The Savvy Red Pen Blog
College Application Essay Prompts: 2024-2025
College admission essay prompts are released on August 1st, so now is the time to pour over the options and decide which is best for you.
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12 Writer Affirmations to Boost Confidence and Overcome Challenges
Writers experience highs and lows. Creativity ebbs and flows, and imposter syndrome often rears its ugly head. Writer’s block and procrastination can also get in the way of progress. An effective technique for writers to maintain a resilient mindset is the use of...
13 Ways to Get into the Writing Zone
We’re not writing machines. We don’t just plop ourselves down at our desks, click a button on our hands, and knock out a genius manuscript. We need to set the stage for focused, inspired writing sessions by getting into the writing zone, the sacred space where...
7 Reasons to Write a Book
Writing a book is not for the faint of heart. It is not merely a literary pursuit; it’s a transformative process that yield rewards far beyond mere financial gain. The decision to become an author is a commitment that requires passion and resilience, so keep your...
Five Reasons Every Author Should Have a Book Writing Coach
Athletes need coaches. So do writers! Over the course of my career, I’ve helped dozens and dozens of authors realize excellence in their writing projects. Witnessing the results, I can report, not immodestly, that they wouldn’t have gotten there without me as a...
Nine Qualities to Look For in a Great Beta Reader
It has been famously said that “it takes a village” to raise a child. It also “takes a village” to write a book. It is a good idea to gather a team of trusted associates that you both respect and trust. These are your “beta” readers who will read your manuscript...
Eight Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block
As writers, we have all experienced the dreaded phenomenon: the block. Even some of the world’s most renown authors have been through it—and overcome. Here are eight ways they did it, and you can too. You know the drill: you find yourself staring at the blank...
Eleven Great Strategies to Use to Self-Edit Your Manuscript
As I have advised previously, when writing, the first step is pouring your ideas onto the page and getting them out of your head. You can do that with the confidence that you will edit . . . later. When "later" comes, it is a good idea to have some strong self-self...
Foreword, Preface, Introduction
Understanding the different types of editing can help you more effectively manage your writing timeline and budget.
Beta Readers: What Are They, Why Use Them, and How to Use Them
Understanding the different types of editing can help you more effectively manage your writing timeline and budget.
The Savvy Red Pen’s Top 10 Grammar Myths
Understanding the different types of editing can help you more effectively manage your writing timeline and budget.
