Tag: editors

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Guest Posts

8 Things to Do Before Your Self-Published Book is Released

It has never been easier to publish a book thanks to the rapid advancement of technology. Goodreads and Amazon are some of the best platforms for new authors, most of whom are unknown and inexperienced. Most writers have no idea about what it takes to release a book. Publishing a professional, well-written, and memorable book is a process.

As a writer, you’ve probably published some of your books. Perhaps you have completed writing another book and you want different results when you finally release your creativity to the world. Here are eight things that you should so before releasing your book.

1. Write a great book

According to college papers, every reader wants to invest in great books. While this point may appear simple, you’ll be surprised by the number of poorly written books that have already been published. Don’t be too excited to release your book without ensuring that it’s good. People will hate the book and the author. And you’ll end up hating yourself.

How can you be sure that your book is good? If you are happy with the plot, characters, and the flow then you are one step closer to having a good book. However, reading the book alone is not the most effective solution. There are people who can spot errors that your eyes can’t see even if you read your work fifty times. You need beta readers to help you out.

2. Find beta readers

Beta readers are people who read your book from cover to cover and give you an honest opinion. Some of these readers might be writers. And others might be people who simply love reading. You give them a free book for their honest opinion.

It can be surprisingly difficult to find people to read your book especially if it’s too long. Some will say they don’t have enough time to read. And others will want to read without having to look for mistakes. Avoid asking the following people to point out mistakes in your work:

  • Best friend: Even if they are willing to help, there’s a chance that they’ll never find time to read it. You’ll keep pestering them and they’ll always come up with excuses or worse, avoid you.
  • Your mum: Your mum is always going to love the work of your hands. Your mother is the best choice if you want to be complimented. However, not the best choice if you want honesty.
  • Your spouse: People who are close to you are the least likely to be completely honest with you. They have already accepted you with all your strengths and weaknesses.

You should ask:

  • Writers: Writers understand their craft. You should go for experienced authors because they’ll quickly notice your mistakes. They can also offer constructive criticism and suggestions of what you need to improve and how to go about it.
  • Editors: Editors love reading books. Some of them won’t charge you anything for reading your book. Editors are experienced in pointing out mistakes. They won’t hesitate to tell you what needs to be improved.

Today, it’s quite easy to find beta readers. They have formed groups on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Other platforms to find experienced writers and editors include research paper writing service, assignment help and essay reviews. For other people to read your work, you must be willing to read other people’s work.

3. Criticism shouldn’t hurt

Don’t send your book to an experienced writer or editor and expect them to shower you with compliments. They won’t unless they are close to you.

Criticism is a free gift that improves the quality of your book. Some people will just trash your book without any valid reason. Instead of feeling awful, ignore such people. However, if you get comments such as “continuity error in Chapter X Paragraph Y, then you’ve got some work to do.

Criticism can hurt. But it’s one of the most effective ways of improving your skills. Take criticism well and make the most out of it. If one reader can spot mistakes and leave honest feedback, it’s highly likely that others will feel the same way.

4. Find more beta readers

After correcting your work, send it more beta readers. Hopefully, some of your original readers will be interested in reading your revised manuscript. This is good because they’ll let you know if the changes you made have improved your book. And other things that you need to add. Honest feedback can be a pain in the ass. But it’s an important process if you want readers to take you seriously.

5. Find a copy editor

According to dissertation help service, if you are self-publishing, you’ll have to hire a copy editor. The best part is, you’ll get to choose an editor who is ideal for you. A copy editor will check for things like repetition, word choices, and get rid of weak sentences. Beta readers will not do this for you. But a copy editor will greatly improve the quality of your work.

6. Hire a proofreader

All the stages that we’ve discussed are important. And can be skipped if you are an experienced writer with a loyal following. However, proofreading is a must. Since our eyes are usually blind when it comes to finding our errors, a proofreader will help you fix typos, punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors. Unless your book is short and you are a professional proofreader, it’s always good to hire someone.

