Aim for Best Word Choice – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Feb. 3, 2026

Craft of Writing: Aim for Best Word Choice
In any story you tell, your choice of words matters. Selecting the wrong word can lead to a number of problems that quickly turns off the reader to your writing. Poor word choice results in three general issues: clarity, vagueness and awkwardness. READ MORE

Storytelling 101 Quick Read Series Released
You’re writing a book…or trying to self-publish it…or maybe attempting to promote it. But something comes up that brings you to a complete stop – maybe you’re telling rather than showing, don’t get how to format an ebook, can’t figure out how to set up an author’s platform, or are struggling with any of a thousand other obstacles that every day keep people from writing, publishing and marketing their books. The Storytelling 101 Quick Read series answers all of those questions in brief, guidebooks that cut to the chase and provide practical, useful information that can be followed step-by-step. SEE THE SERIES

Writing Tip: Heighten Tension with Consistent Point of View
Selecting the best point of view is important because it needs to be consistent throughout the story to establish “unity of effect.” Without a consistent point of view, the reader can lose track of who the story is about, and dramatic tension is weakened. READ MORE

Self-Publishing Tip: Costs of Self-Publishing: What You’ll Pay For
Self-publishing always sounds appealing: It’s a quick way to get your book in print, you don’t have to deal with literary agents, editors and publishers who want to rewrite your book so it fits their idea of marketability, and you almost certainly will reap a higher percentage of profits from your book sale. READ MORE

This Week’s Podcast: Repurpose Your Writing to Maximize Revenue
Just because a blog entry has been published doesn’t mean that it never can be used again. Instead, you want to repurpose your writing, meaning reformat and reuse it across multiple books as well as marketing and social media channels. LISTEN TO PODCAST

Book Marketing Tip: Tips to Ensure a Successful Book Reading/Signing
The day has finally arrived: Your first book reading and signing! No doubt your stomach is aflutter, not just with excitement but with a little apprehension. What if you mess up in the reading? What if you can’t think of what to say when someone answers a question? What if the crowd finds you boring and starts to leave? READ MORE

Client Spotlight: “A Thing with Feathers” by J. John Nordstrom
When a 40-year-old attorney in Washington DC quits his job because he’s tired of the corruption, he takes a job as a reference librarian in a law library out of financial desperation. There’s just once catch – he has to pretend to be gay. The novel has been a finalist for four different book awards. CHECK IT OUT

$25 Off Your Next Edit!
For being a newsletter subscriber, please take $25 off your next edit with Inventing Reality Editing Service. When scheduling your edit, be sure to mention you’re a subscriber and give the email where you received this newsletter. Minimum order of $200. Offer expires Feb. 10, 2026. SCHEDULE EDIT

My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of both aspiring and published writers and offers a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 425 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of a novel, the Storytelling 101 Quick Read series, four children’s books, more than 25 bestselling hiking guidebooks, and even a book of poetry. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.