Ask the Book Doctor

by Bobbie Christmas Q: After five years I completed my autobiography. After submitting many query letters with the word count of 777,568 I have been informed that as a new…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I was wondering how you feel about e-books. Most people have pretty strong feelings for and against. I’d be interested to know how you feel and…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I keep on hearing “write tight, write tight,” from fellow writers and others. I’m not so sure what they’re trying to say to me. The whole…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: Do single quotation marks indicate irony? Do they indicate thoughts? When should I use single quotation marks? A: Use great caution when using single quotation marks.…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: For a two-hundred-page novel, how short is too short for the chapter length? A: The length of a chapter has only to do with the scene…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: What are the most common errors you find in manuscripts you edit? A: I find and correct errors in word choice, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and more,…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I’ve heard conflicting information about attributions. Some places say that using “said” is the best way to attribute dialogue to characters in fiction or interviewees in…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: How can I unblock my mental blocks and get my creative side back? A: This question arises often lately. I suspect more writers than ever are…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: What does my editor mean when she says my manuscript has danglers? A: She means some sentences are missing important words. Without seeing the manuscript I…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: My editor marked some passages in my literary novel and labeled them “purple prose.” I prefer to write creative passages and descriptions and often spurn traditional…