Should I hire an editor before submitting my novel manuscript to an agent or a publisher? I can’t afford a big overhaul but I assume it will get a more serious reading if it is polished up.
Inflamed
Why do we have two words, almost identical, that mean “easily set on fire”? I’m talking about flammable and inflammable. Even dictionary writers seem embarrassed about this weird situation.
Writing real people
When writing a short non-fiction story about someone, is it a bad idea to use the person’s real name?
Let it rest
How important is it to set aside a completed draft, and for how long?
Flash momentum
Can you recommend a really fast, really easy way to stay connected to the writing life when you just can’t carve out even an hour? My friend and I both have toddlers, jobs, partners and aging parents, and we are both writing novels.
That doggone comma
Now that the lack of a serial comma in a state law has famously caused an appeals court in Maine, USA, to rule against a large company—potentially leading to a multimillion-dollar large settlement—do you stand by your policy of omitting that comma?
To market
What marketing tasks should a writer take on (or not), other than a social media presence, as you say in your post "Marketeers"?
Coming or going, continued
The question [Which is correct: “Ted asked me to come over” or “Ted asked me to go over”? February 1, 2017] isn’t just about direction of movement, it’s about indirect dialogue.
Just how creative?
I’m wondering what your thoughts are about the role of facts in an essay, both historically and currently, and how much truth matters in an essay.
Getting the picture
I’ve written a book for young children and I hope to illustrate it as well. But I hear through the grapevine that it might compromise my submission to send illustrations to a publisher along with the written manuscript. True?
Marketeers
Who is responsible for marketing a book?
Pluralistics
What is the plural of McDonald’s? Everything I try looks wrong, and online search results are far from unanimous.
Coming or going
Please settle my bet with a friend. Which is correct: “Ted asked me to come over” or “Ted asked me to go over”? There’s ten bucks riding on your answer.
Down side
Am I going about writing the wrong way or am I just perverse? I finally got an arts grant to finish my collection, but I'm miserable. I don’t like most of what I write and I stare into space and feel lazy and guilty. Any advice?
Give and let gift
Why has the perfectly good noun "gift" been twisted into use as a verb, replacing the perfectly good verb "give"?
