FYI: DIGITAL INK -- Best of the Best

If you have problems with characterization, show vs. tell, POV, deep POV, then Digital Ink: Writing Killer Fiction in the E-Book Age by Bonnie Hearn Hill and Christopher Allan Poe is an eBook for you. Even if you don’t think you have problems with these things, you probably do. I wish I could hand deliver a copy of this book to each and every one of you. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say, this eBook should be mandatory reading, given to every writer by every publisher--instead of a rejection slip.

Last week, I finished my line edits. My editor pointed out problems I didn’t know I had. I’ve always spotted POV switches and show vs. tell glitches in manuscripts I critique and felt confident I didn’t exhibit those problems. Was I ever wrong! And dangling participles? No, you’d never find one of those in any manuscript of mine, and certainly not two of them!

Digital Ink: WritingKiller Fiction in the E-Book Age has every answer a writer needs to make his/her manuscript stronger and cleaner. My editing would have been so much easier had I read Digital Ink first—before doing my line editing. Even before I’d ever completed my novella. This book pin-points problems we don’t even know we have.

Best of all, there’s no fluff—no unnecessary rambling.  Just the facts, ma’am!

Digital Ink isn’t your traditional how-to-write-a-novel book, but one that points out the common problems all writers make and shows how NOT to make them.

“Problematic manuscripts almost always begin with a flimsy protagonist.” This is so true. Who knew? The authors actually prove it.

“…your character must be proactive, and your character must be sympathetic.”  Of course, we know this. Always have, but this book shows how to make our characters BOTH.

 “Your readers may not know the difference between and adverb and dangling participle, but they can spot a bad story instantly. That usually begins with poor character development.” This is fascinating stuff! I promise you.

“POV glitches are responsible for most of the problems in your manuscript. Book too short? POV. Plot too thin? POV. Problems knowing where to end a scene? POV, honey. Every time.” 

If you purchase this eBook, please, please, please do not skip one word. There’s not a boring chapter in this book. It’s a fast read and one you’ll read over and over again. Highlight the good parts, and I promise every page will be yellow!

I bought this book one evening, downloaded it to my iPhone, read into the night and finished it the next morning. It’s worth every penny.

“Learn deep point-of-view. Doing so will make you a better fiction writer. It will bring the reader closer to your characters, which is what authors should always strive for.“  Deep point of view has always been a little fuzzy in my brain. Not anymore.

Digital Ink: Writing Killer Fiction in the eBook Age by Hill and Poe is THE BEST book on writing I’ve read in a long, long time. There’s something to learn on every page.   The authors write in their last chapter, and it’s certainly something to think about:  “Great authors and terrible authors share the same virtual bookshelf.”  Yes, definitely something to think about.

To improve your writing and make your books stand out from the crowd, read and study Digital Ink:Writing Killer Fiction in the eBook Age. What have you got to lose?

What’s the most difficult part of writing to you? Do you have a writing weakness? Share!