Author Archives: khobar95

One of the most important and useful tools for the writer is to read his or her work aloud. After you’ve read it with your eyes for the thousandth time, your brain starts to fill in the gaps. So it … Continue reading →

I’ve gone back to the very beginning and combed the knots out. This gave me the opportunity to add some details to punch up the story without going over the top. By jove, I think I’ve got it!

It never ceases to amaze me the little opportunities I find to make my manuscript just that much better. There are known “rules” about writing, and perhaps the biggest is using “active” voice. You know,  “Grandma was hit by the … Continue reading →

Wow, it’s been an interesting struggle but I’ve managed to finish the preliminary final on the Sligo section, and I’ve managed to cut about 900 words – this is after adding about 1000 over the past few days. So I’ve … Continue reading →

Well, I guess it’s safe to say I’m not in final draft anymore, since I’m editing again. But this is a good thing, really. I’m not just fixing small nits – I’m finding ways to enrich the story by cutting … Continue reading →

It’s always interesting coming back to a story after you’ve left it simmering. You discover new twists  and things to cut because they no longer add to the overall story. Some might make for interesting visuals in a movie, but … Continue reading →

I hate busy work. I’m trying to work on my current manuscript as well as future manuscripts, plus scripts, plus all kinds of other stuff. I’ve now read so much about “how the publishing world works” that my eyes are … Continue reading →

After adding about five hundred words to my Chapter 1, I’ve gone back and found some fat to trim, bringing the word count back down by three hundred. Tightening the prose is well worth the effort as I prepare for … Continue reading →

Last night I attended a book signing for Norman Ollestad, author of Crazy for the Storm. I was impressed. Mr. Ollestad is very much a gentleman who added depth to his story in the passages he read aloud. Though I’ve … Continue reading →

It’s funny how things work out. I finished my manuscript back in April and then set it aside to “simmer” while I started thinking about getting an agent. Every now and then I’d pick up the manuscript, open it to … Continue reading →