CLG Entertainment Is Getting Revamped!

And you can see it at the site, http://clg-entertainment.com/.

This blogger site will stay live as it houses nearly 100 articles I've written or directs you to those articles on other sites.

Come see the new CLG-E. Good stuff is coming to CLG-E in 2013 and beyond!

Limited Editorial Services for CLG Entertainment

As of February 1, 2013, I will be limiting my editorial services to a small set of longstanding clientele. Freed-up time and energy will be channeled into personal literary endeavors. 

Great Site on Publishing: Publetariat

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The Intersection of Good Storytelling - Latest BRP Article

In my latest Blood-Red Pencil commentary, I talk about storytelling and the importance of developing a good plot and good depth for the story. I call these Horizontal Road and Vertical Road, respectively. Check out the commentary here, and leave comments!

POV: A Story with a View...or Two...or More

When's the best time to shift POV in a story? I talk about this in my latest Writing in 140 post at The Blood-Red Pencil! Come read the post at B-RP and offer your thoughts!

TIP: characters thinking

I hate these feelings, she thought to herself.

Cut "to herself". Unless, *snickering* the character is suffering from multiple personality disorder, and thus we actually need to differentiate among the many selves in the mind.

Quote: Importance of Reading to Writers

Importance of Care in Becoming a Better Writer - Latest BRP Commentary

Today at The Blood-Red Pencil, I talk about the importance of CARE--care of what? Wanting to become a better writer. Check it out, leave comments, and share it with others! Here's a link.

Editor Spotlight on Moi

Author, editor Karen S. Elliott invited me to her blog today for an Editor Spotlight! Come see what I have to say about finding an editor for your literary baby: link

Latest Writing in 140 at Blood-Red Pencil: Situating Oneself in the Publishdom

Today at The Blood-Red Pencil, I present another of my Writing in 140 commentaries, "Situating Oneself in the Publishdom." Check it out, leave comments, and share it with others! Here's a link. Be on your way!

Android Apps for Writing - Latest BRP Commentary

Today, over at one of my fave places, The Blood-Red Pencil, we're talking about writing apps for Android!

I write about three apps that I use on my Android tablet for my writing endeavors. Come read about what apps keep me writing and give us the 411 on apps you use! Head to BRP now!

How I Come to the Page as Editor

I think of editing as a series of teachable moments - my goal is to help the writer develop the best product s/he can. I fix changes, yes, but ultimately, I hope to provide information on how to fix changes so that in revisions and in future works, the author becomes a better writer because s/he has learned. In the editing process, I try to do this in three ways: Tracked Changes to fix grammatical, mechanical, and structural issues; Comments that relay to story-related issues, and Comments that I call "readerly comments".

Tracked Changes
These are the things clients typically expect to see fixed. Any issues with grammar, mechanics, structure (commas inside quotation marks, moving taglines to middle of long dialogue passages, etc.). These are typically accepted by the client overall when s/he receives her/his edited manuscript from me.

Comments Regarding Story-Related Issues
While having a clean copy (what's done in Tracked Changes) is cool, none of that matters if the story itself is not strongly written. I use comments to talk about story-related issues, such as underdeveloped characters, holes in the plot, weak development of tension, superficial dialogue, and weak beginnings and endings to chapters and/or scenes. This is primarily where teachable moments come into play. Typically, I will stop at the point of issue and write a comment that: 1) tells the client of the issue, 2) explain why I see it as an issue, and 3) provide suggestion(s) on how to fix the issue. This is where the bulk of my time goes, especially in a first edit because like I said, if the story is weak, grammar and mechanics are the least of a client's problems.

Readerly Comments
As I edit, I attempt to be "the average reader" of a client's book. And just like when readers wants to yell at a character, toss a book because it's irritating them, laugh out loud because something is so funny, or sob because they are touched, I like to illustrate those moments in the editing/reading of a book. In the past, I see these at times as comic relief for the client. Many of them contact me, laughing, because those comments were so funny. However, they do serve another purpose. If I'm laughing in a spot that's not intended to be funny, that relays something to the client and makes her/him have to consider what to do about it. If I loathe a character to the point of not wanting to read the book and the client actually wants you to like the character, then the client needs to consider what changes might need to be made. So, in the end, while the comments I make tend to be funny (because they are so off the cuff), they can be instructive, too.

What Clients Have to Say

I'm always happy when clients enjoy the work I do for them. I am a lover of writing, and I love helping writers to strengthen their stories. Here are a few words from current clients about their experiences with me. Want to know more about what clients have to say about me? Then check out the link Clients Say... on the bar above!

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Shonell's work was truly a gift to me. She thoroughly and professionally edited my manuscript within the promised timeframe. Her review of the work was insightful. In addition to fixing grammer, Shonell pointed out several places where my manuscript could be improved (to be clearer to the reader) and even provided concrete suggestions for how. Shonell being a writer herself made the whole experience easy.

~Rachel Coyne, author of Whiskey Heart





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Shonell provides expert editing services that can take any book to the next level. I have always left inspired and seeing my written words in a refreshed way. She is personable and pays attention to those little details. Shonell met my expectations (they are usually ridiculously high). I have used her services more than once and have never regretted it. I look forward to her being a part of my growing team.

~Maryann Reid, Award-winning author and TV/radio social commentator





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Shonell has provided editing services for two books with Branchrystine Publishing. In doing so, she enabled the author to assemble a well thoughtout manuscript, challenging the author to answer the 5 W's of Who, What, When, Why, Where to make certain the reader would have a coherent portrayal of the storyline. Shonell's provided consistent, constructive criticism to create improved writing habits in future manuscripts. She completed the project ahead of schedule, providing a comprehensive overview on the quality of manuscript, what a reader may interpret from manuscript, and meticulous corrections, suggestions on subject-verb agreements, grammar and punctuation. I plan to continue to use her services in future endeavors.

~Tyrenna Tolbert, author of Who's Got Skills





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Thank you, Ms. Shonell Bacon, for breathing life into my manuscript. I found your editorial services to be both professional and cost efficient. Your quick turnaround time is also a plus. With your expertise, I expect great things from my novel From Hard to Hallelujah! I'll be calling you for the next one and the next one and the next one. God's Blessings, Lela Gholar Tizano