond friends and followers, and help find people with whom to share our writing journey.

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• “You really nailed that ending!”

• A quote from a reader of “Light Sleepers”.

• As authors, we need to work the ending until it’s memorable and powerful, bringing readers back for more.

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• Start your novel with something that will capture the reader’s attention. Description of an environment seldom does that.

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• Subplots in a novel can deepen the story.

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• Omit dialogue tags if it's clear which character is talking. This makes dialogue flow more naturally in the reader's mind.

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• Although social media can be challenging, we need to remind ourselves how fortunate we are that such platforms are available for writers to get the word out about our books.

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• The first draft is for your own enjoyment.

• Editing is so the story will be captivating for others.

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• If you want to be a good writer, develop as many interests as you can. Look at art, learn to train animals, read books outside your genre, travel, etc. Experiences outside your comfort zone expand your store of ideas.

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• Weird words:

  -The word, "queue" is just a Q followed by four silent letters.

  -Is the "S" or "C" in scent silent?

  -Zoe and Zoey are pronounced the same, but not Joe and Joey. 😄

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• If you feel anxious about marketing your books, remind yourself of the consequences of not marketing them. Your work deserves to be seen!

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• Like any other industry, writing books means doing our homework. Learn the rules of grammar, and/or hire an editor before publishing.

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• Give other writers a boost on social media without expecting anything in return. We all benefit by helping each other.

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• A limited vocabulary causes limited opportunities. Read books with words that make you stretch. When you find an unfamiliar word, look it up. Take the time to understand it fully.

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• Capitalize months, days of the week, and holidays, but not seasons.

• We will meet the first Wednesday in July.

• It will soon be Easter.

• The winter will be long and cold.

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• Read books other authors have written about writing. “On Writing” by Stephen King is excellent. Be sure to include “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White in your library. There is a lot of information out there.

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• Sometimes we write some great stuff - but the story doesn't need it. What do we do?

• Instead of deleting, I cut and paste the excess to a new document and save for future books - or it might even generate its own story.

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• Before writing a blog or article, we should ensure we have something to say. Throwing a bunch of empty words on paper will alienate intelligent readers.

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• We should continually add items of interest to our website. Articles and short stories that are fast to read are good choices.

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• Elevator Pitch: When people ask what I write about, I give a short memorized answer of only a few sentences, and I carry business cards with images of my book covers.

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• A novel is a huge challenge for a new writer. Completing short stories and articles first will provide finished works on which to build skills and confidence.

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• Good writers are exceptionally observant. They’re always on the lookout for situations that can be adapted to their work.

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• Endurance is an important characteristic of a successful novel writer. We need it to:

  1) complete a novel;

  2) learn social media and the publishing industry;

  3) maintain faith in ourselves.

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• As writers, it's important to have a social media presence, but we don't want it to take over our lives. It's important to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and exercise.

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• When using social media to talk about your writing, always provide a link to your website.

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• A steady diet of social media will reduce our ability to focus.

• Reading books helps us concentrate for longer periods of time.

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• Pretend you're an agent or publisher reading your query. Look at it with an extremely critical eye. If you find the slightest error in either your work or your query, take the time to re-write. Send only your best.

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• Generally, double quotations marks (“…”) are used when writing dialogue. If the character quotes someone else, use single quotation marks (‘…’) for the quote inside of the sentence.

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• Decimal fractions and percentages are written in numerals, not in words.

• "The scale measured 0.318 ounces."

• "His return on investment was 24 percent last year.”

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• Writers, don't be concerned when not everyone loves your work. We all have different interests. Our goal is to find our "tribe", those who can't wait for our next book release!

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• Eliminate the things that don’t need to be said. They multiply like rabbits if you don’t continually prune.

• E.g. “He closed his eyes, so he couldn’t see.”

• Better: “He closed his eyes.”

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• As in music, timing makes writing flow like waves.

• Thrillers have sharp peaks as they catch us by surprise, but there is an overall rhythm.

• The waves of a romance arrive on time, giving readers a sense of satisfaction.

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• If another author's book catches your eye on social media, take a look at it. Many have the "Look Inside" option. If it looks interesting, share it with others and tag the author. If it looks amazing, buy it, leave a review, then share and comment on social media.

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• An understanding of how different personalities think, feel, and react to changing circumstances is essential to good writing.

• It keeps your characters unique.

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• When I’m doing a final edit, I keep editing until I can read the entire book without finding a single error.

