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Tackling Book Revisions? Here’s My Novel Editing Strategy
As I was getting my beta readers' notes, I couldn’t help but smile. I was excited. Scratch that, I am excited. These problems, they’re fixable. They’re revisable. And they don’t make me sacrifice or overhaul the story I love.
I’ve never done anything like this before, but knowing myself better as a writer now and the current problems in my manuscript, this will be the best way for me to handle them, keep my energy up, and look at the story with a fresher perspective every tim
Sterling MZ
Jun 47 min read


5 Ways to Use Your Time while Your Novel Is in Beta Reading
There are times during beta reading where you may feel like you’re at a standstill because you’re not actively adding words. But remember: Your book is not at a standstill. It is being read by actual readers who are seeing how good of a story you have. It’s being worked on, just not by you.
You should use this time to make progress, be creative, and get ahead of your future self. Being proactive now will bolster your overall writing career.
Sterling MZ
May 287 min read


Why Word Count Matters
A book's word counts dictates many factors of the publishing industry and writing process. This blog is broken up in three sections, each addressing how a book’s word count affects writers, publishers, and readers—especially if you're pursuing self-publishing.
Sterling MZ
May 149 min read


Put Your Money Where Your Book Needs It
Where do you decide to put your money where your book needs? How do you decide what your book needs at all? First, let’s go through the four editing stages, and then I’ll provide my personal recommendation of how indie authors should prioritize them when they’re on a budget.
Sterling MZ
May 78 min read


How I Cut Down My Novel by 20,000 Words
Being an editor and being a writer are two entirely different brains. Writing thrives on creativity and fearlessness; editing demands clarity and correct use of spelling. It’s much easier for other people to edit your work than you edit yours. They haven’t read it as much as you have, are less attached to it, and can make those harder calls that you know you should but just can’t. And believe me, I struggled. Hence why the book my beta readers have is 165k, instead of the 150
Sterling MZ
Apr 309 min read


I Will Create: A Reflection on Writing and Creating
This reflective article explores what it's like to be a writer, a creative, and how the two identities intersect.
Sterling MZ
May 31, 20249 min read


5 Ways to Fall Back in Love with Your Book
How I Fell Back in Love with My Work-In-Progress after a Long Break If you’re like me, you’ve been working on your current...
Sterling MZ
Feb 28, 20249 min read


Why Should You Write Short Stories?
7 Benefits I Gained from Shelving My Novel for a Year and Focusing on Short Stories In 2023, I made a resolution for myself to write 12...
Sterling MZ
Feb 19, 202411 min read
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