Writing TIps – Cypress Canyon Publishing

January 13, 2020 Kimberly Wylie Post in Writing TIps Leave a Comment on 5 Tips to Proper Dialog Punctuation & Capitalization

5 Tips to Proper Dialog Punctuation & Capitalization

One of the most common mistakes I see in manuscripts submitted to us is errors in formatting of dialog. Where does punctuation go in dialog? What punctuation should I use when writing dialog? Should I use a comma or a period? And, the most common error, when do I capitalize words when I write dialog? Following are 5 tips to help you avoid the red ink from your editor, when writing dialog. Tip #1: Use a comma when you're indicating who is saying dialog that follows directly after this sentence fragment. Examples: Coco exclaimed, "I want more food!" ~~~ Although…

August 20, 2019 Kimberly Wylie Post in Writing TIps 1 Comment on The Conjunction and Comma Conundrum

The Conjunction and Comma Conundrum

Conjunctions, they hold the literary world together, one sentence at a time. Yet one of the most common mistakes I see writers make is either using commas with conjunctions when they don't need to or not using them at all. This is one of the (few) easy rules of punctuation that once you know it, it'll improve the technical quality of your writing immensely. So let's dive in! What is a Conjunction? Let's Look for FANBOYS! When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to watch on TV was the short Schoolhouse Rock videos. I learned all about how bills…

August 15, 2019 Kimberly Wylie Post in Writing TIps Leave a Comment on Oh, the Trouble with Hyphens!

Oh, the Trouble with Hyphens!

Hyphens are tricky beings. They seem to be so simple, just a little straight line, but can be one of the most misunderstood pieces of punctuation in the English language. It's amazing how a tiny line can cause so much confusion. Today's post talks about hyphens -- when to use them, when not to use them. My hope, as always, is to help my readers become better-skilled writers, so I selfishly get higher quality manuscripts submitted. There's that win-win situation! :-) OK, here we go: Hyphen Rule #1 - Between Two Adjectives Hyphens Between Two Adjectives: One of the most common places you'll…

August 9, 2019 Kimberly Wylie Post in Writing TIps Leave a Comment on That Damn That!

That Damn That!

Over the last two decades, I’ve worked with authors possessing a wide range of writing skills. Some of my favorite projects were writers who likely didn’t fare so well in English class during high school, but their creativity and story telling ability far made up for their inability to tell the difference between a semi-colon and a comma. However, I will tell you, there is something truly wonderful about getting a manuscript across my electronic desk that not only offers a well-crafted story but also is from a writer who has a firm command of grammar and punctuation. With this…

June 20, 2019 Kimberly Wylie Post in Writing TIps 1 Comment on 10 Tips to Writing Success

10 Tips to Writing Success

You have tons of great ideas in your head, but getting them all out on paper (or on computer, as the case often is today), seems harder than climbing Mt. Everest! You're creative. You're smart. Writing a book shouldn't be that hard. Right? Don't panic. You're not alone on the Writing Struggle Bus. Even the most prolific authors have challenges getting their manuscripts to completion at times. To help you get through that labor of love (and, yes, sometimes a bringing a manuscript into this world is a lot like having a baby), here are 10 tips to help ensure…