Jade Varden Official Blog

If you use improper grammar, do you write bad...or badly? Know the difference, and you can at least change the descriptor. Bad and -ly If you've heard the song, you know what the word means. Bad in slang can be used to describe any number of positive opinions and feelings. In more formal usage, bad usually denotes something that is undesirable. In grammar, it's a bomb waiting to explode ugliness all over your writing. The problem is, bad has a friend named -ly , and you never know when or where he's going to show up...or if he's supposed to be there.  When -ly shows up to your word party, he changes everything. He attaches to bad to become badly , and that's a whole different part of speech altogether. Now, the word is an adverb, a word that's used only to modify another adverb, a verb or an adjective.What does that mean? It's simple: it means badly can only mingle with another word at the party. If I say I was badly and end the sen...

There are so many words in the English language, the actual number can't even be provided. Some experts have tried to estimate, but there are new words being added all the time (and a ton of weird ones that people never really use). What I'm saying is, when you're writing about or writing with punctuation and letters, there's a word for that. There's a word for every itty bitty little piece of punctuation, for the extra add-ons in letters, for every wacky symbol you might find when you're reading. Dotting the Is  Everything has a name, even in punctuation. Knowing the proper words for things comes in pretty handy, especially if you've got a question about proper usage. Trying to use a search engine without knowing the right words is an exercise in frustration...and won't you sound learned and impressive if you know that the little dot over the i and j is properly called a tittle ? It's a fun little word, a lot more interesting than the...

Which isn't used for people. That's one of the first rules of writing you need to know, and the first rule of using that/which and who/whom properly.  That/Which   I've talked (a lot ) about proper use of the word that in the past. It's one of the most over-used and under-valued words in the English language. I find it shoved in everywhere when I'm reading, and my experience is that it can be eliminated at least half the time. But one of the most important rules of using that and which is often ignored: it's not for people.   That and which are used for items , things , businesses and all other inanimate (non-conscious) objects. These words are not used to describe people. For example:   I saw the blue folder that was on the desk.   I'm talking about a thing or an object, so I'm using the word that . In this example, I could just as easily use which instead. I can't use who .    I saw the blue folder who was on th...

Everyone's self-publishing these days, and the ebook market is booming. Lots of indies are cracking the bestseller lists and making a name for themselves. There's opportunity out there...and wherever there's opportunity, there are people who prey upon it. Self-publishing isn't free, no matter what anyone says. Some things, you've got to pay for. Some things, you shouldn't pay for. Learn how to tell the difference, and spend your money where it's going to matter most.  What Indies Should Pay For Some things cost money, even in self-publishing. When it comes to creating a book that you're trying to sell to the masses, there are some things you're going to have to buy...and some things that maybe you should buy.  Copyright . Where you're writing your book matters. Make sure to look up the copyright requirements for your current home country. In the United States, for example, you have to pay to register your copyright. Always do thi...

I've done several interviews where I've talked about my books and my writing process. For the first time, my characters are taking the spotlight and sharing their thoughts. Visit Today in Shenaya to read an interview with the characters from Justice (yes, including River) and find out what things look like from their point of view.

If you're not using Goodreads to promote yourself and your book, you're doing yourself a disservice. Goodreads is the book nerds' version of Facebook -- with a whole lot more features. If you don't already have a profile on Goodreads, get one! Join the site's author program (if you're an author), and you're ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level. Master a few Goodreads tips, and you'll expose your writing to a much larger market.  Mastering Goodreads If you have a Twitter account, Facebook profile or an email address, you can sign up for Goodreads. You've got to sign up for the site first and fill in the requisite profile information. Once this is done, you can sign up to be in the author program to distinguish yourself as a writer of books. It's a great first step...but it's only the beginning of what you'll need to do to really establish a presence on the site.  Blog . Your GR profile automatically has blog s...

"Another captivating read." "Rain gets even more tangled in lies." Felicia at Livin' Life Through Books has posted a review of The Tower, a follow-up to her review of Justice .  Read her review of The Tower if you've already read Justice, but if you haven't you'd better wait! There are some spoilers you'll want to avoid.

"Honesty, this might be the best book I’ve read so far." "Very well written and captured my attention from the first page." Justice has been reviewed at Classy Me Books -- go and read it !