• It’s worth the extra work. I don’t want to find mistakes after the book is printed and published!

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• If you're writing a public announcement, a flyer, a notice in a newspaper, go through it in detail. It's easy to be embarrassed by a misspelling or an error in punctuation that changes the meaning.

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• When I reread stories I've written, I almost always find ways to improve.

• Perfection is a moving target towards which we all aspire, but none can reach.

• Enjoy the journey.

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• "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do."

  - Thomas Jefferson

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• Have fun with your writing! Don’t make it into yet another chore. Remind yourself often why you decided to write in the first place.

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• Do five-minute workouts every hour while you’re writing. It’ll keep your thoughts clear and you’ll feel better.

• Squats, sit ups, run on the spot, push ups, or keep a few dumb bells nearby to loosen your shoulders.

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• Every good story has a clear beginning, middle, and end. We set the scene, describe the action, and as we wrap it up, we reveal the message.

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• If asked to evaluate another author's work, I stick to presentation and grammatical accuracy. Does it catch my attention? Can I understand it? Where can I suggest improvements? The writing subject is the author's call.

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• When I finish writing the final draft of a book, I get people who are brutally honest to read it. I review every one of their suggestions, make changes, then hire an editor. We can't fix what we don't see.

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• Loose vs Lose

• Loose is not tight. It is often an adjective. "A screw is loose."

• Lose is a verb. Means "to be deprived of". "You could lose your money if you're not careful."

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• Writing numbers

• Write out all numbers beginning a sentence.

• Hyphenate compound numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine.

• Hyphenate most written fractions. Example: two-thirds.

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• Among vs Amongst

• Amongst is a variant of among. There is no difference between them, though amongst is considered a bit archaic and used less often.

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• Original: "When the buzzer detonated again, he jumped out of his skin."

• Better: "He flinched at the repeated buzz at the door."

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• Compare to? or Compare with?

• "Compare to" implies a resemblance between disparate objects

• "Compare with" points out differences between objects regarded as similar.

• Washington has been compared to ancient Athens but can be compared with Paris.

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• Some words clutter our writing because of habit.

  • “Just” is just such a word.

  • Search and destroy at every opportunity. It rarely adds meaning.

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• - Social media tip for writers on Twitter:

• Before automatically re-tweeting a book, click on the link, select 'look inside', and scan the writing quality. This does two things:

  • 1 - It stops you from promoting bad writing;

  • 2 - You find great books!

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• When we're tempted to cringe at our own early writing, Sherlock suggests we be proud of how far we've come instead.

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• Think twice before starting a sentence with "well".

  - "Well, I wouldn't have done that."

  - "Well, it isn't the first time."

• "Well" might be common in conversation, but it usually adds nothing to a written sentence.

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• If you find yourself looking for reasons to avoid working on your latest novel, ask yourself when you last took a real break. Creativity doesn't function well with repetitive work. Take some time off.

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• I tried reading a new author, but his work scrambled between past and present tense. It wasn't literary expertise; the writer seemed unaware. I didn't finish the book.

• Note - Editors are our friends.

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• We all make mistakes, but it's worth taking a second look at social media posts before hitting "send". I'm less likely to take a writer seriously if I notice careless errors.

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• Back up your writing daily. Keep a copy online or use two backups.

• If you use a hard drive backup, make a copy at least once a month and store it off-site.

• I keep a memory stick in my purse - just in case.

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• Remember when Sherlock suggested politicians sometimes use double-negatives to obfuscate? From Twitter today:

• “It's incorrect to say Democrats did not seek testimony from all of the witnesses they now want at Senate trial.”

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• Take the time to verify that a word is spelled correctly for the context.

  1-They’re 2-There 3-Their

  1 - Contraction of "they are".

  2 - It is located in that place.

  3 - It belongs to them.

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• Here's an example of a great author who uses a double-negative to highlight subtle humour. Fantastic wit!

• “Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.” - Mark Twain

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• Books invite people to become "entranced".

• Readers enter the worlds we create through attention to our magical "spelling".

• It's a powerful thing to influence the thoughts of others.

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• Affect or Effect?

• Exercising affects our fitness.

• Increased stamina is an effect of exercising.

  Affect is usually a verb; effect is a noun (usually).

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• Most of us didn't enjoy memorizing grammar rules in school, but I was happy to find grammar gets a lot more interesting when you're publishing a book!

