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Show, don’t tell. Most writers have heard this maxim at some point, whether from a teacher, an editor or an agent. But what does this writing advice mean, in practical terms? While a certain amount of exposition is unavoidable (and even useful) in your writing, it’s easy to “over-share” the minutiae of your story’s background and your characters’ lives. When writing a novel, keep these guidelines in mind to achieve a balance of showing and telling:

The stars of self-publishing certainly shine bright and cast a long shadow. But beyond the Amanda Hockings and J.A. Konraths of the self-publishing world, have you ever wondered exactly who it is who is making it big? Recently we bought you great feedback from Smashwords founder Mark Coker, designed to help you self-publish smarter. But today join us for a rousing game of Mythbuster: The Truth About The Stars of Self-Publishing.

So taken was Alice Liddell with the story that she asked Dodgson to write it down for her, which he did when he soon sent her a manuscript under the title of Alice's Adventures Under Ground.

There are some of our favorite words that appeared in mental_floss stories in 2011. Some are foreign words. Others come from medical dictionaries. And there’s a surprising amount of hobo slang. Have fun working these into conversation this holiday season!