Deborah Shaw
@deborah-shaw.bsky.social
🏔️ I edit books for travel and adventure writers
📚 I'll help get your book ready for publishing
👇 Join the newsletter
https://deborahshaw.co.nz/newsletter/
📚 I'll help get your book ready for publishing
👇 Join the newsletter
https://deborahshaw.co.nz/newsletter/
There are more important things to argue about than commas
Kia ora, I would like to file a complaint with the manager, who is, unfortunately, me. I allowed myself to get into an argument with someone about the Oxford comma. On Facebook, no less. Who have I become. If you need a refresh, the Oxford…
Kia ora, I would like to file a complaint with the manager, who is, unfortunately, me. I allowed myself to get into an argument with someone about the Oxford comma. On Facebook, no less. Who have I become. If you need a refresh, the Oxford…
There are more important things to argue about than commas
Kia ora, I would like to file a complaint with the manager, who is, unfortunately, me. I allowed myself to get into an argument with someone about the Oxford comma. On Facebook, no less. Who have I become. If you need a refresh, the Oxford comma (or serial comma, or series comma) is the final comma in a list: When I go walking I always pack muesli bars, M&Ms…
deborahshaw.co.nz
November 18, 2025 at 8:08 PM
There are more important things to argue about than commas
Kia ora, I would like to file a complaint with the manager, who is, unfortunately, me. I allowed myself to get into an argument with someone about the Oxford comma. On Facebook, no less. Who have I become. If you need a refresh, the Oxford…
Kia ora, I would like to file a complaint with the manager, who is, unfortunately, me. I allowed myself to get into an argument with someone about the Oxford comma. On Facebook, no less. Who have I become. If you need a refresh, the Oxford…
Pull your writing out of the toddler zone
Kia ora, Have you ever got stuck talking to a toddler who’s telling you all about their trip to the playground and that they got to feed the ducks, and then they got chased by the ducks, and then they stood in duck poo, and then they found a stick, and…
Kia ora, Have you ever got stuck talking to a toddler who’s telling you all about their trip to the playground and that they got to feed the ducks, and then they got chased by the ducks, and then they stood in duck poo, and then they found a stick, and…
Pull your writing out of the toddler zone
Kia ora, Have you ever got stuck talking to a toddler who’s telling you all about their trip to the playground and that they got to feed the ducks, and then they got chased by the ducks, and then they stood in duck poo, and then they found a stick, and then, and then, and then? They might be cute, but their storytelling can get dull quickly.
deborahshaw.co.nz
November 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Pull your writing out of the toddler zone
Kia ora, Have you ever got stuck talking to a toddler who’s telling you all about their trip to the playground and that they got to feed the ducks, and then they got chased by the ducks, and then they stood in duck poo, and then they found a stick, and…
Kia ora, Have you ever got stuck talking to a toddler who’s telling you all about their trip to the playground and that they got to feed the ducks, and then they got chased by the ducks, and then they stood in duck poo, and then they found a stick, and…
When you’re writing for readers who aren’t your mum or best friend, you want to avoid sounding like all you’ve done is gone from a to b to c. That’s a sure-fire way to turn off readers.
Avoid boring travel narratives: six ways to bring your readers along for the ride
When you’re writing for readers who aren’t your mum or best friend, you want to avoid sounding like all you’ve done is gone from a to b to c. That’s a sure-fire way to turn off readers. The best way to avoid that “I went here, then I went there” trap is to pepper in details that will make readers care.
deborahshaw.co.nz
November 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
When you’re writing for readers who aren’t your mum or best friend, you want to avoid sounding like all you’ve done is gone from a to b to c. That’s a sure-fire way to turn off readers.
Goals (and an important chicken update)
Kia ora, Good news! My sick chook is sick no more! She got that egg out! It was one of those eggs with the weird, rubbery shell. Now her comb is back to its healthy red and she’s pecking and scratching the ground with gusto. Not to induce panic on this sunny…
Kia ora, Good news! My sick chook is sick no more! She got that egg out! It was one of those eggs with the weird, rubbery shell. Now her comb is back to its healthy red and she’s pecking and scratching the ground with gusto. Not to induce panic on this sunny…
Goals (and an important chicken update)
Kia ora, Good news! My sick chook is sick no more! She got that egg out! It was one of those eggs with the weird, rubbery shell. Now her comb is back to its healthy red and she’s pecking and scratching the ground with gusto. Not to induce panic on this sunny morning, but it’s almost November. I have one big goal for the rest of the year: book one final edit.
