Author Archive: Sandra Herner
I help writers with professional editing that helps them turn their stories (particularly: mysteries, SF/F and series) into published books that engage readers.
Summer Writing … or Not
We plan all those long, sunny, endless days for writing. We see that Writer’s Digest ad (its been running in their mag for years!) of the woman sitting on the shore in the sand, notebook in hand, gazing out to the…
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A Toast to Tavern Scenes (and How to Use them In ANY Genre)!
Tavern scenes are the mainstay of nearly every adventure and fantasy book. So are readers bored with them? How could they be? You’ve got swaggering characters looking for adventure; the inclination to pour out one’s woes (along with beverages); and…
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Find Your Writing Niche to Guarantee Success
Let’s say you want to write. You want to write fiction. Oh, heck, let’s make it a series of books. So what then? Just how specific are you when you define what you want to write … or what you…
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Pain-free Ways to Cut Your Manuscript
I just finished writing an article for an organization I belong to, geared to a specific magazine and when I was finished I had 2,355 words. Great! Of course the magazine’s max is only 1,500 words. But that’s the way…
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3 Writing Killers – What NOT to Write
Everyone has a way TO write–what about the key ways to NOT write? Here you go: Don’t meander – If you want to enjoy writing without a focus or goal or plan, fine, but write it for yourself, not for…
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The 3-letter Word That Saves A Writer’s Sanity
Are We There Yet? You aren’t alone: Every writer has lamented how long it takes to write a book. And then get it published. As humans we set goals (which is admirable) and fail to reach them time and again…
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The Writer’s Ungoverned Brain
The writer’s brain is like none other (at least in my opinion). It sizzles with characters and plots and twists along the way. Random or delineated, these ideas form a huge and palpable stuff in our brains and all we…
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#1 Way to Instant Gratification and Long-Term Success
Wow! Now that’s a big promise, right? But, really, this simple technique works wonders. It’s going to sound too simple, but trust me, it is great IF you use it. I have writers lament to me all the time that…
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The Genre Dilemma
Hi Writers! I hate it when I’m told to do something “just like such-and-such” and then, after I do that, I’m told it isn’t “fresh.” Well, how CAN it be fresh and new sounding if I’m making it just like something else?!? And…
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Sandra’s Tips – A Fresh Feast for Writers
Hi Writers! There is nothing like fresh, crisp lettuce or bright red tomatoes in a salad … or fresh details in a story. But what makes a story fresh? Don’t contort your plots or twist your characters (more than necessary…
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