Kristen Corrects, Inc.

Detective Col...

I’m just going to say it: If you’re a serious author, you need to be a part of a writers’ critique group. But if you’re an introvert like me, you might be a little hesitant in meeting with a group of strangers (they’re authors, too...but still!) and baring your writing.

To demystify the process of joining a critique group, I connected with children's book author 

When it comes to all the elements that go into a successful novel—good pacing, character development, plot progression, and the story itself, for example—there’s a lot that can go wrong. And while you can always hire a professional book editor to help strengthen your story, it’s always a good idea to enlist beta readers (one of my

Blurb Writing

The blurb, also known as the “back cover description” of a book, is essentially a sales pitch to the potential reader. When picking up a book for the first time, people read this description to understand more of what the book is about. This important summary should have the correct amount of information and intrigue to get the reader to purchase the book. An effective back cover description gi...

If you have spent any time following my Facebook page, you know that I talk about marketing. A lot. Well, here I am again with some more marketing information—because to me, there's nothing worse than an excellently written (and edited!) book that never ...

There is a common misconception in the writing community that immediately after you write your manuscript, you should send it off to a book editor. While a book editor will help improve your book before publication, the best books (and I've found, those by the most serious authors) are those that have been self-edited several times before being sent to a professional editor.

Why is s...

If you're an author, you should know that your purpose is to create books that are as concise as possible. (After all, that's my number-one goal as your book editor: To help you create incredible, well-written books!) What does that mean? That means cutting out whatever words don't propel your book forward. 

An...

To determine what your writing voice is, take a look at your writing. What words do your readers use ...

As a book editor, I've seen fiction novels take place in a variety of settings and even a variety of times, from Tanya S.M. Kennedy's The Terarch...

Avoid redundancy - don’t share the same thing in prose and dialogue.

She tried to speak words of encouragement and comfort, “Don’t do this to yourself. It wasn’t your fault. Will loved you Alex. He would never let you take the blame for this.”

--IN PROGRESS--

Want to learn more about how to build your auth...

Although I mostly specialize in fiction editing, I make an exception in the world of non-fiction books when I work with memoirists. Although most memoirs focus on a piece of the author's past, especially those that are poignant and meaningful, other memoirs are fun and exciting in a different way: travel.

I don'...

One mark of a talented author is rhythmic writing, but this can be a difficult writing strength to master. Rhythm in writing is defined as the way the words and sounds come together, usually to create a beat. Long sentences might sound smoother but more rich and complex, and short sentences are snappier and easier to understand. When these two types of sentences are combined, they can create an incredible rhythm to your writing.

Many times, I’ve checked back with a client on the progress of their manuscript only to find that they haven’t made much progress at all.

“What happened?” I ask them, expecting something major—like a house fire, a financial catastrophe, or a death in the family.

Usually, it’s none of the...

Every time I go through an author’s manuscript, I find words or phrases that don’t always lend themselves to making the author sound eloquent. To put it a different way: Too much wordiness in a sentence can make an author sound amateurish.

As a