Hi Reader!
If you celebrated, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! Mine was very nice. We had dinner at my mom's on Thursday and then cooked dinner at our house for my husband's family on Saturday. My mom and I went shopping on Friday, and my son came over for leftover Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. I am exhausted! But I am blessed and very Thankful.
Last month, I joined the Book Journey team as a proofreader, and I'm super excited about that! I had to send in a professional headshot, so I had my daughter take some pictures of me. We had so much fun! I thought I would share my favorite picture with you.
My daughter thought it would be a good idea to get some pics of me holding our cochin chicken, Chicken Little. However, every time I went to grab her, she would scoot away! I finally got her, but we had a good laugh over that crazy chicken. (And no, that's not the headshot I sent in.)
This Month's Writing Tip
How to Ensure Unique Character Voices in Writing
One of the greatest joys of crafting a good story is the ability to breathe life into its characters. An important part of making a character stand out in a story is a strong and individual character voice. Each character should stand out in their own way. Readers may soon forget who is who if all the characters sound the same.
A well-written character leaps off the page and into readers’ hearts.
So how do you do that?
You need to get to know your characters inside and out. Here are some techniques to help you find your characters' voices:
- Start by creating comprehensive character profiles. Explore their histories, fears, dreams, quirks, and favorite childhood memories.
- Put yourself in your characters’ shoes. Understand their past, present, and hopes for the future.
- Consider your character’s education, background, profession, and social status.
- Consider where your characters are from and their ethnic and geographic backgrounds.
- Pay careful attention to the cadence and rhythm of your characters’ words. This sets the tone for their voice and provides a unique signature.
- If your character comes from a specific culture or region, sprinkle in some linguistic quirks or regional idioms.
- When writing from your characters’ perspectives, channel their thoughts and emotions.
- Make sure that their internal monologue lines up with their external communication.
New Posts on the Blog
How to Respond to Literary Agent Rejection with Professionalism and Grace
Snippet: Getting rejected is hard. But knowing how to respond to literary agent rejection with grace will build your confidence and help you move forward.
Snippet: These are the top 5 tips for having a good work-life balance as a freelance proofreader that has helped me throughout my career. (They don't just apply to proofreaders!)
Tool of the Month
*affiliate link
If you've thought about becoming a proofreader or editor, now's your chance. Phon from Edit Republic is offering a free masterclass where you'll learn how to build your business from scratch, attract quality clients, follow a clear plan, and much more.
I took Phon's course on proofreading and copyediting, and I learned so much! I was able to go from housewife to proofreader in less than a year and immediately started getting clients. I'm now a freelance proofreader for a small publishing house, a small publishing company, and clients of my own. I cannot recommend her course enough!
This Month's Writing Prompt
Every year, the local nativity scene is placed in the town square. This year, a child starts leaving letters for Baby Jesus. Moved by the pure, innocent messages, other townsfolk start writing their own. These letters bring healing and reconciliation to a divided community.
This Month's Featured Author
This month's featured author is Lana Christian. Lana is the author of New Star (Book 1 in the series “The Magi’s Encounters”). She is currently writing the second and third books in the series.
You can find her book on Amazon and read more about her on her website.
Read her interview here.
Would you like to be featured in my new series, "Questions With an Author"?
If so, respond to this email and let me know! I'll send you the questions, you answer them and send them back, and you'll be featured in one of my posts!
One Last Thing
What would you like to see more of in next year's newsletter? Hit reply and let me know! I want you to enjoy reading these. Even if you wouldn't change a thing, reply and let me know what you look forward to reading the most in the newsletter. I'd love to hear from you, Reader!
Need help with your manuscript?
Did you know that literary agents reject 90% of manuscripts? One of those reasons is poor writing quality.
Grammar errors, typos, and inconsistencies make your book look unprofessional. Sadly, nobody likes to read a book full of errors because it's too distracting.
No matter which type of publishing you choose - traditional or self - hiring a professional proofreader will help ensure your work is polished and ready for bookshelves.
To learn more about what proofreading involves, check out my services page. When you're ready for a proofreader, I would love to chat!
See you next month!
"God has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show God’s loving-favor." 1 Peter 4:10
