Now booking editing for 2023, click here to inquire
Facebook-f Twitter Instagram Pinterest Envelope
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Contact

Word Count Tracker

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Grab your freebies!

Start working on your next project with the help of our library of free worksheets and printables.

You'll also receive a bi-weekly newsletter from me, the occasional business update, new freebies, and special editing deals!

And that’s a wrap, folks! Another NaNoWriMo even And that’s a wrap, folks! Another NaNoWriMo event is over. Regardless of whether you hit 50k or not, take a moment to congratulate yourself for the work you got done. Any new words are progress to be proud of! Now that NaNo’s over, you might be asking yourself, “What now?” Well, you’ve got some options. ✍️ If you have more to draft...keep writing! Many writers continue into December. Hannah will be continuing her NaNo project! 💻 If you're done with your manuscript, consider swapping with a critique partner or recruiting a beta reader. Getting some preliminary feedback can help you figure out how and what you want to revise. 😴 Take a break if you need one. No matter how much you wrote in November, breaks are important! Not only are they good for your mental and physical health, but stepping away from your manuscript can bring clarity. 📖 Consider working with an editor, either for a high-level manuscript evaluation or a first chapter critique. If you’re ready for that next step in the process or want professional feedback before you dive into revisions, now might be the time to think about contacting some editors. To everyone who participated in NaNoWriMo, great work this past month! We both know how simultaneously exhausting, frustrating, and invigorating the event can be. So whatever your next step is, know that we’re right there with you! And if you’re not sure where to go next, consider chatting with an editor. Many of us offer consultations and coaching calls to help you figure out next steps! Sarah (@editsandrevisions) specializes in romance novels, and Hannah (@btleditorial) specializes in fantasy and sci-fi. Visit the links in our bio to learn more about how we can help you. #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2022 #preptober #nanowrimoprep #nanowrimopeptalk #welovewriting #tipsforwriters #writingsprint #authorcommunity #findmywritingcommunity #writingcoaching #fantasywritersofinstagram #romancewriters #indiesareworthit
If you don’t already have The Emotion Thesaurus, If you don’t already have The Emotion Thesaurus, you should consider grabbing a copy! And if you have trouble describing and conveying character emotions, then you really want to consider having this book in your toolkit. It’s one I recommend to clients pretty regularly. No, this isn’t any kind of advertisement that I get compensated for; I just think it’s a great resource. The book has tons of emotions listed in it—130 in the edition I own—and each emotion has a variety of other subsections to help you convey the emotion in your writing. These are broken down into: Physical signs associated with the emotion (like actions your character might take) Internal physical sensations (like how your character’s body feels) Mental responses (thought processes are just one example) Signs that your character is suppressing the emotion I love that it even cross-references other emotions your character might escalate or de-escalate to. There are even “power verbs” the authors have included to help you convey these emotions! The authors, Angela Ackerman and and Becca Puglisi, also have other ‘thesauruses’ for authors. I don’t own any of those, but definitely consider looking at their catalog and seeing if you’d get use out of any. Happy writing! #writershelpingwriters #bookeditor #writingcoach #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #indiesareworthit #indiepublishingcommunity #amediting #amrevising #fictionwriter #amwritingfantasy #writingresource #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi #indieauthorsofinstagram #tipsforwriters
As a professional editor, I make a lot of edits ar As a professional editor, I make a lot of edits around action beats and dialogue tags. Punctuation, word choice, and variation all come into play. But what's the difference and when do you actually use each of these elements? Dialogue tags, sometimes called speech tags, are phrases that indicate (1) who is speaking and (2) how they're saying the dialogue. Words like said, asked, whispered, yelled, etc. are all dialogue tags. Said is the most common dialogue tag and for good reason: readers treat it almost like it's invisible. It's neutral. You don’t need to replace it with a strong verb all the time! Action beats, sometimes called action tags, show readers what a character is doing either before, during, or after their dialogue. Words