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• Sherlock says sloppy writing damages the reputation of an author and alienates readers. Be meticulous, or find someone who is. Take the time to edit, edit, edit.

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• Something as simple as eliminating one word tightens our writing.

• Original: Mr. Jones laughed aloud.

• Better: Mr. Jones laughed.

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• Original: “She turned her head to look around.”

• Better: “She looked around.”

• There’s no need to say, “She turned her head”, as it’s implied in the action.

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• Run-on sentences bog readers down with unnecessary detail. I've read published novels with sentences that fill half a paragraph but contribute little to the story. As writers, we should be wary of this.

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• Original: The two men looked at each other, each trying to make a decision, wondering whether they could shoot us and get away with it.

• Better: The men exchanged a look as they wondered if they could get away with shooting us.

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• Precise vocabulary intensifies reader sensations.

• Use stench, aroma, scent, or fragrance instead of “smell”.

• Use tiny, petite, minuscule, or miniature instead of “small”.

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• Main character names should be distinctive from that of other characters, so readers don’t confuse them.

• E.g. Jean and Joan are too similar. So are Travis and Tracy. This issue is easy to avoid.

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• Here’s another example of a double-negative.

  Original: He wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important.

  Better: He came because it was important.

• Double negatives can be confusing.

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• Sherlock encourages us to share what we can where we can. I was delighted to learn the Edmonton Public Library wanted to carry my "Fifth Dragon" humorous fantasy series. I've always used libraries, and am so happy to be able to give back! I encourage other writers to check with their local libraries. Perhaps you’ll soon see your books on their shelves!

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• Time jumps can either be jarring and disruptive, or they can broaden and deepen a story. Sherlock suggests taking care with this technique.

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• When Sherlock is struggling with a clumsy sentence, he sometimes just trashes the whole thing and starts a new one phrased in a completely different way.

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• Sherlock says every serious writer needs a website. It provides legitimacy and an introduction to who we are and what we offer. Writing is about sharing experiences, and people want to feel confident in trusting a source.

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• Good grammar can provide us with business opportunities. An employee who is constantly improving his/her writing and communications skills is more likely to get noticed and promoted.

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• Canadian British American

  metre metre meter

  matte matte matt

  marshal marshal marshall

  Lots of variations in spelling.

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• If we write in English, Sherlock reminds us to be consistent whether we use American, Canadian, or British. The number of differences is surprising. He finds this website to be useful. https://www.lukemastin.com/testing/spelling/cgi-bin/database.cgi?action=view_category&database=spelling&category=M

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• Original: Sam threaded the stick neatly between the fire doors, checked it secured them, and slid to the floor.

• Better: Sam jammed the stick through the fire door handles then slid to the floor.

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• Original: The sound of smashing glass behind me the result of an axe being set free.

• Better: The smashing of glass confirmed our pursuers now had an axe.

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• Original: Less than ten minutes later I was wearing new work-out clothes that I had bought in L.A. two days ago when I had spotted a shop, and I was ready to go.

• Better: Ten minutes later I wore the new gym clothes I'd bought in L.A.

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• Original: The boss was hosting the event and it would be followed by dancing for those that wished to partake.

• Better: The boss would host the event which would be followed by a dance.

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• Original: It was a big, old, pretty, snug house.

• Better: The huge old house was pretty.

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• Sherlock says to use adverbs sparingly. They clutter up our writing, and there are often better alternatives.

• "Really happy" can be replaced by "ecstatic".

• "Extremely hot" can be replaced by "scorching or blistering".

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• Original: He was running west, believing he was seeing his friend.

• Too many -ing words. Better: Believing it was his friend, he ran west.

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• The most critical trait for writers is persistence. Grammar rules are learned, but great writing is an art and comes from within. It's more of an unfoldment than an achievement, and the only path is persistence. Keep writing!

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• The word, “both”, is often unnecessary.

• E.g.: We both ran to the taxi.

• Better: We ran to the taxi.

• If there are two people in the story, the word “both” is redundant. This is sneaky and easy to miss.

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• Original: I could see pistols in the guards’ hands, their weapons drawn and ready for use.

• Better: The guards had drawn their pistols.

• Watch for excess verbiage.

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• Run-on sentence: The ship was due to sail at eight o’clock and we were supposed to be back on board by seven o’clock and it was already after six and the traffic on Davis Avenue was reported to be terrible at this time of day.