deborahshaw.co.nz
October 28, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Goals (and an important chicken update)
Kia ora, Good news! My sick chook is sick no more! She got that egg out! It was one of those eggs with the weird, rubbery shell. Now her comb is back to its healthy red and she’s pecking and scratching the ground with gusto. Not to induce panic on this sunny…
Kia ora, Good news! My sick chook is sick no more! She got that egg out! It was one of those eggs with the weird, rubbery shell. Now her comb is back to its healthy red and she’s pecking and scratching the ground with gusto. Not to induce panic on this sunny…
A writer admitted this to me after we’d worked together on her manuscript: she didn’t really want to work with an editor, but her writing mentor told her to, so she did. She thought editors were human spellcheckers and I’d just go through and fix her grammar
What editors do behind the scenes
A writer admitted this to me after we’d worked together on her manuscript: she didn’t really want to work with an editor, but her writing mentor told her to, so she did. She thought editors were human spellcheckers and I’d just go through and fix her grammar. She didn’t know what editing is, what it looks like, or what it would do for her story.
deborahshaw.co.nz
October 28, 2025 at 1:28 AM
A writer admitted this to me after we’d worked together on her manuscript: she didn’t really want to work with an editor, but her writing mentor told her to, so she did. She thought editors were human spellcheckers and I’d just go through and fix her grammar
What to expect from an edit
No matter the type of edit you’ve had – manuscript assessment, developmental edit, or copy edit – when you receive your manuscript back from your editor, you'll still have work ahead of you. This doesn’t mean that your writing is bad or that you’ve somehow failed as a…
No matter the type of edit you’ve had – manuscript assessment, developmental edit, or copy edit – when you receive your manuscript back from your editor, you'll still have work ahead of you. This doesn’t mean that your writing is bad or that you’ve somehow failed as a…
What to expect from an edit
No matter the type of edit you’ve had – manuscript assessment, developmental edit, or copy edit – when you receive your manuscript back from your editor, you'll still have work ahead of you. This doesn’t mean that your writing is bad or that you’ve somehow failed as a writer. This is exactly how the editing process is supposed to work.
deborahshaw.co.nz
October 20, 2025 at 8:12 PM
What to expect from an edit
No matter the type of edit you’ve had – manuscript assessment, developmental edit, or copy edit – when you receive your manuscript back from your editor, you'll still have work ahead of you. This doesn’t mean that your writing is bad or that you’ve somehow failed as a…
No matter the type of edit you’ve had – manuscript assessment, developmental edit, or copy edit – when you receive your manuscript back from your editor, you'll still have work ahead of you. This doesn’t mean that your writing is bad or that you’ve somehow failed as a…
What book editing looks like behind the scenes
Kia ora, Last week I talked about a client who was initially hesitant to work with an editor because they didn’t really get what editing is and didn’t know what it would involve. (Here’s last week’s email if you missed it.) This week I’m going to show…
Kia ora, Last week I talked about a client who was initially hesitant to work with an editor because they didn’t really get what editing is and didn’t know what it would involve. (Here’s last week’s email if you missed it.) This week I’m going to show…
What book editing looks like behind the scenes
Kia ora, Last week I talked about a client who was initially hesitant to work with an editor because they didn’t really get what editing is and didn’t know what it would involve. (Here’s last week’s email if you missed it.) This week I’m going to show you my process of editing a manuscript. I hope that this behind-the-scenes post demystifies what goes on when you work with an editor.
