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About Shirley Kennedy
While attending UC, I had a crusty old English professor who downgraded his students over the slightest mistake in composition, grammar, syntax, and content. He taught me a lot. Since then, I, myself, have been a stickler for excellence in English; so it follows that when I edit a manuscript, I catch all errors, however slight. Of course we all know that in this day and age, writing rules are made to be broken and often are. (I break them myself--a lot.) Still, I contend if you're going to be a writer, you had better know the rules before you start to break them. WHAT I EVALUATE IN YOUR MANUSCRIPT:
Does the story flow? Is the pacing too fast? Too slow? There's more, but the most important part of my evaluation cannot be found in the items listed above. You may have broken all the rules, but what really counts is: does your story fly? Have you left Bland City (where, sadly, many writers dwell ) and soared to new heights with a story so enticing, so compelling, that the reader won't be able to put your book down? If you have, I will gladly tell you. If you have not but are close, or maybe even not so close, I'll tell you that, too, with advice on how to improve. What if your writing is beyond atrocious? It happens. Over the years, I have seen some horrifically bad writing and privately thought, this writer must NEVER quit his day job! Yet no writer is hopeless, especially one who is dedicated to the craft and sincerely wants to improve. In an honest but kind-as-possible manner, I will suggest methods to improve even the most poorly written manuscript. (See Samples.) I do not give "puff" critiques, though, so if you're overly sensitive, better not come to me. MY BOOKS: Three Wishes for Miss Winthrop,
ISBN 0-451-20938-9, Signet
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