In getting dressed to go bowling recently, I reached into my jewelry box for a pair of earrings and spotted a gold ring I hadn’t…
Bobbie ChristmasDecember 3, 2022
The Zebra Communications Blog
Creative writing tips and other information for writers
I just finished writing a travelogue article for the magazine I also edit. I spend most of my time editing, these days, so it was…
Bobbie ChristmasAugust 16, 2023
I recently downsized and moved into an active-living facility that offers all sorts of amenities, including an indoor pool, a high-quality restaurant, entertainment, and activities…
Bobbie ChristmasFebruary 3, 2023
“What’s your opinion of split infinitives,” a close friend and fellow writer recently asked me. She knows I am a book editor, of course. She…
Bobbie ChristmasJanuary 28, 2023
Many writers contact me regarding something they wrote—a poem, short story, memoir, novel, self-help book, family history, or something else. Some of those folks ask…
Bobbie ChristmasJuly 12, 2021
Someone recently wrote the following email to me: "A question came up during a guild meeting recently regarding published writings, such as letters to the…
Bobbie ChristmasApril 26, 2021
What is Hard-Copy Editing? What is Electronic Editing? People have asked me what I mean by hard-copy editing or electronic editing, so clear explanations are…
Bobbie ChristmasMarch 4, 2021
by Bobbie Christmas Q: In light of racial and LGBTQ issues, various terminology is changing to more sensitive language, avoiding words and phrases such as…
Bobbie ChristmasOctober 5, 2020
©2020 Bobbie Christmas Agents and publishers say they want manuscripts with a fresh voice. What the heck is a fresh voice, and how can you…
Bobbie ChristmasSeptember 8, 2020