deborahshaw.co.nz
October 14, 2025 at 6:48 PM
What book editing looks like behind the scenes
Kia ora, Last week I talked about a client who was initially hesitant to work with an editor because they didn’t really get what editing is and didn’t know what it would involve. (Here’s last week’s email if you missed it.) This week I’m going to show…
Kia ora, Last week I talked about a client who was initially hesitant to work with an editor because they didn’t really get what editing is and didn’t know what it would involve. (Here’s last week’s email if you missed it.) This week I’m going to show…
Why writers don’t work with book editors
Kia ora, Why have my chickens decided that the best place to lay their eggs is under a soggy, droopy fern and not inside the hen house where the nest boxes are filled with fresh, dry saw dust? They are delightful beasties but I do question their decisions…
Kia ora, Why have my chickens decided that the best place to lay their eggs is under a soggy, droopy fern and not inside the hen house where the nest boxes are filled with fresh, dry saw dust? They are delightful beasties but I do question their decisions…
Why writers don’t work with book editors
Kia ora, Why have my chickens decided that the best place to lay their eggs is under a soggy, droopy fern and not inside the hen house where the nest boxes are filled with fresh, dry saw dust? They are delightful beasties but I do question their decisions sometimes. But onto the topic at hand: A lot of my blog posts and newsletters talk about why writers…
deborahshaw.co.nz
October 7, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Why writers don’t work with book editors
Kia ora, Why have my chickens decided that the best place to lay their eggs is under a soggy, droopy fern and not inside the hen house where the nest boxes are filled with fresh, dry saw dust? They are delightful beasties but I do question their decisions…
Kia ora, Why have my chickens decided that the best place to lay their eggs is under a soggy, droopy fern and not inside the hen house where the nest boxes are filled with fresh, dry saw dust? They are delightful beasties but I do question their decisions…
Let’s grab coffee
Kia ora, If we caught up over coffee together and you asked me how to go about writing your adventure book, here’s what I’d say: Keep your why fresh in your mind. Remember why you’re writing your story and why you want to share it. What message do you want to give your readers?…
Kia ora, If we caught up over coffee together and you asked me how to go about writing your adventure book, here’s what I’d say: Keep your why fresh in your mind. Remember why you’re writing your story and why you want to share it. What message do you want to give your readers?…
Let’s grab coffee
Kia ora, If we caught up over coffee together and you asked me how to go about writing your adventure book, here’s what I’d say: Keep your why fresh in your mind. Remember why you’re writing your story and why you want to share it. What message do you want to give your readers? How do you want your story to affect them or change them or get them out there on their own adventures?
deborahshaw.co.nz
September 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Let’s grab coffee
Kia ora, If we caught up over coffee together and you asked me how to go about writing your adventure book, here’s what I’d say: Keep your why fresh in your mind. Remember why you’re writing your story and why you want to share it. What message do you want to give your readers?…
Kia ora, If we caught up over coffee together and you asked me how to go about writing your adventure book, here’s what I’d say: Keep your why fresh in your mind. Remember why you’re writing your story and why you want to share it. What message do you want to give your readers?…
You’ve probably read a book that has a quote at the start, or maybe each chapter opens with a quote. They’re called epigraphs, and their purpose is to give the reader an idea of the tone or theme the story intends to set.
How to use quotes and epigraphs
You’ve probably read a book that has a quote at the start, or maybe each chapter opens with a quote. They’re called epigraphs, and their purpose is to give the reader an idea of the tone or theme the story intends to set. But did that person actually say those words? And were those words the actual words they used?
deborahshaw.co.nz
September 16, 2025 at 6:59 PM
You’ve probably read a book that has a quote at the start, or maybe each chapter opens with a quote. They’re called epigraphs, and their purpose is to give the reader an idea of the tone or theme the story intends to set.
The best travel and adventure writing immerses readers in the story. We feel the cold water tugging at you as you’re struggling to make a river crossing; we hear the growl as you fend off wild dogs; we feel your serenity as you experience a transcendent sunrise.
Why adverbs kill your writing
The best travel and adventure writing immerses readers in the story. We feel the cold water tugging at you as you’re struggling to make a river crossing; we hear the growl as you fend off wild dogs; we feel your serenity as you experience a transcendent sunrise. That immersion happens through precise word choices, and adverbs often drain the immersion from a scene.
deborahshaw.co.nz
August 27, 2025 at 10:08 PM
The best travel and adventure writing immerses readers in the story. We feel the cold water tugging at you as you’re struggling to make a river crossing; we hear the growl as you fend off wild dogs; we feel your serenity as you experience a transcendent sunrise.
The joy of maps and following along
Kia ora, A friend asked me about my editing work recently. I had great joy in explaining how I created a custom Google Map for a recent edit so I could follow the places the writer visited. For another project, I zoomed in even further and followed the adventure…
Kia ora, A friend asked me about my editing work recently. I had great joy in explaining how I created a custom Google Map for a recent edit so I could follow the places the writer visited. For another project, I zoomed in even further and followed the adventure…
The joy of maps and following along
Kia ora, A friend asked me about my editing work recently. I had great joy in explaining how I created a custom Google Map for a recent edit so I could follow the places the writer visited. For another project, I zoomed in even further and followed the adventure street-by-street. The friend was surprised - they thought all I did was check grammar and spelling.
