Writers On The Move

Can You Call Yourself a Writer?

Writers: Bloom where you're planted

By Linda Wilson @LinWilsonauthor

Writers just starting out might wonder: Can I call myself a writer, say, if I’m not published? If all I write are my thoughts, wishes and dreams in a journal? If letters, texts, and emails are all I write?

Well, I have the answer. I heard it once from an editor (so it’s got to be true). You can call yourself a writer if you enjoy looking up words in the dictionary. There you have it. It's that simple. So, are you a writer?

Not only do I like, no, relish looking up words in the dictionary, I also enjoy finding just the right word to use to express an action, emotion or to jazz up dialogue. I’m sure every serious writer has Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style at their elbow. It’s a big help, though not with every rule. I’ll get to that in a minute.

And what would I do without my Chicago Manual of Style? My Manual looks like a bird on a cold winter morning who has fluffed up its feathers to stay warm. That’s because I’ve had to look up so many rules, the same ones, mind you, so many times that I finally labelled my most troublesome rules on Post-it page markers for easy access, which flutter on the top and right side of the book. There are twenty-two of them. I just counted them. Guess what the biggest one is: Punctuation.

It’s okay, though. I once learned from yet another editor that writers can’t possibly remember every grammar rule and have to look up many. So, although some might think it’s tedious if they’re told to “go look that up,” genuine writers like you and me know that those people are not writers. We are because we don’t mind looking up rules (and words).

Take Lie, Lay, Lain

Lay is one of the trickiest irregular verbs. The word is categorized simply as "Lay" in Elements of Style, and is explained this way:

A transitive verb. Except in slang (“Let it lay), do not misuse it for the intransitive verb lie. The hen, or the play, lays an egg; the llama lies down. The playwright went home and lay down.
Lie; lay; lain; lying (I made a note in my book here: Past tense of lie is lay)
Lay; laid; laid; laying

As much as this explanation is helpful, I still ponder the correct usage and have four different explanations for Lie and Lay in a Grammar file I keep on my computer. I finally found the most helpful explanation for Lie, Lay, Lain at Professor Malcolm Gibson’s website, “The Wonderful World of Words.” This site is fun for anyone who loves words.

The principal parts (most-common verb forms) of lie are:
lie (present,) lay (past) and lain (past participle).
The principal parts of lay are:
lay (present), laid (past) and laid (past participle).

As an aid in choosing the correct verb forms, remember that lie means to recline, whereas lay means to place something, to put something on something.

Correct Usage

Lie

Present tense: I lie down on my bed to rest my weary bones.
Past tense: Yesterday, I lay there thinking about what I had to do during the day.
Past participle: But I remembered that I had lain there all morning one day last week.

Lay

Present tense: As I walk past, I lay the tools on the workbench.
Past tense: As I walked past, I laid the tools on the workbench. And: I laid an egg in class when I tried to tell that joke.
Past participle: . . . I had laid the tools on the workbench.

The professor has discovered an easy way to remember the rule so that it is used correctly every time. He has named it after one of his students who invented her own way to remember the rule. He calls it The Michiko Sato Rule.

Write these six words and then try them out:

Lie Lay Lain

Lay Laid Laid

Don't get me started on swim, swam, swum. Swum just doesn't sound right to me. Normally, I avoid it by tiptoeing around it. There are other ways to describe your characters while they're swimming than using the word swum, right?

Do you have a method for keeping track of word usage that you'd like to share? Please leave a comment and tell us about it. After all, anyone who reads this post must care about words and therefore is qualified to call himself or herself a writer.

Source: Malcolm Gibson's website: Wonderful World of Words: Malcolm Gibson

Reading my stories
to children is even
more fun than
writing them!

Linda Wilson is the author of the Abi Wunder Mystery series and other books for children. Her two new releases are the Spanish versions of Tall Boots, Botas Altas (2024), translated by Graciela Moreno and Adriana Botero, and Cradle in the Wild, Cuna en la Naturaleza (2025), translated by Adriana Botero. You'll find Linda on her Amazon author page, on her website at LindaWilsonAuthor.com, and on Facebook.

