What Does “Show, Don’t Tell” Mean in Writing?
You’ve written a piece you adore. The language flows, and it’s wonderfully descriptive. Your editor (or teacher) then comes back with, “Show me, don’t tell me!” Seriously? You’ve heard that same critique a thousand times. Don’t worry. All writers have found those dreaded words on their drafts. What are they looking for? Let’s get to the bottom ...
February 16, 2021 READ MORE
10+ (More) Great Books Every Aspiring Writer Should Read
Writers love to read about writing. From advice on mastering their craft, to memoirs of writers, and even straight-up grammar tips, books about writing are a major part of every aspiring writer’s library. The Writers For Hire writer, Jennifer Rizzo, told us about “5 Great Books Every Aspiring Writer Should Read,” and they were great suggestions, but there are a lo...
January 12, 2021 READ MORE
Writers’ Tips for Working from Home
Ever since COVID-19 lockdowns started in March of 2020 and forced many people to work from home, the internet has been full of hilarious memes. From jokes about doing Zoom calls in your pajamas, to cartoons depicting parents trying to work with kids in the house, it’s clear that the switch from the office to working remotely has been a challenge for many. There is on...
January 5, 2021 READ MORE
Understanding Active and Passive Voice in Writing
"TIME's spell-check always admonishes me whenever I compose a sentence in the passive voice, a warning that is often ignored by me." — Richard Corliss, film critic for TIME magazine There are certain writing tips or admonishments that writers hear so often that they’ve become almost cliché: “Show don’t tell.” “Write every day.” “Use the active, no...
December 1, 2020 READ MORE
The Numbers Behind the Words: Can You Make Money Writing Non-Fiction Books?
We all know an awful lot about something. It’s just the way people are. Your area of expertise might be something useful, like knowing how to fix cars, or it might be something less tangible, say, an obscene amount of knowledge about cartoons from the late 1970s to the early 1980s (ruh roh, Raggy!). Whatever the case may be, chances are that people come to you from...
August 21, 2020 READ MORE