deborahshaw.co.nz
August 26, 2025 at 7:16 PM
The joy of maps and following along
Kia ora, A friend asked me about my editing work recently. I had great joy in explaining how I created a custom Google Map for a recent edit so I could follow the places the writer visited. For another project, I zoomed in even further and followed the adventure…
Kia ora, A friend asked me about my editing work recently. I had great joy in explaining how I created a custom Google Map for a recent edit so I could follow the places the writer visited. For another project, I zoomed in even further and followed the adventure…
Fun in Adelaide and a mystery bird
Kia ora, Wow! Last week I ventured over to Adelaide for the Institute of Professional Editors conference. I got to meet so many of my editing friends in person for the first time! I’m still processing all the wonderful talks I attended and conversations I had,…
Kia ora, Wow! Last week I ventured over to Adelaide for the Institute of Professional Editors conference. I got to meet so many of my editing friends in person for the first time! I’m still processing all the wonderful talks I attended and conversations I had,…
Fun in Adelaide and a mystery bird
Kia ora, Wow! Last week I ventured over to Adelaide for the Institute of Professional Editors conference. I got to meet so many of my editing friends in person for the first time! I’m still processing all the wonderful talks I attended and conversations I had, but one of the key takeaways is just how much we all love working with words and working with writers.
deborahshaw.co.nz
July 30, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Fun in Adelaide and a mystery bird
Kia ora, Wow! Last week I ventured over to Adelaide for the Institute of Professional Editors conference. I got to meet so many of my editing friends in person for the first time! I’m still processing all the wonderful talks I attended and conversations I had,…
Kia ora, Wow! Last week I ventured over to Adelaide for the Institute of Professional Editors conference. I got to meet so many of my editing friends in person for the first time! I’m still processing all the wonderful talks I attended and conversations I had,…
You meet all sorts of animals on your adventures, from dogs and cats to tigers, birds, snakes and centipedes. They’re generally easy to spell, right? But what about when you get into the details, when you’re writing about Labradors, Main Coons, snow leopards, tūī, and damselflies?
When do I capitalise animal names?
You meet all sorts of animals on your adventures, from dogs and cats to tigers, birds, snakes and centipedes. They’re generally easy to spell, right? But what about when you get into the details, when you’re writing about Labradors, Main Coons, snow leopards, tūī, and damselflies?
deborahshaw.co.nz
July 14, 2025 at 7:16 PM
You meet all sorts of animals on your adventures, from dogs and cats to tigers, birds, snakes and centipedes. They’re generally easy to spell, right? But what about when you get into the details, when you’re writing about Labradors, Main Coons, snow leopards, tūī, and damselflies?
Just finished listening to To Shake the Sleeping Self, by Jedidiah Jenkins. He cycles from Oregon to Patagonia, but of course it's about much more than that.
The best travel memoir I've read in a while. The writing is wonderful, but it's the internal journal that really made the story for me.
The best travel memoir I've read in a while. The writing is wonderful, but it's the internal journal that really made the story for me.
July 13, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Just finished listening to To Shake the Sleeping Self, by Jedidiah Jenkins. He cycles from Oregon to Patagonia, but of course it's about much more than that.
The best travel memoir I've read in a while. The writing is wonderful, but it's the internal journal that really made the story for me.
The best travel memoir I've read in a while. The writing is wonderful, but it's the internal journal that really made the story for me.
Highlights from the Mountain Film & Book Festival
Kia ora, I had a wonderful time at the Mountain Film & Book Festival! The talks were so full of energy and excitement, and the audience buzz was so much fun to be around. And of course I picked up (quite a few) new books. Mountain Film & Book…
Kia ora, I had a wonderful time at the Mountain Film & Book Festival! The talks were so full of energy and excitement, and the audience buzz was so much fun to be around. And of course I picked up (quite a few) new books. Mountain Film & Book…
Highlights from the Mountain Film & Book Festival
Kia ora, I had a wonderful time at the Mountain Film & Book Festival! The talks were so full of energy and excitement, and the audience buzz was so much fun to be around. And of course I picked up (quite a few) new books. Mountain Film & Book Festival HQ in Wanaka At the Words & Wine event, five authors read extracts from their books:
deborahshaw.co.nz
June 25, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Highlights from the Mountain Film & Book Festival
Kia ora, I had a wonderful time at the Mountain Film & Book Festival! The talks were so full of energy and excitement, and the audience buzz was so much fun to be around. And of course I picked up (quite a few) new books. Mountain Film & Book…
Kia ora, I had a wonderful time at the Mountain Film & Book Festival! The talks were so full of energy and excitement, and the audience buzz was so much fun to be around. And of course I picked up (quite a few) new books. Mountain Film & Book…
Can you help me test this proofreading guide?
