@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Words, when used as modifiers to a verb, that can help you spot the passive voice: are, am, been, being, by, of, is, was, were. These are not the only ones, and they don't always signify passive voice, so don't go crazy trying to get rid of them.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Some writers think you should never use the passive voice. It exists for a reason. Here are some times the passive voice is appropriate: When the person/thing performing the action is unknown, unimportant, abstract, or needs to be de-emphasized.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: A man with a wooden leg named Smith. What was the name of his other leg? An old joke, but one that perfectly shows what a misplaced modifier is. Sometimes we can't see it when we've written it, and that's another reason why we need editors.

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While Particular Passages is going out of print, Particular Passages 3 paperback is on sale at Amazon! $9.36 amzn.to/4sqWxe8

While Particular Passages is going out of print, Particular Passages 2 paperback is on deep discount at Amazon! $4.61 amzn.to/48qoZFI

Particular Passages goes out of print at the end of this month! Don't miss your chance to get a copy before it's gone, never to return! books2read.com/u/bWrlZG

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: There are many types of narrative voices. In general, a narrator is a character (sometimes even if it doesn’t feel like it). If the narrator is lying to you, even if they don’t know they are, they are called an unreliable narrator.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Is it redundant to say "said" in dialog? "Hi," he said. Maybe, but sometimes we need identifiers to know who was talking. How about "asked?" "Oh?" he asked. Maybe, but again, we need identifiers. Just don't overdo it. Skip unnecessary ones.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: We've all been told never judge a book by its cover, but we all still do it. That cover is not just the book cover, but your online personality and profile, too. And how you treat people in person. And, of course, your appearance. Be professional.

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: To consider when picking a publishing platform: set up/other fees, formats available (print, ebook, hardback, audio), royalty rate, (restriction of) distribution, file formats accepted, pre-orders, free promos, bad terms of service, extra features

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Not every opportunity is too good to pass up. Maybe you'll miss out once in a while, but if you get a bad feeling, if you feel pushed or forced into something, then get out. You don't have to do it. This applies to all of life, not just writing.

On May 1st, the original Particular Passages anthology will go out of print. If you missed out on this, now is the LAST chance you will have to get a copy! We dropped the eBook to $2.99. We can't change the print. Order before April 30th! books2read.com/u/bWrlZG

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: Just as there are run-on sentences, there are run-on paragraphs. My rule of thumb is "new idea, new paragraph." A new speaker is a new idea. A new, closely related action may not need a new paragraph, but a fight is probably not all one paragraph.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Ambiguous descriptions can hurt your story. Land on a new planet and the ground is ashen? I don’t know if that’s a color or actual ash. Open a portal to a gilded world? I don't know if that's the lighting or if everything is covered in real gold.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: There is a special character for the ellipsis that is all three dots in one character (…) instead of three periods (...). I suggest you always use one-character ellipses so a publisher never has one of the periods break off into the next page.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Some programs automatically convert two dashes (--) into an em-dash. Some use a special character menu. In MS Word on PC, you can make an em-dash by pressing: ctl + alt + (-) on the number pad. On MS Word on Mac, use shift+Option+(-) hyphen.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: The en-dash (–) is used with a range of numbers such as “1–100” or “read pages 78–96” or linking things, like the Bush–Cheney political ticket. A hyphen(-) combines them into one thing instead of linking them. Bush-Cheney would be one person's name

@AuthorSamKnight's #writingtips: em-dash (—) en-dash (–) hyphen (-) The em-dash (—) is called em-dash because it takes up the same amount of space as the letter M. (Or it did at one time, in that one font…) The en-dash (–), of course, was the same width as the letter N.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Than vs. Then. Than is used for comparing things. Bigger than that. Then is used to mark chronological order. Did this then did that.

Have you been enjoying @samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips? Find more in his book! Available most everywhere, or ask your local bookseller to order it! books2read.com/u/49vkQw

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: Farther vs. Further. Farther indicates a measurable, physical distance. He flew farther into space. Further indicates a comparison of more that cannot be physically measured. She fell further in love.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Did you know, when talking hypotheticals (like wishing about something to have been different) instead of reality (even in fiction) you should use were (weren’t) instead of was (wasn’t)?

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Some authors swear by selling only on KU. Others swear by selling wide. Others only to trad publishers. There is no one right answer, only answers that are right for you. Maybe you only want to sell stories to your favorite magazine. That’s okay.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: House Rules means each publishing house has its own preference for certain punctuation styles/norms it follows for consistency across its publications. One may want spaces before and after ellipses, one may want no spaces. Don't take it personal.

Our friends at WordFire Press are having a sale on some of their fundraising anthologies! Check it out! www.wordfireshop.com/product-cate...