Put Yourself in the Spotlight to Get New Fans for Your Book

Writing a good book is step one. The next step is getting it to sell. Gone are the days when the big publishing houses scheduled your book tours, television interviews, and radio spots.

Now is the time start shouting from the rooftops about your book because if you don’t tell people about it, they simply won’t know it exists. Get the word out with these steps;

Put yourself in the spotlight. No more hiding behind the keyboard if you want to make a book sales! Be proud of what you’ve produced and tell the world. Not a single soul will know about your book unless YOU tell them about it, via social media, press releases, and publicity events.

You Get to Publicize Your Book with Fun Social Media Events

As an author, you have the opportunity to become the life of the party in your industry leading up to the official launch of your book. Build excitement with pre-launch parties and events plus celebrate post-launch milestones as well. Your followers will adore your for it. Plus, they will share the love by inviting their friends to follow you as well.

Connect with your social media followers. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to connecting with your followers online. It’s all about building a trust relationship so your fans know without a doubt that you are credible. Build that relationship, share parts of your life and/or business, be silly, and of course talk about your book. Just don’t hit them over the head with sales post consistently. Show them you’re a real person who cares about helping them more than about selling your book.

Arrange blog tours and podcast tours. Don’t discount blogs or podcasts as part of your promotional efforts. A blog tour is simple a written interview which is published on a blog but they usually include links to your website. Podcasts are audio recordings, similar to traditional radio talk shows, Research who the influencers are in your industry and check out their numbers of readers and listeners. Many blogs or podcasts have national reach so those are the ones to target with your pitch.

Keep the Messages Going Even After You Launch

A book launch is great but when it’s over don’t allow the momentum of your book to die in a post-launch slump. Even if you plan to take a break for a few days following the main event, make sure you have social media messages lined up and ready to go during your downtime.

Writing a book shows that you are the expert but staying in touch and building relationships shows that you are relatable and compassionate.

About Rebecca

Rebecca Camarena is a Book Coach and author who helps women write, publish and market their impactful books about their heartfelt story of the challenges they’ve overcome so they can be an inspiration to others by sharing their words, their voice, their journey.

From refining your narrative to navigating the complex world of publishing I provide tailored editing and publishing strategies that will make your book shine.

Are you’re ready to turn your heartfelt story into your dream book and become the author you were meant to be? Connect with me here, www.rebeccacamarena.com/contact

How to Stay Patient While Your Writing Dreams Take Root

by Suzanne Lieurance

One of the hardest parts of being a writer—or honestly, of chasing any dream—is the waiting.

You do the work.

You show up.

You plant the seeds.

And then… nothing happens.

At least, not right away.

It’s tempting to think you’re doing it wrong.

That you’re not good enough.

That you should be faster, bigger, better by now.

But the truth is, dreams don’t bloom overnight.

And the mindset you hold while you wait matters more than you might think.

Here’s how to tend your mindset and stay patient while your writing dreams take root.

Remember: Roots Grow Before Blooms

In nature, most of a plant’s early growth happens underground.

Roots spread wide and deep before anything pokes through the surface.

It’s the same with your writing life.

The days you write but don’t feel inspired?
The times you submit and hear nothing?
The drafts that don’t come together yet?

All of it is root work.

It’s building a foundation you can’t always see—but one you’ll stand on later.

Keep Showing Up Without Measuring Too Soon

One of the biggest mistakes writers make is digging up their seeds to check if they’re growing.

If you constantly measure your worth by external results—likes, sales, praise—you’ll exhaust yourself.

Instead, measure by effort:

Did you show up today?
Did you take one small step toward your dream?
Did you keep the faith when it would’ve been easier to quit?

That’s success.

That’s momentum, even if it’s invisible for now.

Celebrate Signs of Growth (Even Tiny Ones)

Not all progress looks like a book deal or a bestseller list.

Progress can be:

Finishing a messy first draft.
Sending a query even though you’re scared.
Showing up for five minutes on a hard day.
Feeling a little more confident this week than you did last month.

