Something for Authors to Think About

I have been working on book reviews and manuscript acquisitions as of late, and have noticed something in both.

When an author submits a manuscript for publication, the question is, has the manuscript been edited by a professional editor, of at least read by a person other than the author? A second pair of eyes is necessary when writing. It is too easy for the author to miss small items like typos and more because they are too close to the copy.

As an acquisitions editor it is hard to read and review a manuscript that contains glaring errors in basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Writing is a business and authors need to treat their writing as something special, which writing is; make these same errors in your query letter, and your manuscript might earn a rejection letter if you are lucky enough to receive a response.

In today’s publishing environment, authors should not trust the publisher would edit the manuscript for them, especially when using self-publishing houses. With the way publishers are running the houses, it is up to the author to wear multiple hats. Authors of today need to be editor, marketer, and promoter. Many agents and publishers will expect a marketing plan along with the manuscript, it is the author’s job to sell the book and find places to market the book and set up displays in bookstores and other places. A website for the book and a following is also necessary for promotion.

As an acquisitions editor, authors, please do your work to the best of your ability and edit your manuscript before submitting it to any publisher.

Bolster Your Ego

Let's give the ego what it wants--something to be proud of and crow about. This way we can knock the "I'm not good enough" thought block on its ass. Grab your journal, find a comfy spot, put some music on and light a candle. Divide your life into decades. Now put down on paper:

1. Every accomplishment you've ever achieved. Did your painting in first grade art get selected to hang in the principle's office? Write it down. Did you get elected class president in eighth grade? Write it down. And so on, through the decades.

2. Write down everything you're good at--writing, knitting, gardening, hiking, taking care of kids, airplane mechanics, social media--anything. Really think about this and write it all down, no matter how small.

3. Find a way to bookmark this page, either turning the corner down so you can access it again, or copying all these accomplishments to the computer, where you can either print them out or have ready reference to them.

4. Every time your energy flags and you start to tell yourself you aren't good enough, refer back to this list immediately. Revel in how fantastic and cool you are. And now go back to your writing.

Writer, mentor, and coach Charlotte Rains Dixon is passionate about helping writers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals succeed, achieve, and profit in their careers and lives through writing. Visit her for more tips and techniques on writing--and living--at www.wordstrumpet.com.

Seven Thought Blocks That Hold You Back--And How to Smash Through Them

By Charlotte Rains Dixon

Thoughts are things. Or more to the point, thoughts create things--like finished books and articles and web copy. One thing I love about writing is that it's so intangible. A thought occurs to you, you write it down, and then add another sentence and another, and sooner or later you have a finished piece of work. You make something from nothing, literally manifesting a product from your thoughts.

And so, it stands to reason that for we writers, the way we think is vitally important. Allowing ourselves to wallow in negativity can be suicide for writing success. So, herewith, seven common thought blocks and ways to get around them.

1. I'm Not Good Enough. Have you ever heard that little message as you are writing away? I know I have. A sneaky variation is, its not good enough, it being whatever you are working on, of course. Don't give into this insidious thought, that which has stopped more masterpieces from being written than any other. You'll never know how good it can be until you finish it--and rewrite it several times. Make a deal with yourself that you'll get the project into as good a shape as you are capable of, and quit the judging until then.

2. It's Already Been Done. Well, of course it has. There's nothing new under the sun, truly and all. But there's only one you. And you+old, tired idea=wonderful fresh new novel. Or memoir. Or article. When you put your personal spin on something, it will be shiny and new. Trust me.

3. I Don't Have Time Anyway. None of us do. Yet novels and self-help books get written every day. Blog posts get written, copy for websites gets posted...you get the idea. Get up earlier, use your lunch hour, do whatever it takes--and quit using time as an excuse.

4. I Don't Know How to Do It. That's what makes it fun! The wonderful thing about writing is that it takes a lifetime to master, and there's always going to be something you don't know how to do or some aspect of your work to improve. Just think--never will you fight boredom again. Plunge in and see what happens, or buy a book on the subject. You should be reading voraciously anyway.

5. I'll Just Take a Quick Look at my Email. Don't do it! I'm the worst email slut on the planet, and still it is the bane of my existence. If I'm working on a project and I hit a snag, I think, I'll just hop on over to my inboxes and see what's going on. And fifteen minutes later, I'm still composing a message. Email is a time killer (and remember, a few minutes ago you were whining about not having any). Shut your inboxes down and give yourself regular interludes in which to check them.

6. Oh, Why Bother? This lament is actually a lack of commitment in disguise. Why bother implies that it is simply too much effort. Yet, anything worthwhile takes effort, consistent, diligent effort. And c'mon we're talking about writing here--it is fun effort. So of course you should bother, because legions of people are waiting to read your work. They simply don't know it yet.

7. It is Just Too Hard. Anything worth doing is challenging. Fess up--if writing were easy, you wouldn't be so interested in it, would you? If writing were easy, the bookshelves wouldn't be full of how-to books on the topic. If writing were easy, every single fool on the planet would write. Wait, I forgot--many of them do. So you be the smart one who knows writing is hard and embraces it precisely for that reason.

You can see that many of these thought blocks require a bit of tough love to get yourself through. You can be sweet and gentle to yourself until the cows come home, but sometimes that just doesn't work. So don't hesitate to get a little rougher when there's a need. It is all in the service of your writing, and you can apologize to your poor little bruised ego when you hit the bestseller lists.

