We learned in my last blog post one of the qualities of good, nonfiction Christian writing is focus. Focus is accomplished when our book title, subtitle, chapter titles, and chapter summaries are aimed toward one main point, like arrows flying toward a bullseye on a target. Another way to create focus in your writing is…
One of the best ways to grow as a writer and communicator? Attend a Conference! Proverbs 31 Ministries’ She Speaks Conference is coming up this summer, July 13th-14th. You’ll be able to attend virtually, and a small number of seats will be available in person in Charlotte, NC. I got my start as a speaker…
One of the main things I look for when I am copyediting and/or manuscript development editing, is this: focus. What do I mean by focus? Focus means your words have a target, and that target is the main paint of your book and your chapters. Focus is one of the main elements of good writing….
Hi friends, So many of you are my followers through my Melanie S. Chitwood Writing Tips Blog. Some of you are followers of My Doing the Best I Can Blog. Thank you for following and welcome! Today’s message will be for both of groups. So it’s the new year, when we’re supposed to make new…
I’ve extended my sale TILL JANUARY 31, 2023! Do you want to gain momentum on your writing project and complete your manuscript? Now is the perfect time to commit to your writing goals, as my writing services are on sale! Sale on Writing Consultation Services For consulting, my sale price is $75/hour (instead of my…
Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for being a follower of my Writing Tips Blog and/or my Doing the Best We Can Blog. You haven’t heard from me in a bit. Because you are my friends and followers, I want to be transparent with you. I am in the unexpected hard place of going through a divorce,…
There’s nothing like being with others who get you, who share the same passions, and who love God. That’s why I want you to know about the reNew Spiritual Retreat for Writers and Speakers. This event is happening April 28-20, 2023, at Camp of the Woods, NY. And I’ll be teaching! To check it out…
When I’m writing, should I address my reader by using the pronoun “you” or “we?” The answer? Both. Let me explain with an example. Notice in this excerpt from a devotion I wrote that I’ve italicized you pronouns and emboldened we pronouns. ++++++++++++++++ Excerpt from “Do You Think I’m Beautiful?” by Melanie S. Chitwood taken…
When I am editing, I often see confusion and errors when it comes to where to place punctuation with quotation marks. So let’s look at some rules. 1. Periods and commas always go inside (or before) quotation marks. Correct Example: I often say, “It is what it is.” Not this: I often say, “It is…
I’ve been writing a series of posts about some of the common punctuation mistakes I see in manuscripts when I’m editing. (see these previous posts on punctuation tips and eliminating unnecessary words) Let’s get started on some tips about commas. Introductory Prepositional Phrase An introductory prepositional phrase is a group of words at the beginning…
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