@AuthorSamKnight's #writingtips: You don't have to change your story the way an editor wants you to. Conversely, they don't have to publish your story if it's not the way they want. Recognize the compromise. Also, beware of violating a contract. Did you agree to make the changes?

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Most things that happen suddenly happen so fast that using the word "suddenly" slows down the action. Also, it is overused. I recommend putting it on your seek and destroy list.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Make a Seek and Destroy list. List all words, punctuation, phrases, and anything else you habitually do in your writing that you get wrong or don't like. When editing, go down the list and use search to find each instance and see if you need it.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Beware the tons of scams targeting writers today. You did not just get an email from a famous author who read your book. That is not a real book club wanting to sponsor your book. Those places are looking to scam you. Research and pay attention.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Some people feel they don’t have to/want to be a reader to be a writer. That usually shows when you try to read what they've written. It’s okay to explore an artform, but it’s best to try to learn something about it/be familiar with it as well.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: A change of scenery can help boost your writing productivity and a change can stunt it. If you’re having problems, consider what might have changed. Is the house quieter? Nosier? Lonelier? Try different white noise or even different lighting.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a real thing. And it doesn’t stop there. Neck, back, elbows and more are affected, and when they start to hurt, it may already be too late. Research proper ergonomic techniques. For your own sake.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: It’s okay if your writing is “just a hobby” or you only focus on what you want, not what others think you should. Many writers actually lose productivity, or even the ability to write, when they “go full time” or have "obligations." You be you.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Open calls can happen quickly with a lot of publishers only accepting submissions for one or two weeks a year. Research in advance who you think is the best fit for your novel and be prepared to send it at a moment's notice.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: A great way to practice pitching your novel to an agent is swapping novels with a writer friend, read them, and then pitch it to each other as if it were yours. You will both learn a lot about your own book and what to highlight and crow about.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Impossible dialog tags are when a character is indicated as speaking in an impossible way. “My Queen,” he smirked/joked/nodded. None of those actions make words. Some people also feel that words cannot be grunted, gasped, breathed, hissed, etc.

All of the KWP/Enrapturing Tales ebook versions of our anthologies are on sale March 1, 2026 - March 7, 2026 at the Smashwords Store. Most (but not all) are 75% off. www.smashwords.com/profile/view... www.smashwords.com/profile/view...

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: Some places don’t want a price on self-published book covers anymore because Print on Demand prices have repeatedly gone up over the past few years.

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: It can be difficult to establish characters, their descriptions, location, and actions all at once in the opening sentence or paragraph. Trying to do so can be worse than not doing so at all. Instead, aim for interesting and then add them in.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Boo... Boo. Boo! BOO!!! Do those read the same to you? Some say you should never use certain punctuations, but if they didn’t do anything, they wouldn’t exist. I still avoid uncommon ones. There is no point to a mark a reader doesn't understand؟

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: Writing "The End" is a great feeling and often a reason for celebration. But it also comes with a burst of emotional energy that can be focused into starting the next project, even if only for a few minutes. Don’t waste it!

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: The title of your story, not the first sentence, is your real first hook. It doesn’t have to be perfect, most readers will gloss over it, but it can’t be terrible or a reader won’t even try to read the story.

@samknight.bsky.social 's #writingtips: Relying on online word processing can lead to problems when you lose internet access. Make sure you backup offline and have an offline way to write. Also, errors happen with file conversions. Even Word on Mac is not 100% compatible with Word on PC

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: When you co-author, you need a contract. Even with family and best friends. Maybe doubly so then. Who makes final decisions? Who owns rights? What if someone wants out or dies? Here is a resource (I may be mentioned in it): books2read.com/u/bwPAWP

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Open calls for short stories are great ways to find writing prompts, learn about contracts (good and bad), meet new people in the industry (good and bad), get published, learn to meet deadlines, learn to work with edits (good and bad), and more.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Over the years, about a dozen people have told me I can’t format print books with MS Word. Despite the fact I've done it over 2 dozen times. When I tell them that, they still argue. Don’t let naysayers stop you from trying what you want to try.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: It helps to understand why you write. Especially the thing right now. For yourself? Emotional release? To learn? Teach? For a specific person? To entertain? Money? To show or hide truth? Each has different focus and approach which affects results.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: The "third hand" is something romance readers tend to notice more than other readers, but it applies everywhere. Pay attention to what you say your characters are doing, or they can end up impossibly contorted, extra-limbed, and carrying the impossible.

@samknight.bsky.social's #writingtips: Read what you write before you send it anywhere. If someone can tell you didn't care enough to read/edit/correct your story at least once after you wrote it, it's hard for them to care enough to read it. Some mistakes are too obvious to forgive.