Virtual AWP Thoughts

Right as covid hit, I went to AWP (a national writing conference) for the first time. Half the panels were gone. Half of the bookfair was gone. I talk about it more in this post. Since covid is still going strong, AWP went virtual this year. I was nervous about it since ACES—which turned virtual … Continue reading Virtual AWP Thoughts

Common writing mistakes #12

#12 — Not using plain language Recently, I've seen some writers try to up their vocabulary. It feels as if they’re opening a thesaurus and writing the words they find down. Some of these words include specific plant or animal names, scientific words, uncommon verbs, etc. Grackle. Fervent. Reveille. Ostentatious. Imbibes. But it's better to … Continue reading Common writing mistakes #12

Should writers go to DV Con?

Earlier in 2020, I did a post on AWP vs ACES for conferences, but now, I've attended the inaugural DV Con conference. Since it was during a pandemic, they took a different approach that I hope AWP and ACES continues.  DV Con was open specifically for diverse voices, including POC, LGBTQIA+ community, Deaf, blind, etc. … Continue reading Should writers go to DV Con?

A short announcement

I am one of the six writers who got accepted into the Aspec Journal. This is the first time my written work is appearing in any journal, so I'm pretty excited. If you'd like, you can order a pdf, print zine, or merch. All profits will be donated to The Trevor Project.

Should you go to AWP? My 2020 AWP experience.

I did a poll on Twitter and found that most of my followers don’t know about the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) conference. Or maybe you’re curious about going. Since I went this last March, I’ll let you know about my experience. Pricing For national conferences, this is one of the cheapest I … Continue reading Should you go to AWP? My 2020 AWP experience.

What credentials should you put in your query letter?

At the end of a query letter, it's important to write something about yourself. But...what do you write? Some people write about where they got their college degrees from. Or perhaps how long they've been working on this manuscript. But is that necessary? Let's find out! Degrees (BA OR MFA) Degrees are usually only necessary … Continue reading What credentials should you put in your query letter?

Book review – Let’s Talk About Love (Spoiler Free)

“But you know! You get it. I'm not trying to trivialize anyone else and what they have to do, but if I go to my parents and say I'm a lesbian, they would know what I meant. If I went to my siblings and said I'm bisexual, they would know what I meant. If I … Continue reading Book review – Let’s Talk About Love (Spoiler Free)

Book review – The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications (Spoiler Free)

“Even if you haven't formally studied English grammar, you know countless aspects of grammar as an English speaker. You would never say or write "I are hungrily very," no matter how many hours had passed since your last meal. Not all questions of grammar are that simple, of course, but many tangles are easily resolved … Continue reading Book review – The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications (Spoiler Free)

11 editing tips from a professional

At the ACES conference, one session had many editing tips for editors and writers. Here are some: Check all quotations (to see if it is a verified source) Don't ignore your inner voice (when it says something's wrong) Omit needless words Favor active voice (because we need passive voice sometimes) Edit out loud Advice is … Continue reading 11 editing tips from a professional