Tag: editor

Categories
Kids Lit

Help Me with My Book!

Kids Lit

As more books are published in a variety of ways (traditional, self-pub, hybrid, assisted), a whole crop of people with expertise (real or claimed!) have popped up ready to help the harried author by doing all the big and little tasks associated with preparing a book for submission. Here a just a few of the current players.

Ghostwriters

You have a great idea but no idea where to start, and not a lot of interest or talent in writing. A ghostwriter will shape your notes into the book you envision – and put your name on the front cover!

Writing Coach

You have an idea and sort of like to write but don’t know where to start or if your story is sellable. A writing coach will take you step by step through the nuts and bolts, teaching and supporting your writing.

Copy Editor

You have an idea and like to write but that whole grammar and punctuation thing is a mystery. A developmental editor will go through line by line and rearrange and correct sentences to today’s standards. They will not be looking at the overall ideas but sentence structure and correct usage.

Professional Critiques

You finished a story but don’t know if it is good or how to make it better. The professional critique will look at arc, structure, and character development and perhaps suggest other titles on the same subject or type of book to study as you work to improve.

Sensitivity Readers

You finished the manuscript but are not sure how certain topics, references, and language will be perceived by others. Sensitivity readers are experts in language and attitudes and are a guarantee to the publisher that this book will not create any issues.

Website design

You can negotiate the web but how do you set up a link or make separate pages on a website? A web page designer will develop a page with as many bells and whistles as you like to show prospective agents you are professional.

Virtual assistant

You like Facebook but IG reels, TikTok, and things “formerly known as something else” are baffling! A virtual assistant will help you select your target population, and establish, and update your social and promotional activities across media.

Endorsers and Influencers

Your manuscript is great, but no one knows who you are. You can find picture book influencers with several thousand followers. A mention or review on that post or blog gets wide attention, whatever the fame of the influencer.

Hey, this book-writing stuff could be easy!

Freelance editors, graphic designers, readers, and virtual assistants are available all over the internet. (Caveat: find someone who has personally used the service and check it out thoroughly.)

The catch: every person listed above will cost money! From $75 minimum for a sensitivity reader to $500-$750 for a ghost-written picture book. The virtual assistant works for $15-20/hour spent on your platform. Setting up a webpage initially is around $1500, and maintaining is extra.

Ask Some Questions

Do you need some help, or is the entire job done for you?

Do you just need instructions on how to do it?

Is your time for writing worth more than you will pay for the service?

Will you need this same kind of help for the next book?

Best wishes!

With over 1.7 M books sold, multi award winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of Midwestern public libraries, but still needs help from spell check. She has over 40 published picture books and writes stories to read and read again!

Categories
Book Proposals

Why Are You The Author?

As an acquisitions editor and a former literary agent, I’ve reviewed thousands of book proposals.  For any writer who wants to catch the attention of an editor or agent, one of the basics is to understand a critical aspect for them to include in their proposal. One of those critical elements is your proof about why you are the best person to write the book that you are pitching. In the proposal, this section often has a simple title: “About the Author.” In this article, I’ll detail some questions that you must answer in an engaging fashion to gain the attention of the editor or agent.

As you write this section, don’t be shy.

It’s the time to roll out your authority and credibility. Publishers give increasing importance to the author and their connections in their particular area of expertise. Six key areas should be included in this biographical sketch:

  • What are your credentials in this particular subject area?
  • What are your career credentials to write about this topic? Begin with your most professional credentials related to the topic, and then list other careers in descending order of importance.
  • What is your educational background to write on this topic? In general, a Master’s degree and higher carries weight independent of the subject area, although some agents and editors avoid academicians and their writing. Academic writing is completely different than the popular type of writing which is most broadly published. Often someone steeped in academia has learned to write in convoluted sentences and difficult syntax. If you have a higher degree in a particular area related to your topic, it can help you if your writing does not sound like a textbook. Be aware that touting a higher degree can send a message that the editor or agent should be cautious.
  • What credits, awards, publications and memberships can you highlight that relate to your topic? If you have published in magazines, then list some of them, particularly if the titles are familiar to the editor or agent. Leave out anything that would diminish your proposed work or you as the author.
  • What promotional skills have you shown through your past books or publications? Not everyone has something to put in this area so don’t panic if nothing comes to mind here. If you have had success promoting other products, be sure to include them in this section.
  • What personal data can you include? Some authors choose to leave off this final section, but it’s the one paragraph or opportunity for the author to show that they are an interesting human being—someone that the editor (or agent) would like to meet. This personal information will separate you from a mass of qualifications and credentials the editor sorts through as he or she makes a decision about an author.