• Better: We were due back aboard the ship by seven o’clock, as it was scheduled to sail at eight. Traffic on Davis Avenue was terrible this time of day, and it was already past six.

50 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: ‘How did you find us?’ My question was asked as we ran along the hallway.

• Better: As we charged down the hallway, I puffed, "How did you find us?"

49 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• "There is a curious notion that freedom is somehow synonymous with gutter jargon." - Norman Cousins, editor of the Saturday Review.

• As writers, we impact culture. We should be clear on what impact we want to have.

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• Sloppy grammar is common in everyday speech and can be used to give us a feel for a character.

• E.g. I ain’t got no money.

• This sentence reveals a lot about a character’s education and status in life.

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• Original: ‘This is where is gets all legal,’ she explained.

• Better: "This is where legality becomes an issue," she explained.

• Also, "is" should be "it". Watch for details.

46 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: He nodded his head and said, ‘Good day, Mr Smith.’

• Better: He nodded and said, "Good day, Mr. Smith.'

• Eliminate the obvious. There is no need to mention "head". There is nothing else to nod. Also, the period is missing after "Mr".

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• Original: Without instruction, the man still stood by Sandy’s desk went outside.

• Better: Without being instructed, the man who stood by Sandy's desk went outside.

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• Original: As the sun began setting in the west, the red light dancing on the wave tips, I sat and waited.

• Better: As I waited, soft light from the setting sun colored the dancing waves.

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• Passed/Past

  - Passed is about motion: "He passed me on the run."

  - Past is about time: "The past year has been hard."

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• Original: "I say we were waiting nervously, but I think it was just me that felt anxious."

• Better: "Everyone seemed nervous, but perhaps it was me who felt anxious."

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• Original: She turned, raised her hand and clicked her fingers at two men who were stood doing nothing much near the entrance everybody else was queuing for.

• Better: She clicked her fingers at two men standing near the entrance.

40 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• I've talked to many people who say they want to write a novel, but they never get around to it. Completing a novel means making it a priority, scheduling writing time, and being unfailingly persistent. Remind yourself daily why you started.

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• Original: "I thanked him but didn’t pick it up for fear I would rattle and spill it."

• Better: "I thanked him, but didn't pick it up for fear I would spill it."

  The word "rattle" doesn't add anything to the sentence.

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• Original: 'You look like someone famous.’ she frowned, ‘Are you, ma’am?'

• Correct punctuation and re-phrasing: She frowned. "You look like someone famous, ma'am. Are you?"

37 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• As a writer, I think we need to use as few words as possible in order to outline a scene that the reader completes with his own imagination. Too many words intrudes on the reader's internal images.

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• Original: "I was dizzy with all that was bombarded my senses."

• Better: "I was dizzy from the assault on my senses."

• It’s important to re-read your work to ensure sentences make sense.

35 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Sherlock advises us to read anything and everything. The more we learn on a variety of subjects, the more our lives broaden and understanding deepens. How about that book somebody gave us on wilderness lore? We never know what tidbit of knowledge might prove valuable.

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• Sherlock says to avoid double negatives. Politicians sometimes use them to confuse people. E.g. "He didn't not inform him." Most people won't take the time to dissect the sentence to understand the real meaning.

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• Sherlock clarifies the use of Who/Whom?

• Who did it? Who can be replaced with he/she. E.g. He/she did it.

• To whom did it happen? Whom can be replace with him/her. E.g. It happened to him/her.

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• Original: "I think we should sell less apples."

• Correct: "I think we should sell fewer apples."

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• Original: “Although the meetings were down the street from our place, so I went and said hello to the other guys sometimes.” ??? Um...

• Sherlock thinks the writer might mean: "Since the meetings were down the street, I sometimes went to say hello to the guys."

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• Original: “You and everyone else that I’ve ever talked to have been really the best.”

• Better: "Everyone I've talked to has been great."

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• Original: "He would swing by the dry cleaner on the way and pickup her sweater."

• "Pickup" isn't correct here. This should be "... pick up her sweater."

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• Original: “'Gerald, focus,'” I ordered, taking the glass from his hand and setting it down on an empty tray that was positioned at another table.

• Better: "Gerald, focus!" I took his glass and put it on a tray.

27 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: “So what is this all about, Fred? I’m curious.”

• Better: "So, what's this all about Fred?" There's no need to add, "I'm curious." It's implied in the question.