A study conducted by Dissertation Today found out that close to forty percent of books that you’ll find on shelves have never been proofread. They are full of spelling mistakes, incomplete sentences, and tense confusion. And they frustrate many readers. To avoid joining this club, hire a proofreader to polish your work.

7. Get a captivating cover

The cover is the first thing people look at before picking a book. Believe it or not, a lot of readers judge a book by its cover. Therefore, it’s important to hire a professional designer to help you create a good cover for your book. Ensure that the designer takes into account the main points in your book. You don’t want your creativity to be hidden behind a poorly designed cover.

8. Format

Self-publishing a book requires a lot of formatting work. The font has to fit properly on e-readers like Kindle. The cover size has to be perfect. It’s better to work hard and eliminate errors before releasing your book than after you’ve released it.

Conclusion

After completing all these steps, you’ll have a professionally written manuscript with a great cover waiting to be published. And you can start calling yourself an author. The more you write, the easier this process will be.

Kurt Walker is a skilled freelancer and editor at a professional writer service in London. He is one of the many UK essay writers specialized in essay writing and assignment help. In his spare time, Kurt plays the guitar and takes his dog Shay for a walk.

Categories
Authorpreneur

Supercharge Your Reach, Part Three

Throughout this series I’ve emphasized one main point—increasing your reach is vital to your writing career. I’ve also shared two ways to grow your reach. In this post, I’d like to proffer a third approach: creating a quality product.

As an authorpreneur, increasing revenue through writing is the driving force behind your efforts. Boost your sales by creating a quality product.

Milton Hershey once famously remarked, “Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising.” Since most of us have probably eaten, or at least heard about Hershey chocolate, I think it’s safe to assume that he knew what he was talking about.

As Hershey said, a quality product gets people talking. This is true for any product on the market, including books.

Time and again, I encounter clients who may have an exceptional story, but didn’t put enough time and effort into the typesetting, editing, cover design, or other features that subtly appeal to a reader. In the end, their book doesn’t have the impact they expected.

 Why this matters

Like it or not, quality sells. And it should. You’re asking people to part with their money and, as such, you should be prepared to give them something that really shines.

On a more practical side, if the product doesn’t look good, consumers are less likely to realize its true value.

Your story may be a real winner, but have you taken the time to verify the accents/dialects of your characters? Are the descriptions of buildings true-to-life for the time period? Is there an appropriately sized gutter and is the text appropriately spaced? Expand your reach by creating a book so good that people want to talk about it.

For example, I recently was tagged on an Instagram post made by a reader who loved In the Shadow of Your Wings (story and cover). She made up a gift basket that featured the book and some other products, then shared it with her followers. Getting people talking about your product is a free way to expand your reach.

How to boost your book’s quality

If you’re an indie author, you want to create a product so good that no one can tell you’ve indie published it. I’m not saying it’ll be perfect. According to an article carried by the University of California Press, a 95% error-free manuscript is the best a human can do. But the mistakes should be minimal and not hinder your opportunity to expand your reach through retail.

Hire a quality editor. If you’re self-editing, use quality control measures such as listening to the audio using Microsoft’s Read Aloud feature, and working backwards through your text. None of these are absolutely foolproof, but they should minimize the number of typos that can easily slip by if you’re already familiar with the text before you begin the editing process.

Invest in a cover-design professional. You can engage the services of a freelancer or contract out with a full-service publisher such as my house, Logos Publications, LLC.

From a production standpoint, it helps to make a publishing checklist if you’re an indie author. Include a section for such as proofreading, checking for homophones, punctuation checks etc. and another for the actual production (typesetting, formatting and the like).

Creating a quality product takes a lot of effort. It isn’t the quick-and-easy “write a book and sell it on Amazon” approach that many think. But in the end you’ll have a book that people will want to talk about, and one that you’ll be proud to call your own. Believe me, nothing in this business is more gratifying than that.

Takeaway: Invest time and effort into creating a solid plot and producing a quality product. That is still the best kind of advertising.

If you’d like an in-depth look at how this can apply to your manuscript, book a call with me online.

JP Robinson gained experience in the marketing field doing promotional work for multi-million dollar medical facilities and non-profit groups over the past decade. He is an international speaker, educator, and prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction.

JP also conducts writing seminars in various parts of the country and heads Logos Publications, LLC, an emerging publishing and book marketing team.

When he isn’t writing or teaching, JP loves spending time with his wonderful wife and children.

Categories
Becoming an Author

Achieving the “It Factor” in Publishing – Part 2

I understand the struggle that aspiring authors often face on their attempt toward publication. Honestly, this is one of the reasons why I’ve chosen to work in the publishing field—not just because I love books, but because I want to help other writers’ dreams come true.

However, as the publishing industry becomes more and more saturated, aspiring authors are finding it harder to receive recognition. The recent changes in the industry have caused editors to become more selective in their acquisition decisions. Us literary agents, as a result, are dealt with the same dilemma. We only get paid when a sell is made; because of that, we have no choice but to sign with clients whose book(s) we think could sell. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, possessing an “it factor” can help aspiring authors to increase their chances of landing a traditional publishing deal in today’s age. And it all begins with the submissions to literary agents (or publishing houses).

First, in order to understand how you can catch an agent/editor’s eye, you must know what it is that we’re looking for from an author. 

Below is a list of questions that I personally ask myself when reviewing a proposal…

1.     Does this project fit my criteria of what I’m looking for?

2.     Is the hook of this book strong enough for me to pitch to editors?

3.     If the book is non-fiction, how does it fit into the current marketplace in a way that brings a fresh perspective? If the book is fiction, does the story tap into trends in a way that refrains from coming across as cliché or overdone?

4.     Does the author understand who the target audience is of the book?

5.     Does the author have potential to reach his/her target audience through platform?

6.     Does the marketing plan prove that the author understands marketing and will partake in publicity efforts?

7.     If the book is non-fiction, is this author the right person to write this book (based on his/her credentials)?

8.     Does the author have connections in the industry with people who can act as an influencer or give a possible endorsement of the book?

9.     Has the author been published in the past? If so, what are his/her sales history?

10.  Last—but certainly not least—is the writing strong enough to carry this project?

As you can see, there is a plethora of factors that can play into whether an agent/editor accepts or rejects your proposal. It is not solely based on writing potential. 

Why is this?

When an editor is interested in a submission at a publishing house, he/she will then meet with the rest of their team to discuss the project. Several departments will review the proposal from various angles. Believe me when I say that the answers to some—if not all—of the above questions will be considered at this meeting!

Fortunately, since you are an author who takes your writing seriously, you won’t see this challenge as a threat to your publication dreams; instead, you can use this as an opportunity to craft a stronger submission. A proposal that will allow you to stand out in the slush pile.

And achieve the “it factor” in the process.

What are other questions ways you attempt to stand out from the crowd in your submissions? How do you strive to achieve the publishing it factor in publishing? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show teens they’re not alone. Her passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as an Associate Agent at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. Tessa’s first teen devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, will release with Bethany House in 2018. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
Child's Craft

Your Fifteen Minutes

Whether you write for children or adults, or both, meeting with industry professionals at writers’ conferences is essential.

But what do you do with that fifteen-minutes slot?

I asked several editors that question a few months ago. Here are some of their suggestions. But don’t try to do ALL of these in one session. Focus on those that apply to you and your writing.

