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  2591 readersexoteric: suitable for or communicated to the general public.

• Writing Short Stories or Articles with a Fantastical Twist

  2210 readersFantasy and speculative fiction generally is traditionally associated with lots of characters, detailed settings, rich texture, complex ideas developed slowly over great long novels. But there are forms other than the novel suitable to this most magically expansive of genres, and I’ve had a lot of fun over the years going on potted excursions, as

• How to Write Headlines and Subheads

  3719 readersThe first thing most readers notice in print or online is a headline. Think of it as a virtual handshake. If your headline is the text equivalent of a cold, dead fish, you’ll make a poor first impression. Or think of it as analogous to a cover letter or a request for a date. You

• 15 Big Little Words

  3932 readersSometimes, short and sweet is best, and English includes many three-letter words that help us accommodate our yearning for concise composition — or, to be brief, fix our yen for curt prose. Some are workhorse words — the article the, the pronouns his and her, conjunctions like and, prepositions such as for, verbs like put

• Once Upon a Time, a Chipmunk and a Penguin Went to a Motel Room

  2276 readersI'm finishing an illustration-only book. It was intended for children, but it's suitable for all ages. Please refer to this post. So would it be considered a children's picture book because it meets the page-count criteria, or could it be stretched to the novelty category and submitted to agents that don't accept

• Existent vs. Extant

  4388 readersWhat’s the difference between existent and extant? It might be more appropriate to ask, what’s the difference between exists and “is extant”? Existent usually seems awkward to me; exists or “to exist” often seems more suitable. (Even a comparative sentence such as “Unicorns are just as existent as umbrellas” seems odd — and not just

• How to Reverse-Outline Your First Draft

  9263 readersYou know that producing an outline is an effective strategy for helping you organize your writing. Whether the content is a novel, an interview, a review, or any other form of prose, preceding the actual writing with some sort of framework — a hierarchical vertical list, a bullet list, an interconnected web of words or

• Archetype vs. Prototype

  5652 readersWhat’s your type? Archetype and prototype are both suitable matches for referring to an exemplar — and then there’s stereotype — but among their senses are both similar and dissimilar meanings. Before we go into details, let’s look at the root word: Type (from the Latin term typus, “image,” ultimately derived from the Greek word

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  Authors Unite in Marketing

  1204 readersPublishing is a highly collaborative industry. Many will agree: behind every bestseller is a strong team of bestseller-makers. Recently, some writers have decided to ally with several other authors in marketing efforts. One pioneer of this method is Daylle Deanna Schwartz, author of Nice Girls Can Finish First (2009). She explained in a mediabistro.com article:

• Seasonal and Unseasonable

  2751 readersWith all the storms, flooding, and unusually low temperatures in the news, I've been noticing a proliferation of the word "unseasonal." Original Post: Seasonal and Unseasonable Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook.