Blog
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Consistency, repetition and difference: A dance with language
Artful writing is like a dance. There’s a rhythm and a deftness to it, a blend of temptation and respect. It requires attunement to certain textual nuances, among which are consistency, repetition and difference. Achieving…
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The question you will ask yourself
So here we are, at the beginning of a fresh new year. Let’s start it artfully with a bit of poetry. I found this poem in Cate Kennedy’s collection The Taste of River Water (Scribe,…
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Owning your writing
What does it mean to achieve mastery? What are its qualities, and what responsibilities does it bring? When do you get to call yourself an artist? Does the affirmation—and indeed declaration—of this come from without…
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Artists need editors too
I have such admiration for artists. Painters, illustrators, photographers, sculptors, musicians, designers, dancers, and more: they all reflect and refract the world through their work, providing us with insight, delight and occasionally a new perspective…
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On not being inspired
and not giving upOne of my lovely clients contacted me recently regarding his current manuscript. He ended his email with the words: “I am trying to encourage myself to keep going.” If you are a writer, then you…
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Is perfection in editing possible?
I could make this an incredibly short article by just writing the word ‘No’, but of course there’s more to the story than that. In this case, there is also a story behind the story.…
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That or which? It’s all relative
(and sometimes definitive)Among the words that befuddle writers are “that”, “which” and “who”. Although they may seem like simple enough terms, each serves a variety of grammatical functions, depending on its role and position in any given…
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The true essence of editing
Here’s a puzzle for you to ponder. In your view, which of the following is most true? Editing essentially involves: a) wrangling unruly words into smooth sentences b) telling authors all the things they are…
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Thoughts on truth for writers from Vincent van Gogh
As far as I’m aware, Vincent van Gogh never shared any explicit advice about writing. (If he did and you know of it, I’d be delighted to hear it.) What van Gogh did was draw…
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The insistent question: How much editing is too much?
Perhaps it is a quirk—or maybe a perk—of the job, but you’ll find that editors ask a lot of questions. We must, if we are to understand what writers are trying to say and to…
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More thoughts on voice
from an editor’s perspectiveThere is a saying that good editing is invisible. Since my Zen-inspired musing on voice and how to find it, I’ve been wondering if editing is—or should be—inaudible too. Just in case you missed it,…
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Advice on finding (and using)
your voiceExcuse me if I get a bit Zen for a moment. I’d like to share with you some thoughts on voice. Perhaps it is the association we make between words and their sounds that gives…