  • Most editors do not bite.
  • Come prepared with a few questions to ask the editor.
  • Familiarize yourself with that publisher or agency BEFORE the conference. Study their website.
  • Be truthful. If you don’t have a book published say so.
  • Be prepared to talk about yourself and your writing. Your passion should shine through.
  • Feel free to ask for general help in plotting your writing course.
  • Leave contact info with them such as a professional business card or a one-sheet.
  • Decide in advance on your reason for the appointment. Do you have a book idea to sell? Do you need advice? Do you want the editor/agent to glance at a proposal and give you tips on how to improve it? Do you want to brainstorm a story idea? Would you like recommendations for other publishers to submit to?
  • Pitch only one project unless the editor/agent asks for another one.
  • Ask him/her what they are looking for, or what literature they love and hate.
  • Pitch your story in less than five minutes Then stop talking and listen.
  • Know your genre, theme and target audience.
  • Watch the time—be courteous and don’t make others wait.
  • Ask, “If I incorporate your suggestions would you be willing to review my proposal/manuscript?”
  • Be grateful and gracious.
  • Be flexible. Sometimes things happen!
  • Follow up with a SHORT email thanking them for their time.
  • Anticipate some questions such as: How does your story end? What published author’s style would you compare yours to? Who are your favorite authors in your genre? Is this part of a series? What are the subsequent books about? Do you participate in a critique group? Have you pitched this to others? What response did you get?
  • Be yourself—your best self. Be open, humble and genuine.
  • If the editor/agent is reading your material be silent and let them read.
  • Answer their questions the best you can without defending your work.
  • Trust the Lord to open the right doors and forge the right relationships for you.

Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at www.jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.

Categories
Publishing Pulse

Don’t Let the Industry Dehumanize You

If you are an author, a human being writing for other human beings, you have been blessed with a precious ability. If you write fiction, you have the unique gift of storytelling. If you write nonfiction, you are no less creative, because you have devised ways to describe and explain truth to make it understandable and compelling. Don’t let it go to your head, but also don’t deny the importance of the  role you play in the publishing industry.

I feel the need to make such a warning because the publishing industry can tend to dehumanize us (a danger I suspect is found to some extent in most industries). But book publishing wasn’t always this way; the artistic and creative interaction between authors and publishers tended to keep the human factor at the forefront. It’s only in the last couple of decades that the publishing industry—or I should say, certain elements of the publishing industry—began referring to the person who writes the words as a “content provider.”

It all came about innocently enough. With the advent of ebooks (and to some extent, audiobooks, computer apps and other derivative products), publishers started realizing that they were not the purveyors of books, but of content. The author’s words were what had value, and the medium—paper and ink, a text file, or an audio file—were merely the window dressing. In a sense, they made an about-face from the 1960s chant of Marshall McLuhan that “the medium is the message” to see that the value was in the message, regardless of medium. The new refrain has become “content is king.”

I appreciate the sentiment. Of course, the content is what makes the book, the ebook, the audiobook a sellable product, but where does the content come from? It comes from the mind of the author, not from a computer with artificial intelligence, and certainly not from an infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters. They really have it all wrong—the author is king, and always has been. Your words are the commodity that is for sale on the marketplace. The rallying cry of “content is king” attempts to divorce the product (the content, your words) from the creator and owner of the content—you, the author.

Consider the attitude of Amazon’s publishing arm toward authors and content. They claim to have the most content of anyone—and that is true, except they don’t own that content, they did not create that content, and (unlike most traditional publishers) they do little or nothing to develop and polish that content.

A lot of authors think it is wonderful that Amazon allows them to publish their material with little or no editorial “interference.” But the better authors, the ones that succeed, realize their creation needs polishing, and their creative ideas need an editorial sounding board—the feedback of a first reader, who may see problems that the author is blind to. You get that polishing, that sounding board, at a good traditional publisher, but you won’t get it at a self-publishing provider such as Amazon. It is unlikely that you will even have any interaction with a human being—the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) system is computer-automated. Talk about dehumanizing!

So don’t let the “content” mongers dehumanize you. Demand (or if you are self-publishing, pay for) a real, live editor who will work with you creatively to hone your manuscript into the best book it can be.

David E. Fessenden

Literary Agent, WordWise Media Services
Publisher and Proprietor, Honeycomb House Publishing LLC

David Fesseden has degrees in journalism and theology, and over 30 years of experience in writing and editing. He has served in editorial management positions for Christian book publishers and was regional editor for the largest Protestant weekly newspaper in the country.

