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Lara Willard

Write, Edit, Repeat

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Word

Tips on Diction, plus the occasional word that is divine, awkward, or interesting.

DICTION

English Word Origins
The Diction Holy Grail
Diction: Latinate versus Anglo-Saxon
Voice: Talk Like a Pirate

WORDS

Chraractonym
100 Funniest Words
Sprachgefuhl
Cacoethes

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Hi! I'm Lara. Welcome to my virtual home!

Recent Posts

[Download] Printable 2020-2021 Quarterly Calendar
Internal Editor vs Improv
Drafting on a Deadline: The Idea + The Enneagram
[Download] Printable 2019 Quarterly Calendar
How Revision Changed JAWS (1975)

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Top Posts from the Archive

Characters: MBTI continued
Diction: Latinate versus Anglo-Saxon
Character Profile Worksheets
The 8 C's of Plotting: Introduction
The 8 C's of Plotting: Worksheets
POV Part 3—e.g. (examples)
Chapter Outlining like a Pantser
A Lesson in Backstory and Goals
QUIZ: How should you start your novel?
The Quick and Easy Guide to Dashes

Instagram @LaratheLark

May you all have ample cuteness and cuddles whenever you need it. 🐕💛🐕💛🐕💛🐕💛🐕💛🐕💛 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 I didn't realize just how loosely I was holding things together this month until Monday, when I had to leave my dog at the groomers, got home to an empty house, and had an emotional breakdown. We adopted Neville in 2012, after transitioning out of active military service, a cross-country move, and my first miscarriage. It was the first rough year of ... seven. But he came home in one piece, several pounds lighter, looking like a naked dog-rabbit, which sounds disturbing, but makes sense if you pet him and feel how soft he is right now. He has been aggressively cuddling me all week. #NevilleShortquarters is the goodest boy.

Group Chat is an anthology of comics about friendship. See my featured highlights to learn more 💖💙💜 🐕 (Neville saw how much I was struggling to get back into #socksunday and decided to give me a paw.) #NevilleShortquarters #groupchat @pomemag

D&D-inspired birthday for my 9yo. The party itself got rained out and was a mild disaster. We are all soaked. But I got to shop for dice and made an elementary version of a character sheet, and now I'm going to take a nap, so I'm happy. Huge shoutout to @sourcecomicgame for having dice in all the favorite color combinations of the party guests! #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #dungeonmaster #dndbirthday #diceaddict

What are you reading this weekend? I'm ONLY going to read these because the rest of the long weekend will be my 8yo teaching me Dungeons and Dragons and, you know, writing. #theparkerinheritance #thegameofloveanddeath

New and re-read novels in verse this month! I've been having fun writing one of my POVs in free verse. Most of my undergrad creative writing was free verse and the return has been ... freeing 🤓 #voices #davidelliott #voicesthefinalhoursofjoanofarc #BloodWaterPaint #JoyMcCullough #novelinverse

Book mail: SO PRETTEH. Missing in action over here because residency launched right into semester work for my critical thesis. No break this time, but I'll be done with the semester in November! 😱 #TessOfTheRoad #Whichwood #RachelHartman #TaherehMafi #bookmail #MFACLara

Me: What if I wrote this as a graphic novel AND a novel in verse? Me to me: What if one of the POVs was in reverse chronology?

Do me a favor and never buy me a one-a-day calendar because fifteen years later I will still have every. last. image. Even duplicates. I just recycled half of them knowing full well I ought to recycle all and not hoard any. Also I have to keep these cut outs (img 2) to show future teens. For historical purposes.

Themyscira, the class of Summer 2020, and a bunch of grads whose careers I am excited to follow! Dear sweet Sarah who graduated too darn early; brilliant Becca who shared advisors and wisdom and beautiful art with me; knowledgeable Kesha who writes compelling histories (true and fictional!) and had 2 workshops with me; insightful Eija, and endowed detail Devorah, both of whom I had one workshop with. The world needs your words! 😭😭😭 #HamlineMFAC #MFACLara

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Guest Posts

7 TIPS FOR WRITING REALISTIC DIALOGUE

About Me

I've been grading grammar homework since 2005 and editing fiction and poetry since 2008. In 2013, I started editing comics and full manuscripts for novelists and literary agents.

Read "7 Reasons to Make Me Your Editor."

In 2015, I assembled a team of freelance editors of various specialties.

In 2018, I started my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Hamline University.

See what I'm up to.

Find out more about me.

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“Top Recommended Editor” on K.M. Weiland’s Helping Authors Become Writers

Featured on KIDLIT411 as a GREAT Blog for Children’s Writing and Illustrating

Listed on Agent Eric Smith’s “Authors & Editors That Can Touch Up Your Manuscript & Query Letter”

See more recommendations from clients here.

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