26 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: "I told my son that we should’ve never restocked those things…" This sentence is clumsy.

• Better: "I told my son we shouldn't have restocked those items."

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• Original: "We can’t go to the Kings Arms anymore, but The Waterfront is a good spot and the beer’s always cold.”

• Better: "We can't go to the King's Arms anymore, but the beer's always cold at The Waterfront." The second sentence is much cleaner.

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• Original: "You’re causing my blood pressure and my anxiety level to raise significantly."

• Better: "You're making my blood pressure spike." This is stronger, and agitation is implied in raised blood pressure.

23 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Always work in a recap of the main characters and situation in each of a series. Readers don't always start with the first book. If it’s too difficult to catch onto the story, many new readers lose interest.

22 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: "Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears."

• Better: "Her eyes welled with tears." Simplify sentences where possible.

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• Original: "I stayed close to his heels as we went down the hallway, around a corner and walked back to the kitchen."

• Better: "I followed him back to the kitchen." Nobody cares about a hallway or a corner. Delete surplus information.

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• Original: "After all, Uncle Fred should decide what happens to his estate after he dies." Is he going to decide after he dies?

• Better: "Uncle Fred should decide what happens to his estate."

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• Original: "George was listening intently now, hanging on every one of Milly’s words."

• Better: "George listened to Milly with rapt attention." We already know she's using words. Eliminate the obvious.

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• Original: "Zoe felt her pulse quicken and her breathing turn to a pant."

• Better: "Zoe felt her pulse and breathing quicken."

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• Original: Nothing anyone said or did could make what I saw unseen."

• Better: "Nobody could erase what I'd seen."

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• Original: “Years ago in his younger days, this climb would have been an easy one, but not anymore."

• Better: "In his younger days, this climb would have been easy." Original sentence is too wordy.

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• Original: "In all honesty, it was the most relaxing thirty minutes I’d had since moving there."

• Better: "It was the most relaxing half-hour I’d experienced since my arrival." You don’t need "in all honesty".

14 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• After you've put all that effort into writing a book, invest in a fantastic cover image. When people see my covers by amazing photographer and composite artist, Renee Robyn, they almost always take a closer look. Her work can be found at https://www.reneerobynphotography.com

13 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• If you get eyestrain from staring at a laptop monitor for hours, try using your TV as a monitor. Connect to your laptop with an HDMI cable, and use a remote keyboard.

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• Sherlock is lying down with a cool cloth over his eyes. He’s just discovered over 60% of Canadians are considered functionally illiterate. BTW - Reading books can fix that!

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• Sometimes there’s no fix. This is an article from the DAILYSTAR.CO.UK. It’s headed: “Space station” pictured hovering over San Diego by shocked driver. The article had even worse grammar. Sad. Sherlock turns his back on this one.

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• Original: “The car’s heater suddenly stopped working fifteen minutes ago.”

• Better: “The heater died fifteen minutes ago.”

9 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: “The flurries caught in his dark curls began to gradually disappear one by one.”

• Better: “The snow caught in his dark curls morphed into tiny water droplets.” Flurries can’t get caught in anything. They are the action of snow being blown in a storm.

8 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: “I closed the door quickly and pulled the stack of writing to my chest.”

• Better: “I slammed the door and hugged the manuscript.”

7 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: “For the next half hour, small talk was had between the five of us regarding movies, favorite games, neighbors…”

• Better: Over the next half hour, we talked of movies, favorite games, and neighbors.” The second sentence is more active.

6 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: “There was a shirt with blood on the fabric seen in a trashcan kept in the kitchen of the restaurant.”

• Better: “They found a bloodied shirt in the kitchen trashcan.” Most likely the reader already knows it’s a restaurant.

5 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: Example of a clumsy sentence: “Both of them never gave up on their dreams.”

• Better: “Neither gave up on their dreams.”

4 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Never state the obvious. It clutters your story. “She turned with a smile across her face.” A smile can’t be anywhere else.

• Better: “She turned with a smile.”

3 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Do you ever reread your own books? Sometimes I take out one of my Fifth Dragon humorous fantasy series just to enjoy a chuckle.

2 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• Original: “Both him and me ran after the dog.”

• Correct: “We ran after the dog.” Alternatively, “He and I ran after the dog.”

1 - Sherlock’s Writing Tips

• When writing a book, pick a vocabulary level and stick to it. University level words thrown in from a thesaurus are disruptive and a bit condescending in a simple story.