Let's talk style

When we're talking literature, you know that form is important. First, you make sure you are using the grammar and punctuation properly so that it isn't just you (provided you do) understand what you have written, so that readers can enjoy the power of your words.

Another aspect is the choice of words: repetitions, ambiguities, cacophony... are some of the effects you want to avoid in order to make the reading more pleasant. Look out for those. Whereas you may feel proud of having produced a 500-page manuscript, if most of it is straw it isn't that great.  Less is more. So get armed with some knowledge about what you can do with words. To begin with, here is an interesting list of superfluous bits that we tend to add to our writs. They're like sugar, the more you use the more you want to use, but then comes your guest, tries your dish, and the shock sends them into an insulin coma. Measure your ingredients.