Writing questions and one answer.

I'm trying to write a novel this summer and mostly I have lots of writing questions, like: how do you name characters? Do you give them names that symbolize their role in the story? Do you give them the names left on your list of "names I like" after you've finished having children? How do you know when you've selected the right name for your hero or heroine?

Will the characters in your novel be based on people you know? Yesterday, I was biking with a friend and when I told her my plan for writing a novel, she asked, "Will I be in it?" So far, the answer is no. The people in my novel are based on variations of me. But I'm going to have to branch out because just me will make for a boring novel.

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My sister is placing her daughter and son-in-law's wedding announcement in the newspaper. She needed to cut twenty-five words to get a reduced placement rate. She asked for help. Rule number one for cutting words: the work "of" is a red flag that you can probably rearrange and cut. Example: John and Colleen Rodgers, residents of State College becomes State College residents John and Colleen Rodgers... By following that simple rule, we were able to cut twenty-five words from the announcement, cut the cost and express content more clearly.