Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, I just finished a light, fun read, This Is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something–Anything–Like Your Life Depends On It by Tabitha Carvin. IYKYK 😉 My son is an actor, and his mannerisms remind me of Cumberbatch's Sherlock. Do with that useless info what you will. Think a friend would appreciate Editorial Notes? Send them this link to sign up: Refer a Friend! (And if you’re the...
21 days ago • 4 min read
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...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, How are you doing? No, really. It's been a challenging season over here in my little world. Consider this your reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing and, more importantly, your self, is to take a break. Pick whatever metaphor you prefer: Our electronic gadgets all need batteries recharged or they go dead. You can't get or give water from an empty pitcher. The car won't start if...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader, This is the final Editorial Notes issue of 2025. I'm on holiday, so here's a reader favorite from the archives. I'll be back with a new issue in your Inbox on January 7, 2026! Happy New Year! Earlier this week, I came across a sobering yet inspiring statistic that I just had to share with you! Assuming you average seven to eight hours of sleep in each 24-hour period (#lifegoals), ten minutes equals approximately one percent of your waking time. One percent! On the one hand, it's...
2 months ago • 5 min read
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, Have you ever wondered why water bottles are always 16.9 ounces? Well, I sure did. I reached out to Caitlin Olson who publishes the quirky and always fascinating Today You Should Know which you should subscribe to if you don't already. Here is her response: "A 16.9-ounce bottle comes out to 500 ml, which confirms the metric system’s influence. My guess is this size stuck in the U.S. thanks to the...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, Ever feel like you have no idea what people are talking about? C'mon, I know it's not just me! Fortunately, Merriam-Webster recently added over 5,000 words to its collegiate dictionary! Now you will really understand how terrible a situation it is when you find yourself adulting. You're welcome. Think a friend would appreciate Editorial Notes? Send them this link to sign up: Refer a Friend! (And if you’re...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, I was recently reminded of a classic anecdote used in discussions about precise language in writing. The anecdote may or may not be true, but it certainly makes a point. A student wrote that a woman had tripped down a flight of stairs, lying "prostitute on the floor." The professor wrote in the margin that "you seem to have confused a fallen woman with one who merely slipped." ICYMI: Related/Unrelated...
4 months ago • 4 min read
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, The good news is that I met my perfect literary agent. We are completely in sync with our interests and sensibilities, she understands and is excited by my project, and we "get along like gangbusters" on a personal level (as my father would say). The bad news? She can't offer me representation because she is already on submission with another author's manuscript, one which is in competition with mine. (So...
4 months ago • 6 min read
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, I successfully implemented my own self-editing advice this week on a section that's been problematic for a while. I changed the font! No, that's not a joke. And I am newly reminded of what a great tool this simple change can be. I almost exclusively use 12 point Times New Roman, and I ask my clients to do the same when sending manuscripts my way. Whether my preference insistence is because it's a...
4 months ago • 3 min read