Shana Asaro

Editor

Harlequin

Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Crazy villains are the least interesting to me. I like a smart villain with a devious plan that will help him/her reach their ultimate goal. #writingtips #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Nice things happening to nice people makes for an uninteresting story. So don't forget to include one of the most important elements in your book--conflict! Here we offer tips on how: bit.ly/2NI5vlj #LoveInspiredAuthorSearch #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

The simple inclusion or omission of a comma (or two) can change the entire meaning of a sentence. Here is a quick lesson. #pubtip #writing #grammar

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips
Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips
Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

More #grammartips: When to use "I" or "me". "I" is a subject; "me" is an object. "Joe and I went to dinner." BUT "Come to dinner with Joe and me." Test yourself by taking out the name. Does it still sound correct? (You wouldn't say "Come to dinner with I.") #pubtip #writing

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips
Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Just like action movies need a climactic fight scene, romance novels need an emotional black moment. Build to a breaking point. #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

If you write books with kids in them, make sure you know the child safety seat laws by state: bit.ly/2hCX52n #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Geography should not be the primary romantic conflict between your hero and heroine. That's external. Give me internal conflict! #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Pirates of the Caribbean movies are great at showing how goals & motivations should drive a plot. Jack Sparrow knows what he wants. #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Caveat: Not all movies are actually good at developing conflict, so exercise caution. #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

If you're struggling with conflict in your writing, look at your favorite movies. What can you learn about conflict from them? #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Entertainment Weekly @EW

There’s an odd lack of stakes and urgency in #TheZookeepersWife. Our review: share.ew.com/ud3cpBK

Haven't read the review, but this is the exact kind of thing we see in manuscript submissions. Stakes & urgency are important! #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

How to make readers care about your characters: Don't give them wants. Give them needs. #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips
Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips
Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

Authors: If you have someone read your ms before submitting, make sure you trust them to be honest with you about problems. #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips

More lessons on terrific writing/plotting from last night's #ThisIsUs: Throw your characters curve balls! #pubtip

Shana Asaro
@shana_asaro
Editor
Editor at Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint and mom. I love my dog, monkeys, cupcakes, HGTV, Starbucks, Gilmore Girls and weather disaster plots.
26 MSWL
55 Tips