Small wins are signs of life.

Notice them.

Celebrate them.

The more you acknowledge growth, the more you encourage it.

Be Careful What You Water

Mindset is like soil—it can nourish you or choke you out.

If you spend your time feeding doubts, comparisons, and self-criticism, that’s what will grow.

Instead, water:

Belief in your journey.
Gratitude for what’s working.
Faith that your writing matters.

Choose to feed the good stuff daily.

Even if you have to fake it a little at first.

Trust the Timeline You Can't See

Some seeds bloom fast.

Some take years.

That doesn’t make them any less worthy—or any less beautiful.

You are not behind.

You are not failing.

You are growing at exactly the right pace for your life and your path.

Trust it.

Stay in the Garden

Most people don’t fail because they aren’t talented.

They fail because they get tired of waiting and walk away before the blooms appear.

Stay in the garden a little longer.

Keep tending your dream with care, patience, and love.

The work you’re doing matters—even when it feels slow.

Your season is coming.

And now, for writing tips every weekday morning delivered to your inbox, get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge.

Suzanne Lieurance is the award-winning author of over 40 published books and a Law of Attraction coach for writers.

Learn more about her products and services for writers at writebythesea.com.

Jumpstart Your Magazine Writing

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

How can you write and submit exactly what the magazine editor is looking for? You get some insights from reading the submission guidelines but I’m talking about something much more specific and a simple list of topics and ideas for this publication. Seasoned magazine writers know about this tool and after reading this article, you will know about it too: a theme list. Publication editors will brainstorm this list of story ideas, post it on their website and also send it to their regular contributors. Using a theme list is a sure way to grab the reading attention of the editor.

Recently I attended a Christian writers’ conference. It’s one of the key places where you can build relationships with editors and learn how to meet the needs of editors. If you write what an editor needs, then you are much more likely to get published than randomly writing something and sending it into the publication. If a writers’ conference is not in your plans, make plans to get to one soon. As editors, we publish people that we know, like and trust and you can build these relationships at a conference.

During an editor’s panel at this conference, I heard an editor’s cry for help. I’m not going to give the specific magazine but use this incident as a way to help you be more successful and on target with your magazine submissions. This magazine editor leads a 200,000 circulation Christian publication which publishes a theme list with their guidelines. With each monthly magazine, they publish articles outside of their theme but in particular they need articles tied to their theme. In front of the entire conference, this editor mentioned several of his projected themes did not have a single article ready for publication.

As I listened to this editor’s cry for help, I recalled my work at Decision, the publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As associate editor, I was looking for theme related articles. For example, I needed articles about love for a February magazine (Valentine’s Day). It was not easy to get these articles even for a large circulation magazine like Decision whose circulation at that time was 1.8 million. To gather these needed theme-related articles, I would call or email some of my author friends and ask them for submissions.

If you want to be published in magazines, in general there are two options. You can write whatever you want (inspiration) and then try to find a publication for it. Or you can look at the themes an editor has created for their magazine (their needs) and write an article to meet those needs. The second approach of writing for a particular theme is more likely to be published from my experience.

The Christian Writers Market Guide includes over 150 magazine listings. Many of these listings include the location of their guidelines and theme list. Another way to find these publications is to use Google with the search words “Christian editorial theme lists.” I instantly found several pages of Christian publications with their theme lists.

As you meet needs of the editor (use their theme list) you will be published in magazines and become a dependable resource for your editor. Don’t overlook this important resource for your magazine articles. Writers do much more than publish books. If you write for magazines and have never published a book, call yourself a writer.

Tweetable:

Jumpstart your magazine writing and use a publication theme list. This prolific writer and editor gives the details here. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Plot Devices

Contributed by author Margot Conor

If you’re writing fiction, you have probably used many of these but might not even be aware that you are doing it. Plot devices are tools or techniques used by writers to advance the story, create tension, develop characters, or deliver information. In fact, most writers use plot devices instinctively, and not because they have been taught to.

That was certainly true for me.

