Literally and Figuratively: Definitions and When to Use Each

Literally and Figuratively: Definitions and When to Use Each

The English language is full of idiomatic phrases and figurative expressions that often take on new life in casual conversation. One of those expressions that often irks grammarians is the use (or misuse) of literally and figuratively. Have you noticed the overuse of literally in everyday speech? Today let’s look at these two terms and how to use them to our advantage as writers.

How to Write SEO Copy: An Author’s Guide

How to Write SEO Copy: An Author’s Guide

Many writers dread the marketing part of being an author, believing they have to be omnipresent on social media, or pay for fancy blog posts or advertising. The truth is that if you learn a few basics about how to write SEO copy, you’ll draw readers and show them who you are as a real person and what you offer potential customers.

Mastering a few basics of SEO copywriting can help readers find your amazing content and share your voice with the world without feeling like you have to sell, sell, sell at every turn. Today we have guest writer Linda Walkovich to walk through the basics of SEO and share some SEO copywriting tips.

How to Use Scars to Deepen Characterization

How to Use Scars to Deepen Characterization

Sometimes I have students who say they don’t like to write. I suggest that perhaps they haven’t found a subject or story worth writing yet. Then I ask them if they have any scars.

Inevitably, the stories pour out of them, and they point to their arms, their foreheads, and their legs revealing skateboarding mishaps, fights, and sometimes deeper trauma.

Scars often hold an entire world of story. We wanted something and the pursuit of it left a mark.

Giving a character a scar can be a cliché or it can be a fast-track to deeper character development. When you’re creating characters with scars, execution is key.

Grammarly Vs. Hemingway: A Professional Writer’s Review

Grammarly Vs. Hemingway: A Professional Writer’s Review

Can book writing software replace an editor? Nope. But it can help you improve your grammar and readability.

You were born to tell stories and share your message with the world. But you sit down to type and something terrible happens. Your fingers misspell things. Verbs switch tenses as you type. Nothing works quite like it did when it was still just a compelling idea in your head.

You reread and catch a few errors, but what if you’ve reached the end of your grammar prowess? Need some book writing software to help improve your writing?

How to Break the Rules for the Best NaNoWriMo Ever

How to Break the Rules for the Best NaNoWriMo Ever

Across the world this week, writers began spinning stories and obsessively checking their word counts, all in pursuit of that magic number: 50,000 words. Every year, I tell myself I don’t have time to do NaNoWriMo, and every year, I end up participating anyway.

But a couple years ago, I decided to break the rules and I had the best NaNoWriMo month ever. Maybe you need to break some rules yourself to redefine your writing this month.