Why You Should Care What Others Think

So, you’ve completed your manuscript. Everything is clean. Pacing is solid. Tension is present. The plot is bulletproof. And, unlike my opening, you’re writing is mostly active. You’re ready for the big time. Ready to submit your work to agents or publishers, or both. Let’s do this! Hold up, young grasshopper. Rein in your enthusiasm … Read more

How to Spot Your Weaknesses as a Writer

There’s a question that crops up on writing forums a lot: how do I improve my writing?

And quite often, the most common advice is “read and write lots”. Which is perfectly fine advice. Knowing what’s good and practicing your craft are great ways to imrpove.

But there’s only so far that advice can take you. At some point you’re going to need to follow a third piece of advice:

Know your weaknesses.

By identifying weaknesses, you can work harder on improving that aspect of your writing rather than just practicing everything and hoping for the best.

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