Verisimilitude is an important element of fiction writing because it helps to create a sense of immersion for the reader. When a story is believable, the reader is more likely to suspend their disbelief and become emotionally invested in the characters and the plot.

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Plot holes can be frustrating for readers and can take them out of the story. They can also undermine the credibility of the story and make it difficult for readers to suspend their disbelief. That's why it's important for writers to carefully review their work and ensure that the plot is consistent and follows its own internal logic.

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The Brothers Hawthorne (The Inheritance Games #4) is the fourth and final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The novel follows Avery Grambs as she tries to piece together her past and figure out who she can trust.

Editing your own writing can be challenging, but it is an essential skill for any writer. By practicing these strategies, you can improve your editing skills and produce high-quality writing.

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There will always be gaps between what you think you have written and what you have actually put on the page, but it is often difficult to see those gaps until you have found a way to make space for alternative perspectives besides your own.

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The Haunting of Alejandra is a powerful and disturbing novel that explores the dark side of motherhood. It is a story about the ways in which trauma can be passed down from generation to generation. The novel is also a meditation on the power of female rage and the importance of self-preservation.

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It can be tempting to look at all the work you did writing your first draft and just call it “done” without making any changes. But revising a novel manuscript is an essential task in the writing process that you simply cannot skip if you want your first-time readers to become repeat readers.

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The key differences between revising, editing, and proofreading lie in the level of detail and scope of changes involved in each level of revising and refining. Thus, the revise and refine step of the writing process begins by first looking at the manuscript as a whole before narrowing the focus to individual chapters, paragraphs, and sentences.

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The M.I.C.E. Quotient is a method of categorizing stories based on the four core narrative elements of Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. It is an excellent starting point for evaluating the focal point of a novel manuscript to determine whether the first draft concentrates on the appropriate element or elements that will most effectively achieve the writer’s creative vision.

Once you have written the first draft of your novel manuscript, you may find during the evaluation stage of the writing process that there are elements of your story that could use some fact-checking. Research is an important part of writing a novel, as it can provide the necessary information and inspiration to create a rich and believable world for your story.

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While fiction doesn't always need to be strictly realistic, these elements of believability help draw in the audience and allow them to engage with the story on an emotional and intellectual level. Believability should always be considered when evaluating your own writing to ensure that you meet the needs of your intended audience.

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Not only can offering your developmental editing services to other writers in your writing community help them save money (and then save you money later when they return the favor,) but it can also help you improve your own writing skills.

Hiring an editor to complete a developmental edit of your novel can be expensive. If you can afford it, an effective editor will give you the outside prospective you need to take your manuscript to the next level. However, many emerging writers simply cannot afford the expense and do not have an established writing community to lean on. They may wonder if they can do a developmental edit of their own work.

A developmental edit is a type of editing that focuses on the big-picture elements of a novel manuscript such as its structure, plot, character development, and theme. Developmental editors help authors to identify and fix problems with manuscripts such as weak plot points, underdeveloped characters, or an unclear story arc. They may also offer suggestions for improving the manuscript's overall readability and impact.

Obtaining feedback on your manuscript during the evaluation stage of the writing process shouldn’t be the same experience as getting your mom’s proud stamp of approval on your published novel. The last thing any writer needs or wants at this stage of the writing process is for anyone to stroke your ego and tell you how awesome you are. During the evaluation stage, it’s important to seek out targeted feedback that will help you improve your writing.

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When asking others to review the rough draft of your novel, it is important to be specific about the type of feedback you are looking for. Here are some examples of specific feedback that you can ask for…

There is often a gap between what you think you’ve put on the page and what you have actually put on the page. Seeking outside assistance can help you identify gaps that you might miss on your own.

Once you’ve completed an initial evaluation of your manuscript, it’s time to set it on a back burner for a while and let is simmer. When you’ve been working on a manuscript for a long time, it can be challenging to see it objectively. Taking a break allows you to come back to the manuscript with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot areas that need improvement.

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You’ve reached the end of your draft. Your novel is written. It’s time to celebrate! This is a HUGE accomplishment, one that takes some writers decades to reach. You should celebrate! For today, you should ignore how many pages are left in this book and take a break. The writing is done, and your brain needs some rest before making the shift into edit mode.

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When No One Is Watching is set in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, where Sydney Green, a resilient young woman, finds herself grappling with the haunting realities of her community's transformation. As the familiar faces and landmarks vanish before her eyes, Sydney becomes suspicious of the drastic changes. The story takes an unexpected turn when she teams up with her new neighbor, Theo, a handsome and enigmatic figure, to investigate the eerie occurrences that plague their once-cherished streets.