For instance, I’ve used a Chekhov’s Gun without knowing the term—just because it “felt right” to set up something early and bring it back later. And I’ve done a time jump because I knew the story’s pace needed to shift forward to avoid dragging.

Plot devices help move the story forward, especially when the writer needs a way to get characters from Point A to Point B, a reason for conflict or urgency, or a mechanism for revealing backstory or secrets. For example, a MacGuffin (like a stolen relic or hidden document) can give your characters a concrete goal, even if the object itself isn’t that important—what matters is what people are willing to do to get it.

Devices like foreshadowing, cliffhangers, or false hope can subtly cue the audience’s feelings, build tension or dread, create mystery, and deliver satisfying twists or emotional payoffs. Misleading reading and giving them an unexpected climax is rewarding. That’s why red herrings or unreliable narrators are so common in thrillers and mysteries.

Sometimes a plot device like a flashback or a framing device isn’t just for structure—it reflects a character’s inner journey or the story’s deeper message. A mentor figure may not only train the hero but symbolize the values they must eventually embrace or transcend.

The key is not to avoid them, but to use them thoughtfully. When overused or if they are too obvious (like a contrived deus ex machina), they can feel lazy. But when woven skillfully into the story, they become invisible threads that hold the whole tapestry together.

Here is a list, in case you are not aware of the terms:

1. MacGuffin: An object or goal that drives the plot forward, but its specific nature is less important than its effect on the characters and events.
For example: Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Ark of the Covenant is pursued by all characters, but it's largely a means to fuel the chase and conflict.

2. Chekhov’s Gun: A seemingly minor detail introduced early in the story that becomes important later. The principle is: “If you show a gun in Act 1, it should go off in Act Three.”

For example: In Breaking Bad, a ricin vial introduced in early episodes becomes key to later plot developments.

3. Deus ex Machina: A sudden, unexpected solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem, often involving divine or external intervention.

For example: In The Lord of the Rings, the eagles rescuing Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom feels sudden and unearned.

4. Red Herring: A misleading clue or event meant to divert attention from the true plot or culprit, often used in mysteries.

For example: In Sherlock Holmes stories, an obvious suspect is often introduced to distract the reader from the real villain.

5. Cliffhanger: A suspenseful ending that leaves a major plot point unresolved to compel the audience to continue to the next installment.

For example: The Empire Strikes Back: The movie ends with Han Solo frozen in carbonite, unresolved.

6. Flashback: A scene set in a time earlier than the main story, used to provide background or context.

For example: In Lost, characters’ backstories are told through flashbacks in nearly every episode.

7. Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

For example: In Of Mice and Men, Lennie’s killing of small animals foreshadows the tragic climax.

8. Framing Device: A story within a story, where the main narrative is presented within another context. Such as a character telling a story.

For example: The Princess Bride: The fantasy story is told within the frame of a grandfather reading to his grandson.

9. Time Skip / Time Jump: A sudden jump forward in time to show consequences or shift the narrative scope.

For example: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ends with a 19-year time jump showing the characters as adults.

10. The Reveal / Twist Ending: A sudden revelation that changes the audience’s understanding of earlier events.

For example: The Sixth Sense: The twist that Dr. Malcolm was dead all along recontextualizes the entire film.

11. The Mentor: A wise, experienced character who guides the protagonist, often dies or steps aside, pushing the hero to grow.

For example: In Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi trains Luke and sacrifices himself.

12. The Chosen One: A protagonist who is predestined to fulfill a great destiny, often without initially knowing it.

For example: In The Matrix: Neo is "The One" who will liberate humanity.

13. The Love Triangle: A romantic entanglement where a character is torn between two love interests.

For example: The Hunger Games: Katniss is caught between Peeta and Gale.

14. The Race Against Time: A scenario where characters must complete a task before a deadline or face dire consequences.

For example: In Mission: Impossible: Disarming a bomb before it explodes.

15. The Ticking Clock: Similar to the race against time, but emphasizes suspense by continually reminding the audience of an approaching deadline.

For example: In 24: Each episode unfolds in real time, with a constant countdown.

