Muse is a One-Trick Pony

Muse is an unfaithful lover. She whispers honeyed words then leaves us when the pen hits the paper.

However, the storyline and voices in my head is one thing. Skillful writing is another.

Stylistic Advice, Quick and Clean:

• Use simple nouns, simple verbs especially in the hook stage.

• Limit adjectives/adverbs and echoes that describe the same event again in different words.

• Pronouns, a love-hate relationship. Overuse can bog a sentence down.

• The dreaded “to be” verbs. Stronger verbs are out there. Use them instead.

Books on writing:

• The First Five Pages – Noah Lukeman
• Hooked – Les Edgerton
• Writing Tools – Roy Peter Clark
• The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need – Susan Thurman
• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Browne & Dave King
• The Breakout Novelist – Donald Maass

Sites:

CA Marshall

Grammar Girl

BookshelfMuse

Seton Hill Writers

Have I missed your favorites?