How to Create a Useful Style Sheet

December 31, 2012 by 1 Comment
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Many authors assume they don’t need to be conscious of style choices because it is understood that the editor will fix style choices. Other authors use the excuse of “just getting the words on the page” to get out of using a consistent style as they write. Using a consistent style (and being conscious enough to make consistent style choices) will force you to think about your audience; for example: Hmmm . . . I am writing a military story for the general public . . . should I use all military acronyms throughout, or should I remind my audience of what they stand for at the beginning of each new chapter? Using a consistent style will also make you… [read more]

Filed Under: Editing, Revising, Style Sheet, Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Things on the New Year’s “To-Do” List for Every Purpose-Driven Author

December 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
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I know–you’re not even through the “holidays” yet, and you’re just feeling like you finally have a grasp on your “to-do” list for the next week and a half. Me too. I’m not necessarily looking forward to working on my next to-do list that comes after the holidays–specifically writing my thesis on the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon (what it means for publishing versus the present state of feminism–thanks for letting me ramble for a minute) and editing two manuscripts–because I’ve finally gotten around to prioritizing my current to-do list! However, I actually am looking forward to the rewards of engaging with the projects on my to-do list. This is because the holidays provide such a wonderful, cleansing, refreshing time… [read more]

Filed Under: Authorpreneur, Book Marketing, Motivational, Planning, Self-publishing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Post: CONTEST: Write with Hanna, Editorial Feedback #2

October 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Congratulations to submission #6! Synopsis: Sam is four years old when he first feels it—a humming in his stomach that happens when he reads books. As he grows older, the grumblings occur more frequently, and he finally confides in his mother when he is six. Smiling, she hands him a cookbook, and tells Sam to ask the book a question—and to Sam’s surprise, he can feel the book’s reply humming in his stomach. With the help of his mother, Sam learns he inherited her ability to communicate with books. When Sam is nine, his mother mysteriously disappears. Three and a half years later, Sam’s father has exiled himself to the bedroom, leaving Sam to take care of the house.  But… [read more]

Filed Under: Contests, Editing, Guest Post, Revising, Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,

At First Draft: The 6 (Minimum) Steps to Revising Your Manuscript before Submission

October 17, 2012 by 17 Comments
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Congratulations on your first draft! Ready for the real work? Here’s your in-the-trenches Wednesday post! As I’ve said before, writing tens of thousands of words is not hard. Sorry, it’s just not. And like the last time I said that, the muffled sound you just heard was a herd of angry authors setting their laptops down to come pummel me to the ground. But it’s true: the ACT itself of writing is not difficult to do. What IS hard is having the time and discipline to write. Harder yet? Having the skill to do it well. And the hardest? Being able to distance yourself enough from your manuscript to truly face what sucks about it—being open to changing even your most beloved sections… [read more]

Filed Under: Beta Readers, Editing, Planning, Revising, Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

Interview with Indie Author Matthew J. Beier, “The Breeders”

August 31, 2012 by 2 Comments
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With self-publishing, you either pay for quality control, or you do it yourself. This week, Matthew J. Beier, indie author of The Breeders, joined me for some Earl Grey tea and some conversation. Beier has several other books in the works, including a seven-book series that begins with The Confessions of Jonathan Flite, coming  fall of 2013. His July 9, 2012 article in Publishers Weekly titled “Of Decisions and Dream Chasing” explores his decision to self-publish, even though he was getting enough attention from agents to trust that a deal was likely to come through at some point. As it turns out, the self-publishing route allowed The Breeders—which subtly and not-so-subtly deals with many high-profile social justice issues—to come out right at the perfect… [read more]

Filed Under: Agents, Audience, Editing, Indie Publishing, Literary Trends, Pub. Industry, Publishers Weekly, Quotes, Self-publishing, Traditional Publishing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Two BIGGEST Mistakes Publishers Make that Screw Over Authors

August 3, 2012 by 2 Comments
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The truth about publishing is this: THE AUTHOR WILL PAY FOR IT…NO MATTER WHAT. If you self-publish, you pay up front  to have control in your process. If you publish traditionally, you pay for it through the royalties on the sales of your book. There’s no way around this investment. And sadly, publishers on both sides of the publishing world make mistakes that waste this huge investment by the author. As you all know, Dara and I (Amy) work for a self publisher in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We work with 70+ authors per year, and our job is to help them avoid making mistakes in the publishing process. Unfortunately, we sometimes get authors who have already published the wrong way–and NOT… [read more]

Filed Under: Design, Editing, Indie Publishing, Pub. Industry, Royalty Publishing, Self-publishing, Traditional Publishing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

10 Signs You’ve Hired The Wrong Editor For Your Book

May 14, 2012 by 2 Comments
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You’ve just reread your final draft for the 6,983rd time. Your friends, spouse, co-workers, and mailman all know you’re within an arm’s reach of being done. The next and final step is having your manuscript edited…and by a professional! You’ve carefully screened and chosen someone with editing chops. You’re feeling pretty good about entrusting your baby with this very capable editing wizard who has promised to make your fabulous manuscript even better. But then…like any new parent, something in your gut doesn’t feel right. Your confidence is slipping and you know that as an indie author your editor must rise to the occasion. Chances are, you noticed one or more of the following ten signs that your editor wasn’t going… [read more]

Filed Under: Editing, Self-publishing Tagged With: , ,

Do I Have to Kill My Darlings? 5 Self-editing Steps You MUST Take Before an Editor or Agent

March 30, 2012 by 9 Comments
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Congratulations, writer!  You’ve done it. As you type “The End” and move your mouse up to the little “Save” button in the corner, you feel like running down the street screaming “I’M AN AUTHOR! I’M GOING TO BE FAMOUS! I’M SENDING MY MANUSCRIPT TO (PUBLISHERS/AGENTS/EDITORS/SMASHWORDS) TOMORROW! YEAAAAAAHHHHH I’M AN AUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTHOOOOORRRRR!” This jubilant response is not wrong—it’s just premature. Once you finish the first draft, it’s like you’ve browned the taco meat but haven’t added the seasoning. For your book to be seasoned, it’s going to require that you take some measures—some emotionally painful—to ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward. Before sending it out into the world in any professional or official capacity, take your manuscript through the following steps… [read more]

Filed Under: Revising, Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: , ,