Dave has published seven books, written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and edited numerous books. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. Two of his books, Writing the Christian Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract and A Christian Writer’s Guide to the Book Proposal, are based on his experience in Christian publishing. The Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, Dave’s first novel, reflects his love for history and for the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan-Doyle.

Dave and his wife, Jacque, live in south-central Pennsylvania and have two adult sons.

Websites/Blogs:

www.fromconcepttocontract.com
www.davefessenden.com
www.thebookstore.info

Categories
Book Proposals

Make a Lasting First Impression

In the rush to show a literary agent or editor your idea, many writers forget a simple yet important truth: You only get one chance to make a good first impression.

As an editor and former literary agent, I’ve read thousands of written proposals and pitches. For over 25 years, I’ve taught at writer’s conferences and had short 15 minute sessions with writers who show their ideas. When an editor asks for your proposal or manuscript, are you sending it? If you follow through with an excellent submission, you will be among the few who do so. It may be surprising to you, but many people do not submit their requested materials.  No wonder they don’t get published because they do not get into the process.

Let’s begin with some good news. I’ve been with some of the top publishers and literary agencies in New York City. Without exception, every single agent and editor is actively reading and speaking with writers. They are searching for the next bestseller. Whether you write a novel or nonfiction, every writer needs a book proposal or pitch. Why? Imagine receiving over 100 pitches a day (not uncommon for a well-connected literary agent). The title and first few sentences are critical to catch their enthusiasm.

There are a number of keys to making a great proposal.

  1. Create a memorable book title. Many writers are worried that someone else will take their title. Instead you need to try it out on others and test it and make sure it pulls in your reader.
  2. Read and re-read your opening paragraphs. Have a trusted writer friend read it and give feedback. If an oral pitch, then practice it. You’d be surprised at the difference it will make.
  3. Write to a well-defined target audience. No book is for everyone.
  4. Detail your competition. Every book competes in the marketplace—no matter what you believe about the uniqueness of your idea. You need to include four or five specific competitive titles to your book.
  5. Present a realistic marketing plan of what you will do to partner with the publisher to sell books into the market. Your plans need to be practical and clearly defined.

Your writing and story is unique and I know you have something unique and  special to give to the marketplace. What type of first impression will you make today?

Here’s three resources to learn more detail:

  1. My online Write A Book Proposal course (WriteABookProposal.com) I have step-by-step teaching how to make your best impression.
  2. Book Proposals That Sell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success which I wrote as a frustrated acquisitions editor and has 130 Five Star Amazon reviews. I have slashed the price and bought all the remaining copies: http://BookProposalsThatSell.com
  3. Get my free Ebook, Some Book Proposal Insights and teleseminar at: AskAboutProposals.com

Take advantage of these resources. Then you will make the right type of lasting first impression.

Terry Whalin is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written over 60 books and for more than 50 magazines including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. Get his free Book Proposal Checklist at: http://terrylinks.com/bookcheck. He has over 205,000 followers on twitter. http://twitter.com/terrywhalin

Categories
Publishing Perspectives

How Many Pairs of Eyes Are on Your Book?

I recently finished making wording changes on a self-published book that had already been typeset and printed — or perhaps I should say I thought I had finished the changes. A large batch of new changes just came in from another person who had looked through the book. (I sure am glad I was the typesetter/page designer, and not the editor of that book!)

Thankfully, with print on demand, such changes can be incorporated for a relatively low cost, but my client was concerned about how “unprofessional” the process seemed to be. Surely such last-minute changes never happen in traditional publishing! Oh, if that were only more true. Traditional publishing arguably has fewer of these unfortunate last-minute wording changes than self-publishers do, but it still happens once in a while.

When it comes to avoiding last-minute wording changes, traditional publishers have a distinct  advantage over self-publishers, and it all comes down to who is paying the bill. Even if a self-publishing author pays a professional editor to go through the manuscript, the author pays the bill and has the final say.

