Ask the Book Doctor

by Bobbie Christmas Q: Are both of the following sentences below grammatically correct? The first one seems off because it sounds like “while waiting . . . sister” defines “dance.”…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I’m publishing a book of rebus puzzles. Should I use a pen name or my own name? I know some authors use another name when they…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: What is the necessary balance between dialogue (that shows) and exposition (that tells but advances the story)? A: Exposition is usually background information and rarely advances…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: You told me that dog breeds don’t get capitalized, right? Border collie is the one in question. I prefer to do it out of respect, but…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: How can I go from free to fee writing? A: I could simply say to go from free to fee writing, get work from businesses that…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I belong to a writer’s group, and every week we debate grammar and word usage rules, including the following: Using an extra “s” after the possessive…

by Bobbie Christmas As soon as we take writing seriously, we learn to avoid clichés. In my decades of editing book-length manuscripts for publishers and individuals, though, I see a…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I have a question regarding one of your “criticisms.” On several of the pages you edited you circled the word “And” and made a note not…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I’m unhappy with my critique circle, and it took me a long time to find this one. I need advice. Our circle is open, so anyone…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: When you edited my book you marked up many of my uses of “he or she” and “him or her.” I used that method to keep…