Prevent Countersinking from Dragging Down Your Story – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Aug. 11, 2026

Craft of Writing: Prevent Countersinking from Dragging Down Your Story
One way for an author to slow a story is to employ “countersinking.” A term coined by science fiction writer Lewis Shiner, countersinking involves making explicit the very actions that the story implies. An example is: “We need to hide,” she said, asking him to seek cover. READ MORE

The Best Guide to Promoting Your Book!
My book 7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book is a practical, how-to guide that takes you step-by-step through implementing a simple but effective marketing plan for your book – with just 7 minutes of work required a day. You’ll complete short, skillful exercises that allow you to publicize and sell your novel or nonfiction title as you read the book, all the while getting the encouragement and motivation needed to keep you going. SEE BOOK

Writing Tip: Show Don’t Tell When Writing Story Dialogue
All too often, new writers fall into the error of telling instead of showing. This occurs, for example, when the narrator states how character feels rather than using concrete details from which the feeling can be inferred. So instead of saying, Suzanne was feeling naughty infer it by writing Suzanne ran finger along his arm. READ MORE

Self-Publishing Tip: How to Format Your Paperback’s Title Page
When formatting your paperback for self-publishing, you’ll start with the title page. READ MORE

This Week’s Podcast: Sell More Books by Carrying Them Around
How many times has a conversation led to you saying that you’ve written a book? The other person usually responds with awe and asks what the book is about. Wouldn’t it be nice to hand them a copy of your book as you answer their questions? LISTEN TO PODCAST

Book Marketing Tip: Fresh, Original Website Content is Vital
There are more than 2 billion websites on the planet. To get readers to stay on yours and to return, you need to offer what nobody else does – or at least in a way that no one else does. That’s a challenge certainly, but it can be done. Simply follow some basic principles of website text. READ MORE

Client Spotlight: “Prisoner of the Moment” by Drew Davis
A long-time editing client, Drew Davis, has released his latest book in the Tom Hill crime boss series: Prisoner of the Moment. As crime boss Tom Hill’s earnings rise, so does his list of enemies. Can Hill defeat the many deadly threats placing him in deep jeopardy? Find out in this action-packed thrill-ride of a story! 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 Aug. 18, 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.