Read a variety of books and genres, including those written by writers more skilled than yourself as well as those less skilled. This allows you to see how far you’ve progressed. You can learn from both. To paraphrase a favorite quote, “No book is ever wasted. You can always serve as a bad example.” Often someone else’s glaring faux pas is something you do as well.
Keep dialog realistic. Remember to use contractions or it could sound stilted. Saying it aloud helps. If one or more characters have an accent, be sure to reflect that as well, even if your spell-checker gags a bit. You want your readers to be able to virtually hear conversations. You should create an impression of what their voices sound like as clearly as you do their appearance.
In long conversations, remind the reader who’s speaking from time to time. It’s annoying when you have to go back and figure it out. You can do this in a more creative manner than “he said” or “she said.” For example, have one of them make a face, pace the floor, roll their eyes, or scoff.
Giving promotional graphics a bit of “zing” helps them stand out and draw attention, which is always a challenge in today’s glutted market. If you have Photoshop, it’s a cinch to create automated gif files. I created the ones you see here when I purchased 
advertising on a site that had dozens of other ads, most in the postage stamp size you’re looking at. (Making them in a larger size is no problem–the final product is based on the size you start with. The dimensions of these are 225 x 150 pixels with 300 dpi resolution.) I wanted mine to stand out, videos weren’t allowed, so I decided to put together gif files.
I have an older version of Photoshop, not the new and improved version that now requires a subscription. That’s a bit rich for my current author income, so I make do just fine with my old-faithful version. The directions for creating a gif that I originally found were apparently for that newer version, but it was similar enough it didn’t take me long to accomplish it on mine. Rumor has it that you 
can achieve the same thing with Power Point, but I haven’t tried that. I suspect the process would be much the same.
You can include as many frames as you like. The only limit will be the file size of your final product. Each of these is around 450K, but they are quite small.
Here’s how it’s done:
These are a natural for cover reveals and new releases to grab a little extra attention for your Facebook and Twitter posts. It also works well for highlighting reviews or excerpts, special deals, or upcoming events.
Indie authors on a budget like myself get to use their creativity in their marketing efforts as well. This is one way to do just that. Have fun!
Know the difference between they’re, there, and their; your, you’re, and yore; flare and flair; bare and bear; alter and altar; hanger and hangar, just to name a few. If you consider yourself a professional writer or editor it’s your job to know such things!
Feed your inner editor by reading others’ work with a critical eye. Often what jumps out as a glaring faux pas is something you’re guilty of as well. Authors tend to be blind to their own weaknesses or justify them. To continually improve as a writer should be your ongoing goal.
If you’re writing a series, refresh your memory of previous events by rereading the book’s predecessors. It will be worth your time. You’ll be surprised how many nifty little tidbits you find that you can tie into sequels, even if it’s just your characters reminiscing. Tying stories together in small ways will please your loyal readers tremendously, similar to the effect of an inside joke. If you’re writing the final volume this is even more important, since it will help you tie up all the loose ends. Check out my other tips for serial writers here and here.
Watch for mixed metaphors! “Her eyes flew across the room” is a classic example. This can also happen with misplaced prepositional phrases. Make sure they’re in the most logical order or they can have a similar effect. I saw one the other day that said “Wanna Clone Your Dog Like Barbra Streisand?” So, are they suggesting that your dog is like Barbra Streisand? I don’t think so, but it could be read that way. Adding “did” to the end of the sentence fixes it grammatically. Most would know what was meant, but it’s still best to avoid statements which can often be hilarious, but throw your reader out of your story while they have a good laugh.
If your novel becomes a series, remember some readers may not start with book one. Describe the characters in each story and recap the plot and any key events so they’re not lost or confused. Loyal readers will appreciate the reminder as well, especially if it’s been a while since they read the previous volume. I have more tips for serial writers in two previous blogs, which you can find here and here.
Use active voice as much as possible. “The boy threw the ball”, not “The ball was thrown by the boy.” Note it also eliminates a preposition. This is another way that tighter writing is better writing. There are exceptions, but use them consciously. For example, a statement such as “The board approved the new proposal” is often simply stated “The new proposal was approved.” Watch for needing a prepositional phrase following the verb, in which case you may be slipping into passive voice.
Marcha's Two-Cents Worth 