16.The False Protagonist: A character introduced as the main focus, only to die or be sidelined early on.

For example: In Psycho: Marion Crane is killed midway, shifting focus to Norman Bates.

17. The Unreliable Narrator: A narrator whose credibility is compromised, making readers question what’s true.

For example: In Fight Club: The narrator’s split identity with Tyler Durden is a key twist.

18. The Secret Identity: A character hides their true identity, often for protection or to work undercover.

For example: Batman is Bruce Wayne. He lives a double life as Batman.

19. False Hope: When a plan appears to succeed, only to fail dramatically, escalating the stakes.

For example: In Avengers: Infinity War, the team nearly removes Thanos's gauntlet, but Star-Lord’s rage ruins the moment.

20. Plot Coupon / Fetch Quest: The protagonist must collect a set of items or complete specific tasks to progress the story.

For example: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Finding and destroying the Horcruxes.

Reading Books from Other Countries or Cultures
If you read in other languages or read translations written by authors from other countries, there are a few different plot devices used. Their storytelling traditions use unique narrative structures and devices that don’t always appear in Western storytelling. Writers from different cultures may use different narrative logic.

For example, Western stories often focus on conflict and resolution. Eastern stories may emphasize contrast, balance, or enlightenment. Oral traditions may prioritize communal values, less linear structures, or ritual-based storytelling.

Knowing this can help you understand the value of their stories and why they matter in the context of their social structures.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. Margot's debut multiverse adventure novel, Inverse, is available on Amazon.

She's spent the last year attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader. Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/

Create a Writing Schedule You Can Stick with

Contributed by Rebecca Camarena

It's easy to say you want to write and publish a book. You could talk about writing a book for years.

But that's not enough!

You need motivation, accountability, and persistance to see it through. Follow these tips to start writing your book.

Create a Plan

You need to create a plan that details how you'll write a book, otherwise it won't get done.

But creating a writing schedule is boring, isn't it? Not necessarily. A schedule is a terrific action plan and accountability partner. It allows you to brainstorm specific goals and assign achievable deadlines to your project using these tips;

Find Time to Write

Create your schedule by first evaluating how you're currently spending your time. Take a look at the last two weeks and what each typical day looks like for you. Make sure to include both your personal and professional activities.

After you're done, review your days and look for pockets of time that you could dedicate to write your book.

Outsource Tasks

If you're stretched thin and can't find any time to devote to your new goal, then look for tasks that you don't personally need to oversee. For example, cleaning your home doesn't have to be done by you. You could also hire a company to do it. Outsourcing doesn't always work for everyone. You can schedule cleaning for each day and do only the basic elements. Get kids involved in cleaning or a spouse, partner. You don't have to be the only one holding it altogether.

Make a Temporary Sacrifice

Look for areas in your day and week where you can make a temporary sacrifice. If you spend several hours binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix, consider giving this up until you finish your book. Cut back on other activities that don't have to be front and center in your day.

Thinking about writing a book can make you feel a bit overwhelmed. That's why you want to break it down into smaller tasks now that you've created time and space in your life for this project.

Make a Calendar or Chart

Now that you've identified time where you can write your book you want to track it. Create either a daily word count goal or a time tracking goal.

Set a word count goal for an hour, a day or weekly goal. Write down your word counts and watch how the total grows over time. At this point don't worry about being perfect with your words just get them on the paper.

Track your time instead of word count. Very often as it happens committing to a certain word count can bring on writer's block. To avoid this just sit down and get yourself to write something in the allocated time. Even if most of the time is daydreaming at least you are gaining momentum.

Whatever your reason for writing your book be honest about and make a promise to yourself that you will try to reach your goals and then exceed them. The important thing to do is experiment with a writing schedule you can stick with.

About Rebecca

As a best-selling author with her co-authored book Out of My Comfort Zone: Stories of Courage, Perseverance and Victory she helped women share their stories of how they got out of their fear zone to excel in their business.