Writer, mentor, and coach Charlotte Rains Dixon is passionate about helping writers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals succeed, achieve, and profit in their careers and lives through writing. Visit her for more tips and techniques on writing--and living--at www.wordstrumpet.com.

Seven Axioms of Writing

• Consistency
Make sure that you have used the same term spelled the same way throughout the story, blog post, or copy. This is especially true if you have created a language in a Sci-Fi story, or are using specific jargon in copy, or in blog posting. Nothing will turn your reader off faster than simple mistakes in consistency that yell amateur.
• Grammar
Know when to capitalize, making sure that you use correct sentence structure to make your meaning clear, not ambiguous causing the reader to wonder what the author meant, also not being wordy. If you can say something in fewer words, do it.
• Punctuation
Know how, and when to use commas, semicolons, or quotation marks. Writers should know whether the punctuation mark goes inside, or outside the quotation marks. If you are an author, and not sure, have a good reference book in your writer’s library, and verify it.
• Tense
If you are writing in third person past tense, are you consistent in tense? If a sentence in past tense, are all of your verbs in past tense also? Something this simple can make a reader put down a story, and never pick it up again. Readers may also tell their friends that the story was lousy, or hard to read.
• Spelling
Do not trust the Spellchecker or Grammatik in word processing programs. Using Spellchecker only tells you that you spelled a word correctly, not if it is the right word. As Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” Have a dictionary handy to look up any word you need to, do not make the editor do the work for you. They may not a second time.
• Verb subject agreement
The basic rule is to use singular verb with singular subject, and plural verb with plural subject. This may sound easy, but always verify to make sure you are correct.
• Verification and facts
If you use names, places, double-check for accuracy. If you use a town as one author did in a town this author lived in for over fifty years, while doing a review, the reviewer noticed that he called a street and avenue, and had the wrong address for a business in another town. There may be a reader that is familiar with where you are describing. Television programs are notorious for this.

Depending on what type of edit you ask an editor for, or edit yourself, always strive to make the editing process easier by doing the best writing you are capable of as an author. Follow proper manuscript formatting, always read, and follow submission guidelines for specific publications. Make sure that a publication accepts what you have written, and in what format. Some accept mail, some electronic, and others Word, or a combination.

Are these axioms for book authors only? No, these axioms apply to all writers from book authors to copywriters, and anyone in between. Can you imagine how an author would look in the eyes of readers if they have a website with bad grammar, punctuation, spelling, and tense error?

If you do not wish to imply the perception of an amateur, always do your best writing and check for any errors before you post or submit your writing. As Mark Twain put it, “The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say.” Think about it, and write your best.

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The Well-Fed Self-Publisher

By Peter Bowerman

Given the state of today’s publishing industry, and the number of books being published yearly, have you considered self-publishing as an alternative to the mainstream publishers? While there are many self-published books in today’s market, the problem with many is the poor quality of the writing (lack of editing) and physical design (especially book covers). In this comprehensive book, Peter explains about what it takes to be a successful self-publisher. Incidentally, he doesn’t consider POD self-publishing, but offers up several scenarios where POD makes sense for certain books/authors.

In TWFSP, you will find information on why self-publishing might make sense, getting comfortable with the sales and marketing process, building a book, targeting buyers and building demand, building a book website, distribution, Amazon, maximizing mainstream media, article writing, radio shows, the ins and outs of live appearances, creating multiple stream of income from your book, and much more. The appendices contain self-publishing resources, info on a valuable companion marketing e-kit, a self-publishing time line, and a section of foreign rights.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is a complete manual for a business as a self-publisher. In today’s publishing environment, finding an agent, then waiting and hoping that your book will get published, can be a dead end. This book shows you how to do it yourself and still get your book on bookstore shelves.

Items discussed in TWFSP are the cover, how to make your self-published book compete with the mainstream publishers’ books in look, feel, and quality (books that don’t compare to those coming out of publishing houses will be hard to promote to reviewers, wholesalers, distributors, and bookstores). Especially useful is a chapter explain and demystifying the concepts of “Sales & Marketing” that terrify many authors today, but which they’ll have to learn and use to get their book into the hands of readers.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is a roadmap to self-publishing and getting your book into the hands of readers. This book, filled with information about the publishing industry and what authors need to accomplish in order to become a published author, is delivered in a conversational tone from someone who’s successfully self-published his books (over 50,000 copies of his first two books are in print). Check out The Well-Fed Self-Publisher “Biz-in-a-Box” Teaser in the back of the book.

This reviewer gives this book a five-star rating. If you are considering self-publishing, read this book and find out what self-publishing is about.

Interviews

If you can get interviews on blog radio or on a blog as a promotion of your writing or your book, my all means look for opportunities to do so.

Use networking to find the opportunities. Offer to do some free writing. It has worked for me. I have an interview on a BlogTalk Radio show and also on a blog, Writers in Business.

Web 2.0 is a marvelous way to become known and letting people learn more about you.

Network marketing is more than just buzz words, it is a way to further your sales and influence on the internet. Network marketing is more than just trying to sell things, it is about creating relationships with people. These relationships will help you more than you may realize.

Authors today need to be smart marketers and business people at the same time.