If the editor finds wordiness, the overuse of a phrase, or a myriad of cliches, will the author have the humility to allow the editor to remove them? (I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told by an author, “That’s just my style,” in response to my discovery of such problems.)

But there is yet another advantage that traditional publishers have over self-publishers: the manuscript gets seen by multiple pairs of eyes. A manuscript at a traditional publisher may go through two or three levels of editing (each by a diffferent person), and more than one proofreader, and “in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Every person who looks at the manuscript brings a different perspecitive to the writing. It’s crazy, but sometimes a proofreader will notice a problem with a sentence — a sentence that has already been read by four or five people!

Sometimes all it takes is a missing “not” to change a godly author’s words into heresy. Think of this sentence: “Jesus is not indifferent to our sufferings.” If that “not” gets lost, several people may read it and unconsciously insert the word, and thereby miss the typo.

Sometimes a sentence goes past several pairs of eyes before someone notices that it can have two meanings. (My favorite is the old joke about the guy who got fired for laziness. When asked for a recommendation, his former employer wrote: “You’ll be lucky if you can get this guy to work for you.”)

Self-publishing authors cannot typically afford to pay for multiple sets of eyes on a manuscript, but they can still manage to get this advantage in an economical way. They can use beta readers. A beta reader is a friend or fellow author who is willing to read your book and point out any snags or confusing passages. (Or even, sometimes, a major flaw in the logic of your nonfiction, or a hole in the plot of your fiction.) With print on demand, it is now economically practical to hand out printed review copies of your book to your beta readers — but I would strongly suggest having your manuscript professionally edited and proofread before you produce review copies.

When you use beta readers, you need to practice both humility and discernment — humility to accept that your book may have errors, and discernment to realize that nonprofessional advice is not always worth taking. With those two virtues in mind, the more eyes on your book, the merrier!

David Fesseden has degrees in journalism and theology, and over 30 years of experience in writing and editing. He has served in editorial management positions for Christian book publishers and was regional editor for the largest Protestant weekly newspaper in the country.

Dave has published seven books, written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and edited numerous books. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. Two of his books, Writing the Christian Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract and A Christian Writer’s Guide to the Book Proposal, are based on his experience in Christian publishing. The Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, Dave’s first novel, reflects his love for history and for the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan-Doyle.

Dave and his wife, Jacque, live in south-central Pennsylvania and have two adult sons.

Websites/Blogs:
www.fromconcepttocontract.com
www.davefessenden.com
www.thebookstore.info

Categories
The Picky Pen

How to Think Like an Editor

Writing is a funny art, isn’t it? Agents and editors (freelance and publishing house) tell us to write, write, write . . . and also make sure that our manuscript is edited well. “Edited well?” But what if we don’t like the word editing because it’s too daunting? What if our minds turn to jelly or we seize up when an agent or mentor tells us to edit our manuscript?

Well. Editing may seem daunting and scary and intimidating, but it’s really just one piece of the writing process. Editing doesn’t have to be so intimidating. Every writer should have an editor, but before sending a manuscript to a personal freelance editor or mentor (or even critique group), we need to make sure that the manuscript is fluid. Simply put, editing is just going through a more detailed process to make sure our manuscript is ready for the public eye. So . . . how do we think like an editor when we aren’t one? I’ll give you some quick tips for thinking like an editor. Ready?

Three Rules for Thinking Like an Editor

1. Am I a one-book author?

Now this is a scary question because agents especially want to ensure that the author seeking representation has more than one story or book idea. If you only have one story idea now and you are finding it hard to come up with another one, please don’t panic.

That’s what your critique group or mentor or friend(s) is for. That’s why you see questions on social media, “Would you read a book about flying saucers in the Carribean?” The author is trying to get feedback on their idea. If you aren’t an idea person (but rather someone who runs with an idea after it’s been fleshed out), you may want to sign up for coaching sessions or find a friend who will listen to your idea strain and then ask you questions about it to get you thinking.

If you have a handful of exceptional one-sentence hooks, that’s a good indication to an editor that you’re not a one-book author.

