claire-krastof

[claire-krastof]

Editing sale!

Happy November everybody!

I'm holding a sale on my editing services!

Whether you've been participating in one of the many end-of-year writing sprints being held this time of year, or you just have editing you want to get done before the end of the year, I want to make getting your work edited easier for you, so all of my editing services are 50% off until the end of December!

Proofreading: $10.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.01/ word) $5.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.005/ word)

Combing through your work to check and correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Copyediting: $15.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.015/ word) $7.50/ 1,000 words (or $0.0075/ word)

Combing through your work to check and correct spelling, grammar and punctuation

Ensuring tone is consistent throughout your work

Ensuring that your work complies with the style guide you designate

Fact checking

Developmental/ Content Editing: $20.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.02/ word) $10.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.01/ word)

Feedback on narrative structure, characterization and world building

Notes on dialog, voice and tone

Highlighting any plot holes

Creation of a style sheet to ensure the spellings of names and locations in your story are consistent, as well as any other word use that might be unique to your story.

If you're interested in hiring me for my services, please feel free to DM me here on Tumblr, or email me claire.krastof@gmail.com!

[claire-krastof]

How to avoid White Room Syndrome

by Writerthreads on Instagram

A common problem writers face is "white room syndrome"—when scenes feel like they’re happening in an empty white room. To avoid this, it's important to describe settings in a way that makes them feel real and alive, without overloading readers with too much detail. Here are a few tips below to help!

Focus on a few key details

You don’t need to describe everything in the scene—just pick a couple of specific, memorable details to bring the setting to life. Maybe it’s the creaky floorboards in an old house, the musty smell of a forgotten attic, or the soft hum of a refrigerator in a small kitchen. These little details help anchor the scene and give readers something to picture, without dragging the action with heaps of descriptions.

Engage the senses

Instead of just focusing on what characters can see, try to incorporate all five senses—what do they hear, smell, feel, or even taste? Describe the smell of fresh bread from a nearby bakery, or the damp chill of a foggy morning. This adds a lot of depth and make the location feel more real and imaginable.

Mix descriptions with actions

Have characters interact with the environment. How do your characters move through the space? Are they brushing their hands over a dusty bookshelf, shuffling through fallen leaves, or squeezing through a crowded subway car? Instead of dumping a paragraph of description, mix it in with the action or dialogue.

Use the setting to reflect a mood or theme

Sometimes, the setting can do more than just provide a backdrop—it can reinforce the mood of a scene or even reflect a theme in the story. A stormy night might enhance tension, while a warm, sunny day might highlight a moment of peace. The environment can add an extra layer to what’s happening symbolically.

Here's an example of writing a description that hopefully feels alive and realistic, without dragging the action:

The bookstore was tucked between two brick buildings, its faded sign creaking with every gust of wind. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of worn paper and dust, mingling with the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee from a corner café down the street. The wooden floorboards groaned as Ella wandered between the shelves, her fingertips brushing the spines of forgotten novels. Somewhere in the back, the soft sound of jazz crackled from an ancient radio.

Hope these tips help in your writing!

[claire-krastof]

Love this!

Instead of doing NanoWriMo I will be doing something where I try to aim for writing an actual average of 400 words a day for the month of November in memory of Terry Pratchett, who as far as I know never thought telling a computer to write a book for you is a good way to hone your skills as a writer.

[claire-krastof]

Was wishing there was a positivity post for original fiction writers since I see so many about how fanfic writers are doing so much for their communities even when they're not actively writing, and then I thought:

Be the change you want to see in the world.

So this is a positivity post for the writers out here who are working very hard on stories with no established community. Who can't talk about their blorbos and plot lines and brainstorming to anyone and expect them to know what any of it means. Who don't have much to share publicly, but are hoping they will one day.

You're doing a lot of hard work, and I recognize and appreciate what you're putting into the world, even when you're resting.

[claire-krastof]

we have GOT to abolish the paperback only being released a year later scheme brother i simply am not purchasing your $40 hardcover book

[claire-krastof]

Yeah, don't do this.

