Debra L. Butterfield's Blog, page 18
March 20, 2017
Do I need to master grammar to be a better writer?
There are hundreds, probably thousands, of books on the market that deal with the craft of writing—learning plot, character development, story arc, and such. But sadly missing from the list is grammar. I know it’s a school subject many people hated. Do they still make kids learn how to diagram a sentence? Maybe diagramming a […]
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March 17, 2017
Inside the writing life of Angela D. Meyer
I’m pleased to have author Angela D. Meyer with us today. Angela is the author of the Applewood Hill Series (CrossRiver Media), and lives in Nebraska with her husband of 25 years and their high school daughter. Their son serves our country in the military. Angela enjoys hanging out with her family, reading, connecting with […]
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March 14, 2017
7 Cheat Sheets to Cut Editing Costs – Coming Soon
I’ve been hard at work lately, developing a booklet just for you. Yes, I notice your reluctance to hire a freelance editor. I understand that hesitation. You don’t know whom to hire; you don’t know if you’ll get scammed; you don’t know how to evaluate the editing you get back. No doubt, though, residing at […]
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March 6, 2017
How to Format Numbers, Dates, and Times in Your Manuscript
Because my kids graduated from school long ago, I no longer know what’s taught in English class—aside from the “cursive writing” controversy. I only know I see a wide variety of grammar and format errors in the manuscripts I edit and proofread. Many writers incorrectly format numbers, dates, and times, so I thought I’d give […]
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February 28, 2017
A New Perspective on the Cost of Freelance Editors
“I can’t afford to hire a professional editor,” you say. But you can’t afford not to hire one. The quality—or lack thereof—of your story directly impacts your ability to land a traditional publishing contract. If you publish indie, it impacts your sales. And who doesn’t want lots of sales? I don’t say this just because […]
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A New Perspective on the Cost of Freelance Editing
“I can’t afford to hire a professional editor,” you say. But you can’t afford not to hire one. The quality—or lack thereof—of your story directly impacts your ability to land a traditional publishing contract. If you publish indie, it impacts your sales. And who doesn’t want lots of sales? I don’t say this just because […]
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February 20, 2017
So You Want to Make the Bestseller List, But Do You Know What It Takes?
Lately, I’ve been reading Tim Grahl’s Book Launch Blueprint: The Step-by-Step Guide to Launching a Bestseller. Making a bestseller list woos authors like the cry of the mythical Siren. It carries status and puts oomph behind the sales of future books. But do you have a true understanding of what it takes to make those […]
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February 17, 2017
Moving from Journalism to Novels: How One Author Did It
Today, I welcome back author Marie Wells Coutu. My first interview with Marie was shortly after her debut novel, For Such a Time, which won the Books of Hope contest. Thirsting for More, the second book in her Mended Vessels series was a finalist in the 2016 Selah Awards Contest and a semi-finalist in the […]
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February 14, 2017
Should I Use Italics or Quotation Marks? A Style Guide to Formatting Titles
When I went to high school, teachers taught us to underline book titles. With the advent of all things digital, that changed. In fact a lot got changed. What I’m talking about is the stylized treatment of text. In the world of publishing, there are two style books that pull most of the weight. In […]
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February 6, 2017
Don’t Make These Mistakes in Doing Research
Today’s my birthday, so I decided to take the day off and have my friend Donna Wittlif guest post. I first met Donna through an online group I belong to and then had the opportunity to edit one of her books—fascinating sci-fi. She is a retired special education and English teacher who loves writing. Her […]
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