​Have you finished writing your book? Maybe you’re about to send your manuscript to a critique partner, an agent, a publisher, or an editor. Before sending the draft to someone, below are a few simple tricks to help polish your story. 

​You’ve spent 30 hours a week working on your book for months or years. Every chapter has a goal, and the characters live as vivaciously on paper as they have in your head. You’ve revised the manuscript three different times, edited chapters along the way, and you’re finally finished. Your manuscript is perfect, but you’re the only one who’s read it. What now?

Have you ever found yourself writing or revising your manuscript and confused about the rule for using a hyphen? Even though the confusion won’t stop you from writing, it can frustrate an author when they’re trying to polish their manuscript.
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For today’s post, I’m strictly focusing on hyphenating ages. The answer to hyphenate or not to hyphenate is always the same when using the CMOS style guide, which is the same guide used for books published in the US. 

​Is your manuscript filled with too many filter words: I wondered, I felt, I saw, I noticed? Have you ever thought about that aspect of your writing? Maybe you’re in the middle of developing an idea for a story or have just finished writing a book. If your manuscript is finished and you haven’t hired an editor yet, here’s a quick trick to remove filter words.

​What does “show versus tell” mean? For new writers, this can be a confusing phrase. First, let me state: it’s okay to tell. But in my opinion, showing is more appropriate in many instances, especially if you want the reader to notice something in particular.

How many times have you finished writing a chapter or a scene and are unsure of its importance? Or better yet, maybe it’s a critical scene, but it lacks the tension you were hoping for. Can you save your scene?
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Before completely deleting the scene, which I never suggest doing (if I remove a scene, I save it in a different document), brainstorm different ways that can make it matter to the plot or to introduce conflict if it’s boring. In the end, if the scene falls flat, then maybe it’s best to remove it. But before you make the final decision, try these three tips to save your scene.

Have you ever been told that your main character comes across as rude, not relatable, or emotionless? This problem can be a common pitfall for new writers. If you’ve finished writing a book, then congratulations! If you’re in the middle of writing a book, then don’t stop now. But if you want to figure out how to make your protagonist more relatable, then keep reading.
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​As a small business owner, when you hear SEO, you might silently roll your eyes. The thought of attempting to optimize your website to gain more "organic traffic" can be overwhelming. What does organic traffic mean? Reliablesoft.net defines it as the term used to describe visits to a website coming from a search engine's organic results and not [from] paid ads.

The basics of applying SEO to your website isn't hard, but it is time-consuming. When referring to SEO in this blog post, I won't touch on all the different avenues, but instead, I'll focus on four simple strategies that you can utilize today to increase organic traffic. 

Business headshots. What’s important about them, and why do you need one? Headshots are useful for a variety of reasons. Whether you own a business, have a website, or on social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook), you need a picture of yourself. Not just that, but what if you’re asked to be a guest on a podcast, decide to write a book or start a blog, or simply want business cards with your face on them?

There are many reasons why having a headshot becomes necessary. 

​3 simple tips for writing a press release. 

Most recently, I wrote a press release for a client, which got me thinking: How many people could benefit from knowing how to write a press release? Most people probably have no idea of where to start, let alone where to send it.