Editors and agents will appreciate the energy and effort that you pour into this section of your proposal.

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Get a free copy of his proposal book (follow the link). Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.

https://bit.ly/bpts-free
Categories
Write Justified

Before You Hire an Editor

 

You’ve written your masterpiece. Or at least a short story, novel, or essay you believe worthy of publication. But is it? Other than your mother, who thinks everything you write is perfect, has anyone else laid eyes on your work? Is it really submission-ready?

Writers need editors. As a freelance editor, I hope that doesn’t conjure up an image of a stern-faced, red pen-wielding person whose only purpose in life is to make yours miserable. Far from it. Would you be surprised to learn that editors face each project with as much trepidation as you do when submitting a piece for their review? Though I can’t speak for others, I know that to be true for me. [bctt tweet=”My goal is to help you make your writing say exactly what you mean in as clear and understandable language as possible.” username=””] Peter Fallon describes the relationship between writer and editor as more of a duet than a duel. It ought to be a collaborative, not adversarial relationship, intended to make your writing sing.

Assuming I’ve convinced you that you need an editor, here are three things to do before passing your work off to a professional.

  1. Format:    Standard publishing format calls for one-inch margins, 12 point font, typically Times New Roman, double-spaced with one space between sentences. Yes, if you learned to type on a typewriter, you learned to put two spaces between sentences. And habits die hard. But in the computer age with proportional fonts, just hit that space bar once after a period or other end punctuation.
  2. Spell-check:    Do run spell-check, even though it won’t catch all the errors. Spell-check won’t find homophone errors or actual words used incorrectly. But it can eliminate extra spaces, double periods, and other kinds of errors that creep in when you’re in the zone and the fingers are moving faster than the brain.
  3. Critique:   One of the best things a writer can do is seek out other writers who will honestly critique her work. Whether you join a group such as Word Weavers or search out an accountability partner who can also offer meaningful feedback, you need someone to look at your work with unbiased eyes. As a reader would. A good critique will point out the positive and negative aspects of your writing and suggest ways to clarify the language or engage the reader more effectively.

Aside from the value of the honest feedback of a critique, the camaraderie of other writers is essential for the often-lonely exercise of writing. It may be just the motivation you need to keep putting pen to paper.

These simple steps will save your editor time and frustration, save you money, and ensure the writer-editor relationship gets off to a good start. It may just be the beginning of a life-long friendship.

Categories
A Little Red Ink Editing

Conferences: Paid Critique

Conferences: The Paid Critique

So you’re thinking about attending a writers conference, or perhaps you’ve already registered for one. Even if you’re a pro at this, a paid critique still may benefit you. You’ve got a new story, and every story is different.

Here’s why:

One-on-one attention from an industry professional.

401(K) 2012
A worthy investment. Photo cred: 401(K) 2012

 

For a small investment, you get to sit down with an agent, an editor, a seasoned author. Not only are you getting a fresh set of eyes on your work, you’re also getting their experience and expertise. And this is not a pitch, so there’s not quite as much at stake. It’s a lesson, a mentoring session.

Be a learner.

You thought I was going to say more than that, eh? Not so much. That gem speaks for itself. With the fresh set of eyes comes a fresh perspective. Be a learner.

Photo cred: Alice Birkin

Let’s look now at the different industry professionals who might be willing to meet with you.

Paid Critique: Agents

If you’re on the Great Agent Hunt, this is ideal. You’ll get to not only see what the agent thinks of your work but also get feedback. When you query them, most agents don’t take the time to offer tips or insight unless they genuinely feel that, with some revisions, your work would be a good fit for representation. So this is a rare treasure! Choose the agents you meet with carefully, though. Don’t waste an agent’s time (or yours!) if you write sci-fi and all their other clients are historical fiction. Do your research beforehand and pay for a critique from your dream agent.

