Gram Editing Services

Words to the Wise

For the past five years my generous friend and colleague Julie Ferguson of Beacon Literary Services has given me space in her quarterly newsletter The Beacon to guide writers on the finer points of self-editing—and sometimes to rant and pontificate.

I invite you to share these articles with your writing friends and colleagues. If you have questions or suggestions for future articles, email me.

• Latest! Theme: What Is Your Story About?

• Begging the Question of the English Language

• Ross Laird on Creativity—A Website to Inspire You

• Taking the Risk—Writing About Those We Know

• Syntax Defined—and Understood

• What Does an Acquisitions Editor Do?

• Why Use a Freelance Editor?

• Bring Your Writing to Life Through Dialogue

• Defying the Rules

• Creative Nonfiction? Isn't That an Oxymoron?

• Creative Nonfiction: A Tricky Business

• Style and Voice: What's the Difference?

• Listen to Your Voice

• Get a Life! Does It Really Matter?
  A brief rant on the importance of punctuation

• I'm Sorry, Mrs. Willan, But You Were Wrong
  On beginning a sentence with a conjunction

• Buy Yourself a Good Dictionary

• Be Active—It's Good for Your Health
  On the active and passive voice

• The Serial Comma—So Much Over So Little

• Let's Turn to the Big Picture

• Let's Be Plain About Plain Language