#editortips for 06.29.12

@smoulderingsea:  When researching for your story, don't just take the first link off Google as given truth. Verify with reliable sources. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: When editing down backstory and inner monologue, keep only what the reader needs--not what you needed to sort your story. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Stop asking how long chapters should be. As long as it's well-written and paced properly, it's as long or short as it should be. #editortips*

@smoulderingsea: Confidence in an author is good. Overwhelming ego? Not so much. Few authors get there on their own. It's not all your genius. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Don't surround yourself with an insulating shield of yes-men or you'll believe your writing is perfect and infallible. It's not. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Always clean out Track Changes markup before querying a manuscript. Some will be nice and ask for a clean copy. Most won't. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Moderate your paragraphs. Once they get too long, readers' eyes drift on the page and they lose their place--and lose interest. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: When introducing new characters, don't dump text blocks explaining their relation to the POV character. Work it in sparingly. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Some writers are introverts. I am. (Stop laughing.) But even shy people can use the internet to connect and build a platform. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Sometimes it's hard, as an author, to learn to accept praise. A simple "thank you" really is enough, for praise *and* criticism. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: It's okay to use character archetypes as a skeleton. What matters is that you build something real and unique atop it. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Don't get ahead of yourself. Sell a book, then figure out your career path. Your author brand may not be what you think. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Writing for publication is a career, not a hobby. Even when sneaking 500 words a day around your day job, take it seriously. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: If you're reading this tweet, you have time to write. #editortips

@smoulderingsea: Don't talk yourself out of writing over self-doubt. Some of the craziest ideas have turned into bestsellers. It's worth a shot. #editortips

*@cmdrsue commented, "Abe said legs should go all the way to the floor, so chapters should go all the way to the end of the chapter?"

About #editortips:
#editortips is a daily rash of tweets from an only partially crazy editor, chock full of random chocolatey morsels about writing, editing, and querying vaguely disguised as helpful pointers and/or really bad humor. I tweet as @smoulderingsea, and try to post with some consistency every weekday at 6PM CST. Weekends optional, depending on if I’m spending yet another Saturday night editing because my social life consists of Netflix and pondering if there's a market for Lovecraftian children's books.