Some agents truly are as cool as Sidney Bristow and James Bond. Photo cred: Alice Birkin
Some agents truly are as cool as Sidney Bristow and James Bond. Photo cred: Peggy Marco

To me, one of the best reasons to meet with an agent at a conference is to get a feel for their personality. In the agent-author relationship, it’s most important to find someone you could work with well. You may want a champion, a cheerleader, a career advisor. You may need a quiet professional relationship.

I remember at one of my first writers conferences, I met with an agent who�����������on paper—looked ideal for me. It turned out my work wasn’t a good fit for her, and I actually felt relieved. I could see, even before we sat down for the appointment, that our personalities wouldn’t gel. The meeting only confirmed it. We both handled ourselves professionally, and I can honestly say she’s a well-respected agent with impeccable taste. I just wouldn’t have enjoyed working with her. That’s important to me. Now? I count my agent a dear friend. (And she’s better than Sidney Bristow.)

Paid Critique: Editors

Again, do your research early and choose your appointments wisely. Get feedback from editors you hope will love your book. Listen to what they say about your writing. Ask questions about your story. But most of all, use the opportunity to ask them what they’re looking for. What makes a good story in their opinion? If they could give you any piece of advice, what would it be? They���re meeting with you because they want to be an encourager and a sharpener to you. If they didn’t want that, they wouldn’t offer paid critiques.

(Many don���t. They may still play this role in an appointment, though. If you’d like to see what editors want from their regular appointment slots at a conference, check out this excellent post by Karen Ball.)

So many authors, so many styles. Photo cred: Anton

Paid Critique: Authors

Meeting with authors who write in your genre is always a good idea. Get feedback—after all, they’re published. They know what works. Listen to their pointers on your writing with an open mind. Take notes. Think about what they’ve said that will work for you. They won’t try to change your voice, but you can gain valuable insight into both the industry and the writing process.

If you’re an indie author, this opportunity is golden. So very much goes into writing and launching and marketing a book well, and every author has their own story. Be brave and ask the hard questions. You may find the conversation invigorating and leave feeling better equipped for the challenge!

Wrapping up

Make the most of these opportunities. Many connections formed during these appointments can lead to valuable relationships. The publishing industry is always shifting and changing, and there’s always something to learn.

Have you ever had a paid critique? Tell me how it went.

Categories
Polishing Your Message Uncategorized

Don’t Do Dat – or That

Today’s tip on Polishing Your Message is . . . Don’t Do That.

Do What?

Overuse the word that.

The overuse of  that is one of my pet peeves when grading college essays. (Did you hear me students?) And as expected, many editors feel the same way. So don’t be surprised when you read this in more than one place. Fellow A3 writer Lori Hatcher also shares the same advice in a recent blog about “How To Drive Editors Crazy – Part 2.”

stop that

Overuse of the word has become acclimated in our speech; thus, we easily overlook it when we write it. Most of the time that used in an essay, article, or blog can easily be removed without harm to the sentence or the message.  Simply read the sentence without it and see if it changes the meaning. If not, omit it. When used incorrectly, the word that is as useful as those empty modifiers we also try to avoid like very, really, totally, truly, etc.

Now I am not saying to remove the word that every time. Many sentences will need the word to show the reader important information will soon follow. Most of the time our ear will tell us if that is needed or not. The goal for this post is to suggest you be more aware when polishing your drafts and looking for unnecessary words which can be omitted.

If you would like to read a more thorough source on when to leave that in and when to leave that out, I’ll share with you Grammar Girl’s discussion for your reading pleasure. She has much more to say on the topic. You will be amazed how much there is to think about when considering that little four letter word.

So ,add that to your proofreading checklist, and have fun polishing your message.

[bctt tweet=”Add that to your proofreading checklist” username=”BobbiBushWriter”]

(Photo credits belong to Cat Branchman and Leonard Matthews)

 

 

 

 

Categories
Write Justified

Are You Editing? or Editorializing?

