A few of these articles are meant as humor. Each such article is marked with an asterisk, which is a link to an explanation at the bottom of this page. Please read this before you get irked with us for making fun of a serious subject.

It might be best to remember, while reading any of these articles, McIntyre’s First Law: “Under the right circumstances, anything I tell you may be wrong.” It is also good to remember O’Brien’s First Corollary to McIntyre’s First Law: “We don’t know what the right circumstances are, either.”

*A user has very kindly helped me to understand why the humor in some of these articles so irks a few of our users. Please understand that these articles are meant to help writers at all levels of experience, published and unpublished. In no case has an author intended to make fun, from his supposedly superior, published position, of those who have not yet achieved paid publication. This is a very difficult career choice for all of us. Developing a sense of humor about it helps some of us get through the hard parts.

The articles marked with asterisks are not meant to be taken seriously. It’s possible I’ve missed one. If an article recommends that you submit chocolates with your manuscript, or that you write it in crayon on the backs of hamsters, you may safely assume it is meant as a joke. You may also safely assume it is not meant to make fun of you. More likely, it is making fun of the author, the industry, or the vicious fate that set us all on this rocky path.