Kia ora, I have been working on a resource for writers, one that I hope will give your book a valuable boost without stretching your budget. It’s called the Proofreading Checklist. It’s a checklist, yes, but it’s more than that. I walk you through the…
Kia ora, I have been working on a resource for writers, one that I hope will give your book a valuable boost without stretching your budget. It’s called the Proofreading Checklist. It’s a checklist, yes, but it’s more than that. I walk you through the…
Can you help me test this proofreading guide?
Kia ora, I have been working on a resource for writers, one that I hope will give your book a valuable boost without stretching your budget. It’s called the Proofreading Checklist. It’s a checklist, yes, but it’s more than that. I walk you through the proofreading process, what it is, what it’s not, what to look for on your laid out pages, and how to mark up changes.
deborahshaw.co.nz
June 17, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Can you help me test this proofreading guide?
Kia ora, I have been working on a resource for writers, one that I hope will give your book a valuable boost without stretching your budget. It’s called the Proofreading Checklist. It’s a checklist, yes, but it’s more than that. I walk you through the…
Kia ora, I have been working on a resource for writers, one that I hope will give your book a valuable boost without stretching your budget. It’s called the Proofreading Checklist. It’s a checklist, yes, but it’s more than that. I walk you through the…
Five reasons I love adventure books
Kia ora, I have teetering piles of books on my coffee table. Most of them are travel and adventure, some are histories. As I was reordering them last night, I admired the covers and layout and photos, all the love and effort that goes into writing and making…
Kia ora, I have teetering piles of books on my coffee table. Most of them are travel and adventure, some are histories. As I was reordering them last night, I admired the covers and layout and photos, all the love and effort that goes into writing and making…
Five reasons I love adventure books
Kia ora, I have teetering piles of books on my coffee table. Most of them are travel and adventure, some are histories. As I was reordering them last night, I admired the covers and layout and photos, all the love and effort that goes into writing and making such gorgeous books. And that got me thinking about why I love travel and adventure books.
deborahshaw.co.nz
June 10, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Five reasons I love adventure books
Kia ora, I have teetering piles of books on my coffee table. Most of them are travel and adventure, some are histories. As I was reordering them last night, I admired the covers and layout and photos, all the love and effort that goes into writing and making…
Kia ora, I have teetering piles of books on my coffee table. Most of them are travel and adventure, some are histories. As I was reordering them last night, I admired the covers and layout and photos, all the love and effort that goes into writing and making…
Having the right tool for the job
When you're writing and self-publishing, you can get a lot done by cobbling together different tools, but having the right tools makes your writing stronger. And at some point, calling in professionals makes the publishing process so much smoother and the end…
When you're writing and self-publishing, you can get a lot done by cobbling together different tools, but having the right tools makes your writing stronger. And at some point, calling in professionals makes the publishing process so much smoother and the end…
Having the right tool for the job
When you're writing and self-publishing, you can get a lot done by cobbling together different tools, but having the right tools makes your writing stronger. And at some point, calling in professionals makes the publishing process so much smoother and the end result that much stronger.
deborahshaw.co.nz
June 9, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Having the right tool for the job
When you're writing and self-publishing, you can get a lot done by cobbling together different tools, but having the right tools makes your writing stronger. And at some point, calling in professionals makes the publishing process so much smoother and the end…
When you're writing and self-publishing, you can get a lot done by cobbling together different tools, but having the right tools makes your writing stronger. And at some point, calling in professionals makes the publishing process so much smoother and the end…
See you in Wanaka?
Kia ora, I’m going to Wanaka for the Mountain Film & Book Festival! ✅Accommodation booked ✅Event tickets booked Whoo hoo! I’ll be attending the Words and Wine event on Sunday evening. The speaker line-up is fantastic. I’m looking forward to hearing Naomi Arnold talk about her…
Kia ora, I’m going to Wanaka for the Mountain Film & Book Festival! ✅Accommodation booked ✅Event tickets booked Whoo hoo! I’ll be attending the Words and Wine event on Sunday evening. The speaker line-up is fantastic. I’m looking forward to hearing Naomi Arnold talk about her…
See you in Wanaka?