2. Will my book sell?

Another big question, but an important one. As the author, you will have done your research on other books in the market in the past year that are similar to yours in subject, theme, timeline, and content. If you find many like yours, that’s good. It only means that your idea is being published. Now the trick is to make sure that your hook is ear-grabbing enough to catch an agent’s or editor’s attention. Hooks like “A woman struggles to sell her house but can’t because there’s a hippie living in her basement who refuses to move out” might work. Doesn’t that raise all kinds of questions?

On the other hand, if you can’t find a book like yours out on the market, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it may mean that your book isn’t ready for publication quite yet, or that your genre or subject is too narrow. That said, consider broadening your subject focus or story question. And keep writing!

3. Will I work with an agent or editor to meet deadlines, manuscript edits, and other details?

While the other two questions were super important, this one probably outranks them. Why? Because agents and editors crave for authors who are easy to work with and who aren’t afraid to make necessary changes for the book’s best interest for the needs of the readers. I am not saying you should make every single change that an agent or editor want you to make, for you know where your book stands as far as its core message, and there will be things you will not want to change. However, you can graciously explain why a change cannot be made but keep an open mind in case the suggested change is a good change. A good change will enrich your story, grow you as a writer, and really wow your readers.

If an author can meet deadlines, make clear edits, work with the publisher’s marketing team, and do their part in getting the book into readers’ hands, then that’s the author an agent or editor wants to work with. That’s exactly what thinking like an editor is all about, and chances are, you’ll never be without a writing project or a published book available on your favorite bookstore shelf.

Next month, I’ll share some more tips on how to think like an editor.

But for now, please join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Take a few minutes and ruminate. What are some other ways you can think like an editor?

About Tisha Martin

Tisha Martin is a writer and editor, and she lives to encourage authors and editors to bridge their relationships and work together for the publishing industry cause, where readers will treasure books for always. With a bachelor’s in Professional Writing, a master’s in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, she has equal passions for writing and editing. Active in ACFW and The PEN, she appreciates both communities. She is the former Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, where she was instrumental in seeing attendee growth in 2018, up 150% from 2017. She’s also a contest judge for Writer’s Digest. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and on social media. She looks forward to the conversation!

Categories
Writer Encouragement

Avoiding New Writer Pitfalls

I know about new writer pitfalls first hand.

When my first book was written in 2009, the publishing industry was going through a crisis. Layoffs in the publishing world seemed to occur more frequently than snowflakes in a blizzard.

At that time, once flourishing publishing houses practically came to a halt in their production of new titles. Fledgling writers like myself were not feeling welcome.

My first novel had just been completed and I just knew (i.e. thought) that I was supposed to see it published right away. So I made a decision that I now deem to be unwise: I self-published “The Road to Deer Run” and spent a lot of money doing so.

Oil Painting that became the cover for my first novel
Oil Painting that became the cover for my first novel

It actually was well received for its storyline but five years later, I see the flaws I made as a new writer. I didn’t know enough about writing and it showed.

Today, self-publishing is common and is no longer deemed a plebeian form of seeing a book become a reality. But there is much more to publishing a really great book that just getting it formatted to Kindle. There are proper edits to any book that will make a reader not want to put your story down. There is marketing. There are writer’s conferences you should attend. There are books on the writing craft you’ll want to read. There are many facets of getting published without making the myriad of mistakes that I did. And were I to start over again, self-publishing is not the way I would begin.

My hopes for this column are that I might encourage you in your writing. Crafting words and pitching ideas to potential editors, publishers and agents can seem overwhelming. My first encouragement to you is to take one step at a time. Don’t rush from having an idea for a novel to seeking an agent. Take your time and absorb as much knowledge from other writers and editors who have been in the writing trenches. Don’t be in such a hurry to see your book birthed that you make mistakes that you might regret later. No one is more aware of this than I am.

In this monthly column for Almost An Author, I want to encourage you. I’m now a published author who has gone from feeling humiliated to winning awards. From self-publishing to having six contracts signed for books. Even “Road to Deer Run” has been contracted for re-release with an independent Christian publisher and will receive new edits and a new cover later this year.

