Zoe M. McCarthy's Blog, page 14
January 25, 2018
Redundancy: An Excessive, Oppressive, Pervasive Disease
My guest today is editor and author, Denise Loock. Denise shares with us one of her Boot Camp posts on redundancies. At the end of her post, you’ll find more information about her editing services and devotional books. Denise: “Never, ever use repetitive redundancies.” That’s #47 in William Safire’s entertaining and enlightening book, Fumblerules. The […]
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January 18, 2018
A First-Time Boxed-Set Experience
Today, I share my experience in writing for the e-book Valentine’s Day collection, Cooking Up Kisses. My book, The Invisible Woman in a Red Dress, is one of five scrumptious romance novellas that release today as a set for $0.99! I never dreamed I’d be part of a collection. Then in August 2017, after I […]
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January 11, 2018
Self-Editing Awkward Sentences
Even though I write blog posts about writing, I make the mistakes I blog about. One problem my editors have noted is awkward sentences. In editing the sentences, I’ve learned ways a writer might find these sentences, what can cause awkward sentences, and that sometimes the awkwardness is subtle and the writer can’t see […]
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January 4, 2018
It’s OK for a Writer to …
As 2017 ended, I contemplated how I could make 2018 calmer for me as a writer. My word for 2017 was CALM. Focusing and praying on staying calm last year has blessed me. Since January, God has healed me of chronic insomnia and shown me how to receive the peace He offers. So as I leave my […]
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December 28, 2017
Top 10 Posts Visited in 2017
I wish you a Happy New Year in 2018. May your endeavors, relationships, and joy be rich. Thank you for visiting my blog on writing, marketing, blogging, and speaking. Below are the ten blog posts most frequented in 2017 from most popular, down. Enjoy. #1 7 Examples of Writing Great Word Pictures for Your Stories […]
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December 21, 2017
Wishes for You
Dear Reader, You have blessed me this past year. I pray God blesses you and your family during this time of celebration and your Christmas is filled with joy. Merry Christmas Warmly,
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December 14, 2017
Keep Characters’ Actions Linear & Put Readers in Their Shoes
If your character acts in real time, the reader will move along with and feel closer to, the character. This means the author never tells actions before they happen. In the paragraph below look for five instances in which the author tells an action before it happens. Try rewriting the paragraph so all actions are […]
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December 7, 2017
Vary Sentence Lengths to Give Your Paragraphs a Pleasing Rhythm
Try reading your paragraphs aloud or have your electronic reader read them to you. I like my electronic reader because I catch more problems listening to his monotone diction. I catch repeated words, extra words, misplaced words, and places I need him to pause. But one problem stands out more than these. I realize how […]
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November 30, 2017
Fresh Writing Trumps Clichés
Unless you have a quirky character who talks in clichés, it’s best to use phrases readers haven’t heard a million times. Or get clever and give an old cliché a new twist. In the passage below, note the clichés. Passage Laden with Clichés As luck would have it, I was all thumbs that day. I […]
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November 23, 2017
Happy Thanksgiving
I pray blessings, fun, and safety for you and your families during this day of thanksgiving. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and give him praise. Psalm 100:4 NIV Warmly, Zoe
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