Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations

Hiya Reader,

In advance of the upcoming lists of "best books of the year," I've been plowing through the books on my TBR pile. I know I'm making progress — I'm reading! I'm doing it! — yet somehow the stack doesn't seem to shrink. Is there a word for this?

My father's reading log numbers pages and pages and pages. Yet he still, somehow, read some books more than once, not realizing until as much as three-quarters of the way through. Is there a word for that?

I've also considered keeping a log, but one that's more than the simple book title/author and less than the write-an-essay-about the book. Maybe one that includes questions like: line I wish I'd written, interesting craft technique to follow or reject, a lingering image, anything that would help me remember. Suggestions welcome!

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Example of the Week

Sometimes this is a good example—or a great one. Sometimes this is a bad example—or just a funny blooper. Sometimes a combination. You never know.

Oh thank goodness!!

Actionable Tip of the Week

A trick to add to your self-editing toolbox right now!

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of drafts (and published books!) with those old crutches: filler words, propping up weak verbs and timid adjectives. When you write "very happy," you're essentially admitting that "happy" isn't cutting it. When you say something is "really important," you're working twice as hard to convince your reader of something a better, more evocative, single word should accomplish.

Try these practical tips for sharpening your prose so it can stand on its own, no crutches needed!

Deletion.

Before trying substitution, remove the filler word. This is a very important decision. The results were really surprising. She was quite skilled at negotiation.

If the sentence holds up or even improves without the qualifier, you’re all set. If it feels like something's missing, find a stronger base word.

Substitution.

If the deletion strategy suggests you do need to substitute, look for strong, single words. Instead of very tired, try exhausted, drained, spent, depleted. Instead of really angry, try furious, livid, incensed, outraged. Instead of quite difficult, try challenging, demanding, arduous, formidable.

Show Don’t Tell.

Show the reader something rather than telling them. "The coffee was very hot." versus "The coffee scalded my tongue." Or "He was really excited about the promotion." versus "He burst into the office, grinning, waving the offer letter like a victory flag." Or "The presentation was really long." versus "The presentation stretched to ninety minutes—twice the scheduled time." Or "She was very smart." versus "She solved complex equations in her head while others reached for calculators." Look at how resonant the second examples are!

Exceptions.

Of course, for every rule, there’s an exception — or exceptions plural. We don’t always want to banish certain modifiers from our writing. Maybe you genuinely need to soften a statement, i.e. "The results were quite promising, though we need more data." Or you're capturing authentic dialogue. Or the sentence rhythm needs that extra beat.

The point is that such seemingly small choices are not small at all. They represent discipline and intention, both qualities we need to continually improve our craft.

Reader Question of the Week

Tim wrote: I recently completed a draft of my novel. How do I find some readers?

Tim! Congratulations! That's outstanding.

You asked about finding readers, but I'm not quite sure if you mean beta readers or marketing for self-publishing. Professional beta readers charge for their services and are well worth the investment for the right person. There are also people who do it for free, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Beta readers provide a high-level, outside perspective on structure, plot, character, and readability — pointing out where things aren't clear or backstory is missing. If that's what you're looking for, there are places to find them, though the quality of feedback is hit or miss.

If you're asking about marketing, it's a question of getting your book in people's faces (without being annoying). Start with your circle. Does everyone know about your book? Put it in your email signature and post on social media. Find online groups of your target audience — people who would respond well to your novel. Become a genuine member of these communities, and naturally your book will come up. Always carry copies with you so when people show interest, you're ready.

For publicity, pitch adjacent pieces to local media or smaller online publications on themes related to your book's content. This grows your audience organically because people self-select based on interest, and bylines link to where they can buy your book. Strategic paid advertising can also work well if targeted properly.

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Link of the Week

In my quest (ok, that's a stretch. It was a brief online search, not a full-blown quest) to find some examples of reading logs that are useful for adults, I found this blog link for 5 Great Reading Journals To Keep Track of Your Reading Life Be forewarned that this blog looks to be an affiliate for the journals, so the author (who I don't know) will likely earn a commission. That said, I liked the look of a couple of these so I wanted to share!

I ❤️ Hearing from You!

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Thanks for reading!

~Helene, your writing sherpa

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