Every writer needs an editor or at least a proofreader. Even experienced writers benefit from another pair of eyes reviewing what they have written before it goes to press.

According to Beth Hill at The Editor’s Blog, [bctt tweet=”An editor polishes and refines, he directs the focus of the story or article or movie along a particular course. “]He cuts out what doesn’t fit, what is nonessential to the purpose of the story. He enhances the major points, drawing attention to places where the audience should focus.”

In the newsroom, the editor is especially influential in directing what stories take top billing or which ones are below the fold or relegated to page six. The leanings of a newspaper or television station are evident by these decisions. The myth of an unbiased editor is just that—a myth.

On the editorial pages the publisher/editor may legitimately voice his/her opinion on local, national, or world affairs. But editorializing—expressing opinions within a factual news piece is unacceptable journalism.

On a recent get away to western Colorado, we discovered a local paper that engaged in a bit of editorializing in, of all sections, the local crime blotter. The results provided great hilarity over our morning coffee.

Under the heading, Busted in the Butte, (gotta love that!) we chuckled over these entries. (Note editorial comments in italics.)

A report was filed for a stolen license plate. Only one plate was taken, so the thief must have only needed the one.

  • Follow-up was done on a suspect who had pled guilty in in a bad check case and wasn’t paying the money back as agreed. His next stop could quite possibly be in front of a judge.

Even when the writer is not editorializing, he/she has a sense of humor that goes beyond “just the facts, Maam.”

  • A bike versus vehicle accident occurred near the Nordic Center. An investigation is ongoing, but regardless of the outcome, a bicyclist never “wins” in a collision with a vehicle.
  • A Marshal did a welfare check via text with an overdue female whose family was concerned about her whereabouts. She responded to the text and contacted her family.

I’m still wondering if the female in question was just late coming home, or pregnant and past her due date. And don’t you love a diligent marshal who employs the latest technology rather than old-fashioned footwork to solve a crime? (That’s me editorializing.)

And my favorite:

  • It was determined that a 911 hang-up with yelling in the background was not a case of domestic violence, but the case of a doggy that was in deep doo-doo because of his deep doo-doo in the house.

You know it’s a small town when these are the items that populate the crime blotter. And you have to appreciate the editor who permits this kind of editorializing. But don’t you try it.

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

HOW TO DRIVE EDITORS CRAZY- part 2

How to Drive an Editor Crazy, Part 2

By Lori Hatcher

I’m a magazine editor. Every day I receive submissions from writers. Some are stellar and others, not so much. While there are many factors that determine whether I accept a submission, writers who follow a few simple guidelines are much more likely to see their writing in print. In Part 1 of this series, (How to Drive an Editor Crazy, Part 1) I shared two things that drive editors crazy. This time, in case you’re considering career suicide, I’ll share a few more. If you’re a smart writer and avoid these pitfalls, you’ll be well on your way to making your editor smile AND seeing your work in a magazine.

How to Drive an Editor Crazy, Part 2

  1. Quote facts without attribution.

If you say, “Haiti is spiritually and economically depressed because its citizens signed a pact with the devil,” you’d better have a credible source to back this up. Publications will differ on how they want you to document your sources. Some prefer insource notation, others want footnotes or end notes, but they all agree—undocumented facts are a sign of sloppy journalism. And please don’t begin a sentence with “According to . . .” Recast the sentence if necessary, but figure out a less formulaic way of quoting your source.

  1. Use the word that

 

That in some sentences is a relative pronoun that introduces an adjective clause. Other times, that is superfluous. A good test to determine whether the word is necessary is to delete it and see if the sentence still makes sense.

Example: The first sight that I saw was a dog running toward me.

Example: I went to the store that had the birthday cake in the window.

In the first example, I can remove the word that without changing the meaning of the sentence. In the second, I cannot.

 

  1. Use the plural pronoun they with a singular subject.

 

Example: When a student doesn’t want to go to gym class it’s usually because they hate dressing out in front of others.

