Many people think a spellchecker will make their manuscript error-free, but spellcheckers are very limited. Of course you should spellcheck your document, correct any typos or punctuation errors, and send your work to beta readers, but even those measures are unlikely to be as effective as hiring a professional editor.
When it comes to grammar checkers, grammarly.com may help you fine-tune and improve your writing, but it can’t recognise nuance or context, and it won’t pick up errors in timelines, head-hopping, continuity errors or plot holes. MS Word's grammar corrections are sometimes useful, but they're also sometimes entirely wrong! Similarly, the Fleisch-Kincaid reading levels in MSWord are based purely on algorithms that count word and sentence length. They provide a benchmark for understanding language levels, but they are by no means the best way to level your text.
Australian authors should check spelling, usage, and hyphenation against the Macquarie Dictionary (sign up at www.macquariedictionary.com.au). US authors can use Merriam Webster. In the UK, the Oxford Dictionary is the most commonly used.
When it comes to grammar checkers, grammarly.com may help you fine-tune and improve your writing, but it can’t recognise nuance or context, and it won’t pick up errors in timelines, head-hopping, continuity errors or plot holes. MS Word's grammar corrections are sometimes useful, but they're also sometimes entirely wrong! Similarly, the Fleisch-Kincaid reading levels in MSWord are based purely on algorithms that count word and sentence length. They provide a benchmark for understanding language levels, but they are by no means the best way to level your text.
Australian authors should check spelling, usage, and hyphenation against the Macquarie Dictionary (sign up at www.macquariedictionary.com.au). US authors can use Merriam Webster. In the UK, the Oxford Dictionary is the most commonly used.
Carefully assess your characters.Think critically about your characters.
Are they personable, three-dimensional, and not too perfect? What are their foibles and peccadilloes? What are their strengths, weaknesses, and desires? What are their motives, and how does your story grow the characters (i.e. the character arc)? Your main cast of protagonists, antagonists and sidekicks must be convincingly affected by underlying motives and conflicts that drive them to act and propel your plot forward. |
Polish your first and last chapters.Ensuree you're happy with your first and last chapters, the two most important chapters in your manuscript. Both should leave the reader wanting more of your writing – right now!
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Examine your 'point of view',
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