A Writer's Block: Robb Grindstaff

A Writer's Block: Robb Grindstaff

Random editing tip #4

"Ah, the old mirror trick"

Robb Grindstaff's avatar
Robb Grindstaff
Dec 30, 2022
∙ Paid
5
5
Share

This is a made-up example to illustrate the point, but I’ve seen this hundreds of times over the years in manuscripts I’ve edited and in workshops, critique groups, and writing courses.

woman in white long sleeve shirt sitting on chair
Photo by Vladimir Fedotov on Unsplash

ORIGINAL: I stopped at the bathroom counter to survey myself in the mirror. I touched up my make-up to highlight the jade green of my…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to A Writer's Block: Robb Grindstaff to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Robb Grindstaff
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture