Free Today on Amazon
In my last post, I wrote about the importance of focusing on the craft of writing. What had set me of was the slew of get-rich-quick-through-self-publishing books I’ve recently seen on Amazon. Here are two other ways to get rich quick:
- Your reclusive great-uncle Wilfred, whom you’ve never met, dies and leaves you his millions!
- You win the Mega Lotto!
Could happen, right? Riiiiight…
Here’s the deal with writing: if you’re in it for fame and fortune, you’re in the wrong profession. Which isn’t to say you can’t make a living as a writer, you can! Like any other profession, you need to be good at what you do. Churning out sub-standard crap at your day job will not get you a promotion. Self-publishing quickly-written, poorly-edited books is not a ticket to literary super stardom.
But wait! What about Zoe Crapwriter who wrote “23 Shades of Crap” and made millions?
Welcome to the literary lotto. Some people just get lucky. Or the author may have marketing savvy that makes up for poor writing. Or Zoe Crapwriter is actually a good writer who worked hard at her craft and found an audience, which doesn’t include you. It’s all subjective.
I hate to use the “G” word, but I will. Grammar. Writers hate it. Editors love it. If you want to be a crafty writer, you’ve got to bone up on it. Luckily, there are plenty of good books on grammar and self-editing. And, luckily, one of those is free today on Amazon.
Be Your Own Editor by Sigrid MacDonald
Are you uncertain when to use affect or effect? Loath or loathe? Compliment or complement? Do you struggle with character development, establishing realistic dialogue and composing articles, proposals or manuscripts? Be Your Own Editor by Sigrid Macdonald offers a crash course in grammar basics, starting with punctuation and proper use of the dreaded apostrophe. It suggests ways to identify frequently misused words; to devise strong characters and background settings in fiction; and to structure nonfiction.
While we’re talking self-editing, I want to shout out one of my favorite writing manuals. I would say that this book more than any other bought me a clue about writing and editing. It is NOT FREE. It is worth it’s price, $9.99, and much more.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King and Renni Browne
In this completely revised and updated second edition, Renni Browne and Dave King teach you, the writer, how to apply the editing techniques they have developed to your own work. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have edited. (Description from the paperback edition)
Descriptions provided by Amazon
Disclaimers and Disclosures
I found these books via Amazon’s Kindle eBooks store. Resources for free Kindle and other format eBooks are listed in my sidebar.
This freebie is a limited time offer and there is no guarantee this book will still be free when you click on the link. Grab it sooner rather than later.
Lori Writer 