‘The Elements of Active Prose’ gives you pithy tips for improving your writing scene by scene, sentence by sentence. If you’ve ever wondered what is meant by the advice to ‘show, don’t tell’ you’ll find the answer here, along with reassurance that such advice is not something that must be slavishly adhered to. The book also includes guidance for beta readers, clarification of often misunderstood terms and misused punctuation, the main differences between US and UK English, and advice on developing a professional attitude, reviewing fairly, working with editors, and dealing with criticism.

Drawing on her considerable experience as a line editor and as a reviewer for the Awesome Indies, the author explains the influence various word usages have on the reader’s experience and points out traps to avoid if you want your writing to look professional.