Writing and Editing Archives - The Contemporary Small Press

How to Make a Photo Book That Looks Stunning

Eleanor WhitmoreAugust 16, 2026

Most people have thousands of photos sitting in a cloud folder that nobody ever looks at. That is not a memory. That is a hard drive. Learning how to make a photo book is the fastest way to turn those forgotten shots into something your family will actually pick up, flip through, and keep for […]

How to Fill Out a Receipt Book the Right Way

Eleanor WhitmoreAugust 15, 2026

Most people stare at a blank receipt book and freeze. There are more fields than expected, the carbon copy paper feels unforgiving, and nobody wants to hand a customer something that looks like it was filled out by a stressed accountant mid-panic. Here’s the truth: filling out a receipt book takes about ninety seconds once […]

How Does It Feel Book: The Complete Guide

Eleanor WhitmoreAugust 5, 2026

Small press literary fiction gets a bad reputation for being unapproachable, but How Does It Feel is one of those rare titles that proves exactly the opposite. T his guide covers everything you need before, during, or after your read: the how does it feel summary, a scene-by-scene breakdown of the plot, an honest how […]

What to Write in a Baby Shower Book

Eleanor WhitmoreAugust 1, 2026

Blank pages are brutal. You’re holding a brand-new keepsake book at a baby shower, a pen is in your hand, and every meaningful thing you’ve ever thought about love and new life has completely evaporated. You’re not alone. Most guests freeze. But here’s the thing: a baby shower book message isn’t a speech. It’s a […]

How to Rebind a Book: A Complete DIY Guide

Eleanor WhitmoreJuly 31, 2026

That cracked spine on your grandmother’s recipe book isn’t a death sentence. Most people toss a damaged book or spend $40 to $80 at a professional bindery, but the truth is that the majority of common binding failures are fixable on your kitchen table with about $15 in supplies and a free afternoon. This guide […]

Line Editing vs Proofreading Explained: Which Does Your Book Need?

Eleanor WhitmoreJuly 30, 2026

I know how confusing professional editing can feel when every editor seems to describe their services differently. One website recommends line editing, another combines it with copy editing, and someone else suggests that proofreading will prepare a manuscript for publication. These services may overlap slightly, but they solve very different problems. In this guide, I’ll […]

Developmental Editing vs Copy Editing: Which One Does Your Manuscript Need?

Eleanor WhitmoreJuly 29, 2026

Finishing a manuscript feels like reaching the summit, but I have learned that typing “The End” rarely means the book is ready for publication. Editing is still required, and selecting the wrong service can waste both money and time. When considering developmental editing vs copy editing, I first ask one simple question: Does the manuscript […]

How to Use Active Voice Without Losing Style: 7 Tips

Eleanor WhitmoreJuly 28, 2026

I used to think active voice required stripping every sentence down to a rigid subject-verb-object formula. The results were clear, but they often sounded mechanical. My rhythm disappeared, my descriptions felt thinner, and every sentence seemed to march at the same speed. Eventually, I learned that how to use active voice without losing style is […]

How to Improve Sentence Structure and Flow Fast

Eleanor WhitmoreJuly 27, 2026

I know the frustration of reading a finished draft and realizing that something feels wrong. The grammar may be accurate, the ideas may be valuable, and every paragraph may appear complete. Yet the writing still sounds awkward or disconnected. Learning how to improve sentence structure and flow helps solve this problem by making ideas clearer, […]

How to Cut Unnecessary Words From Your Writing

Eleanor WhitmoreJuly 26, 2026

I used to believe that longer sentences made my ideas sound more intelligent. Instead, they often buried the message beneath qualifiers, repetition and complicated phrases. Once I learned how to cut unnecessary words from your writing, I discovered that concise prose is not about making every sentence short. It is about ensuring that every word […]