Your ideas aren’t the problem. Your editing is. Most writers don’t struggle with creativity. They struggle with clarity, structure, and flow. That’s where editing comes in. Editing isn’t just fixing grammar. It’s sharpening your message. It’s cutting the fluff. It’s making every sentence intentional. If your writing feels “almost there,” don’t rewrite everything. Refine it. Write boldly. Edit strategically.

Hi. I am currently editing my novel. It's in the first person and I was told from a previous writing competition that I should remove the filter words as they create distance between you and the reader. (e.g. I saw, I heard, I realised etc...) However, I wonder if there are situations where it is okay to leave them in and I wanted to check if anyone has any general rules with removing filter words or knows of any good books or online articles about them. e.g. 1) If it is in speech and one of the characters says 'I saw something in the dark'- okay to leave in as it's in speech?. 2) She heard me call her name and ignored me- okay as not the main character in the filter? (e.g. she heard and not I heard?) 3) I saw him on the overhead TV screen. (Okay as the main character is watching a TV screen?) as opposed to 'I saw him come towards me' (which could have the filter removed with 'He came towards me'. ) 4) 'I couldn’t believe no one else heard it.' okay as hearing is the central focus? 5) 'I saw no sign of him'. Okay as a common expression? I'd been really keen to hear other people's experiences and expertise at editing out filter words and if there is a general technique for it. I'm just looking for a general quick set of rules if possible. If anyone knows of any that would be really helpful. Thanks so much.

Is it ever a good idea to accept a hybrid publication offer?

Hi guys - hope you are all well. I've finished a middle grade mystery, Our Children in the Shadows, which im hoping to release soon. Does anybody know of any beta readers - or sites/groups who might be able to assist for some honest reviews before my launch day. Any suggestions would be most welcome :D

I know there are a lot of debates whether it is right to plan a book, or write it with a flow of it's own, with no previous structure. But that is not my question ( nor one I think we can come to a reasonable 'end all' answer to ), my question is, when you sit down to write, do you have a specific goal in mind for what you want to acomplish during that session, or perhaps in this week, month, etc. I have recently started insisting on having some 3 hours a day to my writing, and when I sit down, I simply try to pick up where I left of yesterday in a general effort to "finish editing" that chapter, though that is a goal which strechees over multitude of days. I understand a more productive/effective approach would be to have a specific goal, but I don't think I am that far into my writing journey to know how much I can acomplish during a set time. The only real, but very loose goal I have is to finish editing by some February 2028 ( leap year goals haha). Do you have specific goals, or plans for when you write? What are they and do you manage to acomplish them? ( Mostly making this discussion for fun, and thought I might give us all a break from marketing posts )