like smiled, laughed, shrugged, and nodded are all action beats. You can get creative to more deeply describe gestures, movement, and actions the characters take. Action beats help us with a few things: (1) Indicate how a character feels, like if they slam a book down on a table and begin yelling, then we know they’re angry; (2) Ground readers in the scene by introducing sensory details and action, almost like being able to watch characters in a movie instead of overhearing a conversation; and (3) Impact the flow of a scene by introducing pauses and details. There are many ways you can create balance and flow within your dialogue in your novel, and how you do that will come down to your own writing style, your goals for a given scene, and the tone you want to create. Start by looking for those really repetitive, unnecessary tags like in the very first example. Then, try adding action beats and even let some dialogue stand on its own. Play with the balance until it's what you want. QOTD: Do you like writing dialogue and playing with these elements? If so, why? If not, what do you find difficult? #writershelpingwriters #bookeditor #writingcoach #copyeditor #lineeditor #proofreader #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #indiesareworthit #indiepublishingcommunity #amediting #amrevising #fictionwriter #amwritingfantasy #novelwriting #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi #indieauthorsofinstagram #nanowrimo #instawrimo #tipsforwriters
Hi, Instagram! I've been quiet on this account thi Hi, Instagram! I've been quiet on this account this month, unusual considering how much I was posting earlier in the fall. Sometimes, we burn ourselves out on content creation. It's part of my job as a small business owner, but that's the truth. Plus, I had pneumonia earlier this month. 🫠 So... I took a step back from my internal pressure to create. And guess what: nothing bad happened! And I feel better and have more energy for socials again. 🥳 Consider this your friendly reminder that despite algorithms and best practices and all of that stuff, it's okay to take a break. Your account won't implode. Your health & energy come first. I've got some topics & tips I want to post about in the coming weeks, but as we approach the holidays, I'll probably still be focused on stuff other than Instagram. I hope you're all having a fabulous November! Happy writing 💜 #indiesareworthit #writershelpingwriters #bookeditor #writingcoach #copyeditor #lineeditor #proofreader #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #indiepublishingcommunity #amediting #amrevising #fictionwriter #amwritingfantasy #novelwriting #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi
Hey, writers! It’s officially the halfway mark o Hey, writers! It’s officially the halfway mark of NaNoWriMo. The month’s just been ticking along, hasn’t it? Even if you aren’t participating in that event, today’s post is for you. So many of us get caught up in word count goals and races to the finish line. And while those things aren’t inherently bad, they’re ultimately not what gets your project done. Sticking with your project and showing up are what matter. That’s how projects *do* get done. Instead of looking at that 50,000-word goal (or whatever your goal is) and getting lost in the, “OMG, what next?” take a step back and ask yourself, “What small thing can I do today?” 🌱 Maybe it’s writing 500 words. 🌱 Maybe it’s writing 100 words. 🌱 Maybe it’s outlining the next four scenes. 🌱 Maybe it’s taking a break, because sometimes rest is actually the most productive thing you can do. Don’t worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. As you work on any writing project, focus on one thing at a time. You’ll get there. QOTD: What’s the thing you’re going to do today to move your project forward? Let us know in the comments. We’ll go first… Hannah: I’m going to outline the next few scenes in my WIP. Sarah: I’m going to do a couple freewriting exercises and figure out what’s happening next. #igwritingcommunity #storywriting #writingideas #bookeditor #bookcoach #writinganovel #writingbooks #writingtools #writerinspiration #writingproject #novelwriting #keepwriting #writingcommunityofinstagram #writinghelp #writingtipsandtricks #authorshelpingauthors #writersnetwork #writersofig #writinginspiration #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2022 #nanowrimoprep #writingresource #writingcoaching #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #romancewriter #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi #writinggoals