 

Writers do this because they don’t want to use the dreaded and awkward he/she. As noble as their motive is, however, it’s never OK. One way to avoid this is to pick a gender and use it throughout, knowing your readers will understand that your thoughts apply to both genders.

 

Example: When a student doesn’t want to go to gym class, it’s usually because he hates dressing out in front of others.

 

Another way to avoid this is to use the plural in both cases.

Example: When students don’t want to go to gym class, it’s usually because they hate dressing out in front of others.

Professional writers take note of incorrect grammar and usage and provide proper attribution whenever they quote sources. Watching for these errors and correcting them before we submit our work will ensure we never, ever, ever drive our editors crazy.

 

 

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of the devotional book Hungry for God…Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women. A blogger, writing instructor, and women’s ministry speaker, her goal is to help women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God…Starving for Time. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Lori HatcherHeadshot

Categories
Writer Encouragement

Fixing the “Flat Tires” In Our Writing

There it was—the flat tire we dreaded finding. After discovering it flat twice that week, the expected deflation was not a total surprise.

It was an otherwise beautiful fall morning with enough chill in the air to be refreshing and not so many leaves collecting on the ground that they’d stir our conscience to take out the rake. But the flat tire on my husband’s aging Subaru definitely added clouds to this Saturday morning.

We knew it was time to visit the tire store.

The news there was worse than we imagined: Not only did that tire need complete replacing, but every tire on this vintage Subie needed an immediate sounding of the taps. It was time to give them all an honorable burial after years of faithful service.

Inhaling bravely, I nodded to my distraught husband. “Just do it. Buy four new ones.”

ID-100144252

In similar bleak scenarios, writers can struggle with such ominous news about their work: “It’s got too many holes. It can’t be saved like it is.”

 

The analysis might come from a critique partner, an editor, an agent, a publisher. The kinder ones will gently tell you your work needs improvement. Others will perhaps give you a more blunt analysis: It’s flat. It’s hopeless. Start over. Sound the taps.

Words of discouragement can set a writer back, thinking they’ll throw out the original idea all together. But sometimes the core of the story is still a good one. It just needs a retread. A do-over. New life. Fresh opening. More likable characters, perhaps?

I can think of a few stories that I’ve read that could have used an evaluation that challenged the author to do just that. Put the story up on the rack in the repair store and throw out the bad parts. Edit, edit, and edit some more.

You’ll notice that, when we got the new tires, we didn’t get rid of the car. Although ancient, it has served my family for many years now. It still runs, even quite well at times!

So if I could encourage writers who have been given some serious news and suggestions about changing their story or manuscript, I would say, “Take a deep breath. Pray for inspiration. And just do it.”

 

Typewriter image courtesy of Just2Shutter via freedigitalphotos.net

Changing a car tire courtesy of Stoonn via freedigitalphotos.net

 

 

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Book List for Editing

The concept of selecting a good product. Computer generated 3D photo rendering.

Punctuation and grammar come easily to me. I remember rules from elementary school, can recite a whole list of prepositions, and can use a semi-colon with confidence. For those times that I’m stumped about comma placement or which word to choose, I have a few go-to reference books that help me out every time.

Strunk and White’s, The Elements of Style, is a small book packed with information. Chapters include Elementary Rules of Usage, Elementary Principles of Composition, A Few Matters of Form, Words and Expressions Commonly Misused, and my edition, the third, has a chapter called An Approach To Style. This potent little package should sit on every writer’s desk within easy reach.

edit 3

I also use The McGraw-Hill College Handbook. It lists prepositions and conjunctive adverbs, shows how to fix dangling modifiers, and explains parallelism and subjunctive tense. This book isn’t the only one that can help with problems, but it’s the one I have. You probably have an English handbook left over from your college days. Check your book shelves.

eidt 2

Three other books that I’d recommend as references are Renni Browne and Dave King’s, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Revision and Self-Editing for Publication by James Scott Bell, and Gary Provost’s, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing. These are helpful books writers should read and reread as often as possible.

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All these books are good references, but I’ll be here to help, too. In each post, I’ll show the correct usage of a punctuation or grammar rule and try to explain the reason behind it.

Let me know if you have a question you want to see addressed. Thanks for your imput!