At most, reread the chapter you're currently writing, or the last chapter you wrote, if you're on the beginning of a new chapter, to make sure you're keeping tone consistent and get back into the mindset you were in and can pick up where you left off.

Then write. Get the scene out of your head.

Don't reread the entire book. Keep editing to a minimum, and if that's not possible, literally sit on your hands so you don't touch your keyboard while you reread what you do need to reread.

Accept the fact that your first draft is going to he shit. Embrace it. That's why it's called a rough draft. That's what the editing process is for. And that editing process comes after you finish writing the rough draft of your book.

Once you've finished the first draft of your book, *then* you can reread everything and edit, and decide if a scene fits with everything else or of it has to go. And then you show it to an alpha or beta reader or hire a developmental editor and they'll give you further feedback. And then you'll edit again. And you'll keep editing and refining until your book is as ready for public consumption as it's ever going to be.

But you need to finish that first draft first.

[claire-krastof]

This is why you hire an editor, so you can get a fresh, professional set of eyes on your work. Because you wrote it and know what it says and have read it so many times, it's easier for you to miss things compared to someone reading your work for the first time.

I must have reread one particular chapter of a book I'm writing like five times before I came across a typo that I know an editor would have caught on the first pass.

[claire-krastof]

I think some people forget that some literature and some media is meant to be deeply uncomfortable and unsettling. It's meant to make you have a very visceral reaction to it. If you genuinely can't handle these stories then you are under no obligation to consume them but acting as if they have no purpose or as if people don't have a right to tell these stories, stories that often relate to the darkest or most disturbing parts of life, then you should do some introspection.

[claire-krastof]

Ngl, I snorted at some of these.

As someone in her 30's who grew up around film cannisters because her father was a photographer, the fact that the etymology of "footage" is now considered a fun fact made me crumble into dust a little...

The sea is filled with jerks.

[claire-krastof]

I've been struggling to figure out what to blog about on a blog for my editing business, and my love for etymology was one of the things I thought might ne a fun option. Then I got stuck with decision paralysis: what word do I start with? How do I choose?

This seems like a good start...

TiL (click to go to the thread, which probably has more interesting tidbits I missed).

Bonus:

[claire-krastof]

Authors League Fund

Shamelessly pilfered from @neil-gaiman, who wrote this:

I serve on the Board of Directors of the Authors League Fund, which helps career writers in financial need. As an emergency fund, we provide non-taxable cash support for rent, utilities, groceries, medical bills, and other pressing needs. We have been doing this work since 1917, helping thousands of professional writers across the US. If you become aware of a writer who might benefit from our support, please send them our way: www.authorsleaguefund.org. Applications are confidential and handled quickly and with respect.

We help a broad range of writers: authors, journalists, critics, essayists, poets, short story writers, dramatists, and—recently added—graphic novelists and librettists. We have a special focus on health emergencies and writers in retirement, and hope you will keep us in mind if you learn of a friend, colleague, or client who is struggling.

Spread the word...

[claire-krastof]

Greetings Writers of Tumblr!

Do you have a book or short story that you're looking to publish?

I am a freelance editor available to hire!

My Qualifications:

BA in Creative Writing from Knox College

Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing from the Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

My Services and Rates:

Proofreading: $10.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.01/ word)

Combing through your work to check and correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Copyediting: $15.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.015/ word)

Combing through your work to check and correct spelling, grammar and punctuation

Ensuring tone is consistent throughout your work

Ensuring that your work complies with the style guide you designate

Fact checking

Developmental/ Content Editing: $20.00/ 1,000 words (or $0.02/ word)

Feedback on narrative structure, characterization and world building

Notes on dialog, voice and tone

Highlighting any plot holes

Creation of a style sheet to ensure the spellings of names and locations in your story are consistent, as well as any other word use that might be unique to your story.

If you're interested in making use of my services, please dm me or reach out to me through my website!