📚NOW BOOKING EDITING FOR 2023📚 Hey, writers! 📚NOW BOOKING EDITING FOR 2023📚 Hey, writers! I have no more availability for full edits in 2022 and am booking up fast for early 2023. Availability: ❄️ January: 1 editing spot 💞 February: 1 editing spot 🌱 March: 1 editing spot 🌻 April: Flexible I offer robust editing and coaching packages at varying price points to suit your needs and budget. Payment plans are also available. If you want to get on my schedule for a full edit for early 2023, please reach out ASAP! Spots are booked on a first come, first served basis. DM me or go to the link in my bio and fill out the contact form to get started. Not ready for full edits but still looking for the input of a professional editor? 📚 Ignite Your Novel Session: This mini critique looks at your first 5,000 words to help kickstart your revisions. Coaching call included. Booking just two spots in December, and I’ll re-open them at some point in the new year. 📚 One-time coaching call: Sometimes we just need to sit down with a pro to get our questions answered. These one-hour calls are great for talking about all kinds of things: plot, character development, worldbuilding, beta feedback, self-publishing, and more. My areas of expertise are fantasy, sci-fi, and romance, but I also work in other genres. Let’s chat! Happy writing, and for those of you deep in NaNo, good luck! #writershelpingwriters #bookeditor #writingcoach #copyeditor #lineeditor #proofreader #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #indiesareworthit #indiepublishingcommunity #amediting #amrevising #fictionwriter #amwritingfantasy #novelwriting #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi
👖NaNoWriMo Tip for Pantsers👖 I’m a pantser 👖NaNoWriMo Tip for Pantsers👖 I’m a pantser through-and-through. When I was younger, I tried so hard to force myself into plotting. I mean, I’m super organized in other parts of my life: color-coded Google calendar, color-coded physical planner, spreadsheets galore. Plotting made sense… until it didn’t. It wasn’t until last summer that I truly embraced the magic that is discovery writing. This, however, can make drafting a little messier and frustrating sometimes. I’ve found one thing that really helps me stay on track. When you’re done writing, either just for a few hours or for the day, take a few extra minutes to outline your upcoming scenes. I don’t mean you need pages and pages of plot outlined when you do this. When I ‘outline’ my upcoming scenes, I usually just write down a bulleted list of actions, discoveries, plot points, etc., that I know are coming up within the next few scenes. Over the last few drafts I’ve written, this has been as scarce as a few bullet points and as complex as a full page of notes. Sometimes I end a day with just a vague idea of where I’m going next in the story, and sometimes I am FULL of inspiration and know exactly what’s going to happen. Try writing these notes directly in your document where you end off for the day. Then, when you’re ready to write again, your notes will be right there. This can help you jumpstart your writing every day. And plotters, you can try this too! I know you’ve got an outline of some kind already, but if you know specific details you want to include or have notes about nuances for your next scene, jot those down! QOTD: Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? How much outlining do you like to do? #nanowrimo #preptober #amwritingfantasy #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi #indieauthorsofinstagram #nanowrimo2022 #nanowrimoprep #writingsprint #writingcoaching #tipsforwriters #indieauthors #fantasywritersofinstagram #newadultfantasywriter #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks
Fact: Writing is hard. Fact: You don’t need to m Fact: Writing is hard. Fact: You don’t need to make it harder on yourself by being uncomfortable. NaNo is less than a week away, and while yes, it’s a tough challenge, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of it and stay comfortable. Here are some of our favorite ways to make writing as cozy and chill as possible. 💻 Set up your writing space. Make sure the place where you write is one that feels good to be in! If you like things clean, make sure they’re clean. If you like your notebooks close by, grab ‘em. 🫖 Make a cup of tea. (Or whatever your beverage of choice is!) Holding a warm mug is peak cozy, but more than that, it’s good to stay hydrated. 🍪 Grab some snacks. Avoid having to leave your words behind and keep something you can nibble on nearby. Our personal faves are chocolate chip cookies and custard cream cookies. 🎧 Cue up your playlist. Get the writing vibes right by putting on your WIP playlist or an album that helps you focus. (Try a video game soundtrack for peak concentration.) 🐻 Cocoon yourself in a blanket. If you like being cozy and warm, why not go all out and wrap yourself in a blanket. 🕯️ Anything else you need! Gather your cute notebooks, candles, comfiest clothes, etc. The trick is to make sure you feel good in your writing space! You’re gonna be there a lot this month, so make it somewhere you want to be. QOTD: What are your go-to cozy items? Let us know in the comments. Ours are a mug of cinnamon tea (Sarah) and decaf English breakfast tea (Hannah). Want to be cozy and drink tea with us? There are just two more days to sign up for Manuscript Magic; links in bios! #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2022 #preptober #nanowrimoprep #nanowrimopeptalk #welovewriting #tipsforwriters #writingsprint #authorcommunity #findmywritingcommunity #writingcoaching #fantasywritersofinstagram #romancewriters #indiesareworthit #cozywritingvibes #writingvibes #cozywritingaesthetic