After five years of struggle and mistakes, God has given my first novel new life—just like He gave new life to me when I became a Christian. I’m so grateful for His grace!

[bctt tweet=” God has given my first novel new life #novel #firstnovel #amwriting” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”… self-publishing is not the way I would begin #writer #firstnovel #novel” via=”no”]

(Old Typewriter image courtesy of Thaikrit through FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Categories
Uncategorized Writer Encouragement

Expert Gardeners – Expert Editors

Elaine Marie Cooper

It was early summer and the New England Asters were lush with leaves. But a knowledgeable gardener gave instructions concerning the long, gangly stems.

“They need to be trimmed way back to about six inches or so.”

Six inches??

“Yes, don’t worry, it will grow back and it will look even better.”

I still doubted but I trusted the gardener’s experience. So I began to clip, even though I cringed. I felt like I was ruining the plant by removing all those pretty leaves.

How will it ever be beautiful again?

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And yet within weeks the stems filled out, growing upward and outward. By the time fall was near, the blooms were everywhere. The plant was more beautiful than when it started.

 

 

*     *     *

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Often we writers fear the trimming process. We think by editing what seems to be the perfect story, book, or article, we are losing the beauty that we see. It might even seem like we are ruining what we thought was important.

 

But editors—the expert gardeners—see the big picture. They know what will turn our writing into something wonderful—a thing of flowering beauty. Editors are trained to read a manuscript with readers in mind. We are often too close to our own work to realize that by making a few changes, we can help the reader better understand our story. And we definitely want our readers to be happy.

Sometimes suggested edits can be discussed between writer and editor. Often there is a reason to leave well enough alone. But overall, I agree with most edits suggested by the experts when I am going through the trimming process.

It can feel uncomfortable at the time. But the finished work will usually show the proof of the editor’s expertise.

It can be a thing of beauty, just like the asters in fall.

NEAsters2

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
Writer Encouragement

Listening to Writing Mentors

Writers who listen are writers who learn. If we’re so busy pitching our ideas and promoting our writing agenda, we’ll turn into writers without a clue. And likely, writers without a contract for publication.

Years ago, I was a nursing student and one of my classes was entitled “Therapeutic Conversation.”

The title sounded ridiculous but it was anything but that. It taught me how to really listen to what a patient says, as well as observe their body language and facial expressions. The class coached us in how to rephrase what the person said back to them to be certain we understood their meaning. It forced us to listen, rather than speak all the time.

The biggest thing I learned from that class was how much I talk. That was humbling. I like hearing what I have to say, it seems. But I quickly was educated in the importance of really listening to my patients so I could be a better caregiver of their needs.

I also realized that this can carry over into every area of my life to improve communication with family and friends. It can also carry over into communication with other writers and editors, publishers and agents.

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Often I hear other writers express concern for what they will say at writer’s conferences, especially if it’s there first conference. If they ask me for advice, I encourage them to keep their introductions simple, their words few and their ears OPEN.

It seems we live in a society of talkers. National news interviews and reality TV shows are flooded with talk—and plenty of it. People are talking over people, expressing their thoughts and ideas without a concern for what the other person is trying to say. It gets downright annoying and you come away thinking, did anything get resolved? Did anyone learn anything?

That’s how I perceive some writers I’ve observed who attend sessions with potential mentors—editors and more experienced writers. These fledgling writers talk much, listen little—and already have all the answers. Or so they think.

The way to a potential relationship with an editor or publisher is to listen and learn. Ask questions but hear the answers. In this world of chatter, it can be hard to focus. But for the serious writer seeking publication, wisdom is in the words of the more experienced. I’d encourage some therapeutic listening.

[bctt tweet=”Fledgling writers talk much, listen little #writers #writetips” via=”no”]

Typewriter image courtesy of Thaikrit through FreeDigitalPhotos.com

Image of woman courtesy of Stock Images through FreeDigitalPhotos.com