Kelly Abell Books

I know I've wrtten about this before but I've been hanging out on this really cool site called Authonomy.com - a site to post your writing sponosored by Harper Collins - a really cool site by the way...Any way I digress.  I've been hanging out on this site and reading some of the writing that is posted there and I noticed something.  If I had a dime for every "was" that I've seen in those manuscripts I'd be a very rich girl.  I could retire and write all day long.  Now I must confess I am a recovering "Was-er"  There should be a 12 step process for us.  But alas the only thing that will fix "was-ing" is hard work.  Using was throws your mansucript into passive voice and drags your story down.  Go through your manuscript and count all your was-es.  And get rid of as many as you can.  For example Johnny was crying - change to -Johnny cried.  See how much better that sounds?  How much more active rather than passive?

I promise if you do this your editor will thank you.  I know mine did.  (winking at Frank)

Until next time -

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Happy Writing

Kelly