☕How I’m Preparing for NaNoWriMo☕ As I was t ☕How I’m Preparing for NaNoWriMo☕ As I was telling someone just yesterday, something about NaNo changes my brain for the month of November. Having that goal and the idea of a community of writers around the world working toward the same thing as me is really inspiring and invigorating. But it’s not just this charge of energy that’s propelled me to my 50k goal and beyond the last few years. Maybe some of these tips will be helpful for you, and maybe they won’t! That’s okay. Take what works and leave the rest. 📅 Set a daily schedule. I set times to write each day based on my work & life schedule. That often means writing at night after I’ve finished my edits for the day and had several hours to cook dinner, spend time with my husband, and watch TV. That reset lets me approach my writing with a fresh brain. 🗓️ Set a monthly schedule. I actually plan days off from NaNo to keep from burning out. This helps me calculate how many words I need to write per day. You need a break, too! 🍳 Choose easy dinners. Cooking may be part of my reset, but I incorporate more slow cooker or pop in the oven meals that require little prep during NaNo. If the slow cooker has been doing the work all day or I just need to let the oven work, that means I get more time to chill. ⏱️ Incorporate writing sprints. I feel like everyone says this, but I cannot stress enough how much writing sprints help me all year. That timer (and usually doing sprints with friends) flips a switch in my brain that makes me focus. And if you find longer sprints distracting, try 10- or 15-minute sprints with short breaks in between. 🍿 Stock up on snacks! I don’t snack a ton while I write, but I do love making a cup of tea before NaNo sessions. I just picked up a giant box of my favorite tea. If you know you have favorites that are part of your writing routine, don’t forget to grab ‘em! QOTD: What are some strategies you’ve found helpful during NaNo? #nanowrimo #preptober #amwritingfantasy #amwritingromance #amwritingscifi #indieauthorsofinstagram #nanowrimo2022 #nanowrimoprep #writingsprint #writingcoaching #tipsforwriters #indieauthors
Hey, writers. With NaNoWriMo starting in a week, t Hey, writers. With NaNoWriMo starting in a week, that strange mix of excitement, anxiety, and pressure might be starting to set in. Take a deep breath. First, remember that writing a novel—whether you join NaNo or not—is intense work mentally, physically, and emotionally. Not only are you creating a whole world and story from scratch, but that process comes with a rollercoaster of emotions and issues you’ll run into. Don’t let anyone tell you that writing isn’t hard work. It is. And that’s okay. Speaking of intense emotions… sometimes, when we’re drafting, it’s easy to get caught up in all the stuff in your manuscript that’s off or doesn’t feel like it’s working. But remember, your manuscript isn’t inherently good or bad. It just *is* at this stage. All manuscripts need more work; the magic is in revisions. The important thing is that you finish a draft so you can do the work of making it better. Sticking with the project and showing up is what matters. That’s how you get first drafts finished. Instead of focusing on that 50k goal post, ask yourself, “What small thing can I do *today*?” Don’t worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. And in complete contradiction to that last point… at the end of your daily writing session, try making a plan for tomorrow. This is especially helpful if you’re a pantser (and how Hannah finishes all of her drafts!). Outline a few key scenes or actions your characters will take during your next writing session. It’ll make starting easier tomorrow. We know you’ve got this. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and write one word at a time. However, if you want some extra support and a community of cheerleaders, consider joining Manuscript Magic. We’ll be there to answer any writing or editing questions that come up and help keep you on track this November and beyond. (Link in bios for more info.) #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2022 #preptober #nanowrimoprep #nanowrimopeptalk #welovewriting #tipsforwriters #writingsprint #authorcommunity #findmywritingcommunity #writingcoaching #fantasywritersofinstagram #romancewriters #indiesareworthit
© Copyright Between the Lines Editorial 2022. Theme by Bluchic.