Kia ora, I’m going to Wanaka for the Mountain Film & Book Festival! ✅Accommodation booked ✅Event tickets booked Whoo hoo! I’ll be attending the Words and Wine event on Sunday evening. The speaker line-up is fantastic. I’m looking forward to hearing Naomi Arnold talk about her time on Te Araroa. (Do check out Northbound - it’s a fantastic read.)
deborahshaw.co.nz
June 3, 2025 at 7:39 PM
See you in Wanaka?
Kia ora, I’m going to Wanaka for the Mountain Film & Book Festival! ✅Accommodation booked ✅Event tickets booked Whoo hoo! I’ll be attending the Words and Wine event on Sunday evening. The speaker line-up is fantastic. I’m looking forward to hearing Naomi Arnold talk about her…
Kia ora, I’m going to Wanaka for the Mountain Film & Book Festival! ✅Accommodation booked ✅Event tickets booked Whoo hoo! I’ll be attending the Words and Wine event on Sunday evening. The speaker line-up is fantastic. I’m looking forward to hearing Naomi Arnold talk about her…
Despite loving this this account of shipwreck and survival at sea, it did reinforce everything I fear about the ocean. Leave it for the sea creatures, I say.
Maurice and Maralyn: An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival, and love, by Sophie Elmhirst.
Maurice and Maralyn: An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival, and love, by Sophie Elmhirst.
May 28, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Despite loving this this account of shipwreck and survival at sea, it did reinforce everything I fear about the ocean. Leave it for the sea creatures, I say.
Maurice and Maralyn: An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival, and love, by Sophie Elmhirst.
Maurice and Maralyn: An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival, and love, by Sophie Elmhirst.
One phrase that weakens your writing: “it was”
Sentences that start with "It was" and "There were" can weaken writing by adding clutter and obscuring focus. Replacing them with stronger, direct language deepens your writing and draws your reader in.
Sentences that start with "It was" and "There were" can weaken writing by adding clutter and obscuring focus. Replacing them with stronger, direct language deepens your writing and draws your reader in.
One phrase that weakens your writing: “it was”
Sentences that start with "It was" and "There were" can weaken writing by adding clutter and obscuring focus. Replacing them with stronger, direct language deepens your writing and draws your reader in.
deborahshaw.co.nz
May 26, 2025 at 7:40 PM
One phrase that weakens your writing: “it was”
Sentences that start with "It was" and "There were" can weaken writing by adding clutter and obscuring focus. Replacing them with stronger, direct language deepens your writing and draws your reader in.
Sentences that start with "It was" and "There were" can weaken writing by adding clutter and obscuring focus. Replacing them with stronger, direct language deepens your writing and draws your reader in.
Small words can have a big impact on your story, and not always for the right reasons. One of those small words is “things”.
Why “thing” weakens your writing (and how to fix it)
Small words can have a big impact on your story, and not always for the right reasons. One of those small words is “things”.
deborahshaw.co.nz
May 5, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Small words can have a big impact on your story, and not always for the right reasons. One of those small words is “things”.
Is "decide" weakening your writing? This small word can slow pacing, strip emotional depth, and trap you in telling rather than showing. My latest blog post shows how focusing on actions, rather than decisions, creates more engaging scenes.
Why “decide” weakens your writing (and how to fix it)
Is "decide" weakening your writing? This small word can slow pacing, strip emotional depth, and trap you in telling rather than showing. My latest blog post shows how focusing on actions, rather than decisions, creates more engaging scenes.
deborahshaw.co.nz
April 16, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Is "decide" weakening your writing? This small word can slow pacing, strip emotional depth, and trap you in telling rather than showing. My latest blog post shows how focusing on actions, rather than decisions, creates more engaging scenes.
New word I learned while editing today:
psychopomp: Someone who conducts souls to the afterworld.
I'm not sure that's a job I want. I'll stick to editing.
psychopomp: Someone who conducts souls to the afterworld.
I'm not sure that's a job I want. I'll stick to editing.
April 9, 2025 at 10:50 PM
New word I learned while editing today:
psychopomp: Someone who conducts souls to the afterworld.
I'm not sure that's a job I want. I'll stick to editing.
psychopomp: Someone who conducts souls to the afterworld.
I'm not sure that's a job I want. I'll stick to editing.