Are you’re ready to turn your heartfelt story into your dream book and become the author you were meant to be? Connect with me here, www.rebeccacamarena.com/contact

Dialogue’s Ten Basic Can’t-Go-Wrong Rules

Ten Easy Ways to Keep Dialogue Sharp
And Why the Average Author Needs to Know Them

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Author of The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing
Now In Its Third Edition

Let’s start with the second part first because you, the author, are reasonably sure
your published work will receive attention from the best editors ever,
and in the meantime, running small documents past friends, relatives, and even English teachers
likely won’t cut it. This article covers grammar and dialogue that
English Departments’ don’t offer until college and then only if you happen
to choose it as an elective or major in creative writing.
PS: If you write nonfiction, and are avoiding anecdotes to make
your work sparkle, you’ll have tools enough to make your characters speak!

Dialogue’s Ten Basic Can’t-Go-Wrong Rules

1. Keep it simple. "He said" and "She said" will usually do. Your reader is trained to accept this repetition.

2. Forget you ever heard of strong verbs. Skip the "He yelped" and the "She sighed." They slow your dialogue down. If you feel need them, look at the words—the actual dialogue— your character used when he was yelping. Maybe it doesn't reflect the way someone would sound if he yelped. Maybe if you strengthen the dialogue, you be glad to ditch the overblown tag.

3. When you can, reveal who is saying something by the voice or tone of the dialogue. That way you may be able to skip tags occasionally, especially when you have only two people speaking to one another. Your dialogue will ring truer, too.

4. Avoid having characters use other characters' names. In real life, we don't use people's names in our speech much. We tend to reserve using names for when we're angry or disapproving or we just met in a room full of people and we're practicing out social skills. Having a character direct her speech to one character or another by using her name is a lazy writer's way of directing dialogue and it will annoy the reader. When readers are annoyed, they will not be immersed in the story you are trying to tell.

5. Avoid putting internal dialogue in italics. Trust your reader and your own ability to write in a character's point of view. Whichever point-of-view you have choses for your narrative will let your reader surmise who is speaking.

6. Be cautious about using dialogue to tell something that should be shown. It doesn't help to transfer “telling” from the narrative to what a character’s is saying. Professionals will know what you are trying to do and your reader will just think that character is long winded.

7. Don't break up dialogue sequences with long or overly frequent blocks of narrative. One of dialogue's greatest advantages is that it moves a story along. If a writer inserts too much stage direction, it will lose the forward motion and any tension it is building.

8. Avoid having every character answer a question directly. Some people do that (say a sensitive young girl who has been reared to obey her elders) but many don't. Some veer off with an answer that doesn't follow from the question asked. Some are silent. Some characters do any one of these things as a matter of course. Some do them purposefully, perhaps to avoid fibbing or to change the subject or because they are passive aggressive.

9. Avoid dull dialogue that doesn't help draw better characters or move the action forward. Forcing a reader to hear people introduce themselves to one another without a very good reason to do so is cruel and unusual punishment.

10. Use dialogue to unobtrusive plant a seed of intrigue. If a character brings up a concern that isn't solved immediately, you can heighten the page-turning effect until you are ready to supply the “great reveal.”

Though this article will have writers using professionally-written dialogue to liven everything from their nonfiction to their novels, I strongly recommend

Tom Chiarella's Writing Dialogue published by Writers' Digest. For more on editing in general—from editing query letters to turning unattractive adverbs into metaphoric gold—find my The Frugal Editor in its third edition on Amazon.

Next month, right here on Karen Cioffi’s Writers on the Move
blog, I’m planning another list that
will give you ten reasons why knowing more
editing than your do already might make

You a better (and happier) writer.

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S WRITERS ON THE MOVE CONTRIBUTOR

Carolyn Howard-Johnson was an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writer's Program for nearly a decade. The first book in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books, The Frugal Book Promoter, won USA Book News' Best Professional Book Award and Book Publicists of Southern California's Irwin Award. The second, The Frugal Editor, is the winningest book in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers (The first edition was named best of 2004 by USA Book News. ) It includes many editing tips on dialogue, the use of quotation marks and more and the third edition includes even more. Learn more at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.