DON'T BUY BOTH MY DON'T BOOKS! They are practically the same, despite different titles. There's only one reason I can think of to get another copy if you already have one: almost every writing tip is highlighted or underlined, or so many pages have sticky notes stuck between them, that you can no longer read your original copy. Or even try to close it. Maybe you've shown me your well-worn copy at one of my workshops or at a writers conference, and said, "I bet you haven't seen your book looking like THIS before!"Well, yes I have, but I'm always delighted to see it heavily marked-up and dog-eared. That means you actually use it. One writer even brought her bloated copy thousands of air miles simply to show me its pathetic condition. Loved that! Because the next thing I hear is, "Now I plan to buy your other DON'T book because I can hardly read this one any more." That's the only reason to get another copy. Or maybe you no longer want reminders of the skills you've already mastered. Or you're family.You see, both of my books for writers contain essentially the same material, the same frank advice. Okay, so the later DON'T SABOTAGE YOUR SUBMISSION does contain a bit of additional info and more than 100 new examples than DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY contains. But if you haven't already acquired your first copy, just borrow it from your library. They don't have it? Perfect! Urge them to acquire it. In fact, ask for the collection development librarian (she or he will be glad to see a real reader) and request both titles. The DON'T books are references, not to be swept away in a library's ongoing clean sweeps. And since these two titles are shelved in different sections, libraries should really own both titles. Don'tcha think?You may wonder why I and other authors want you to use libraries instead of rushing to buy books that help our publishers keep us in print. It's because we're pretty sure you'll like what you read, especially without paying for it. You'll tell your friends what they should read. That creates more sales. Eventually you'll realize you want your own copy, anyway, so you can underline, sticky-note, and take pride in mutilating. Plus, as you become more skilled as a writer, you'll want a clean copy so you can highlight only the writing habits not yet vanquished. You're on your way, with my best wishes for your success.Now I'll share with you some of my background. A native New Yorker, I got my first job in publishing at age 16 right out of high school: Music and Art, renamed LaGuardia. I'd been an art major, but I soon realized that because of my penchant for tinkering I'd never make a living as a commercial designer. Luckily, my tinkering with others' writing got me promoted to editorial, where I discovered to my surprise that good grammar and a near photographic memory were skills not possessed by everyone. Who knew? Fast forward to marriage and family transfers, first to Albany, NY, where I became one publisher's first professional editor--paid the same as the women who typed, not the men who edited. Two years later, on to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Now at home with two baby boys, I wrote my first book, got my B.A. in English summa cum laude, became a part-time writing instructor for the University of Maine, and received the first M.A. in English with all graduate work done on the Portland Campus. Next stop, Syracuse, NY, where I supervised the writing of independent study students off-site for SUNY; then to Brookfield, WI, becoming a community organizer and state president for a 3,000-member chapter of a national organization, also writing its 10th anniversary book, leadership training series, and a simulation game, called OOPS'N'OPTIONS, used in Air Force officer training to reduce sexual harassment lawsuits against the military. Then I returned to my real career, editing full-time. And like many editors have done and continue to do, I made a happy transition from busy managing editor of a rapidly growing niche publisher to an even busier independent editor, working directly for authors and publishers. I also served as president of a Midwest trade association of 250 commercial publishers and university presses, and for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee I initiated a program in writing and publishing, which I taught evenings for 9 years. For UNESCO I spent one glorious summer in South Korea teaching teachers of English as their second language, then wrote my only autobiographical book, OPEN GATE: TEACHING IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. Finally fed up with winters and transfers, in 1999 I chose to live in temperate NC, thanks to the Internet which makes possible my work throughout the US and Canada. Visit "writers info" dot "info" to see the workshops I present on the writer's voice and its role in attracting agents and publishers. Not counting my part-time teaching of writing, I've worked full time as an editor for more than 50 years. Authors I've edited are published by St. Martin's Press, Berkley Prime Crime, Forge, Harlequin, Midnight Ink, Walker & Co., Intrigue, Rodale, Viking, Perseverance, Oceanview, and numerous other presses. So far I've also written a game and 11 books, 4 of them as a ghost.