So as I worked my way through the multiple drafts of Catching Echoes, Reconstructionist 1, I highlighted every instance of ‘effect,’ ‘affect’, ‘past, and ‘passed’ that I came upon. I did so because I invariably use one or more of these words incorrectly at least once in every book. Yes, no matter how many times I go over the sentence, no matter how many rules I recite in my head and apply, I always get at least one wrong.

After editing over thirteen of my novels, and I don’t know how many of my screenplays – ten? fifteen? – my lovely editor, Scott Fitzgerald Gray (aka SFG)(who you can find on his Insane Angel website), suggested I might want to jot down the following rules on a Post It! note, then attach said note to my computer screen.

I did one better. And then thought I should share with you all.

Please feel free to share (I’ll also post these separately on Twitter and Facebook for that purpose). And it’s back to writing for me!