Anne Lamott says in Bird by Bird, “you wouldn’t be a writer if reading hadn’t enriched your soul more than other pursuits.” I’d like to apply this quote to editors too, because editors do more than just read a manuscript. Editors are also supposed to edit, of course.…
Read MoreMyth: Self-publishing is expensive because you have to pay large setup fees. Truth: Some publishing companies include the actual publishing of the book in the setup fees. If the setup fee includes formatting, the essential administrative numbers, a custom cover, and distribution, then you aren’t really…
Read MoreAs I discussed on a past blog post, there are several ways to publish a book. Today I want to make a quick comparison of two that are probably very similar, yet not the same. Unlike self-publishing, the subsidy publishing house distributes books under its own…
Read MoreYou know, the good thing about having a good editor is they give you good advice. I (thought I’d) finished Part 3 of my novel The Mayonnaise Murders several weeks ago and was all geeked to have that thing finally done so I could have it…
Read MoreHere is the second installment of my 10 item of the very important things you need to have in mind before, during, and after your self-publishing process: 1. Self-publishing is a contact sport. The biggest mistake people make when it comes to self-publishing…
Read MoreThe hell with Superman. I need some backup. Not long after I finished “The Mayonnaise Murders” I was busy searching high and low over the internet for any sci fi/fantasy group, book club, old folks home, you name it, where I could email my handy dandy…
Read MoreWhile many published books do include an acknowledgement to the writer’s editor after the title page, I’ve often thought while that is nice, the acknowledgement simply does not do justice to an editor’s hard work. An editor brings an active intelligent voice to your manuscript, making…
Read MoreThis weekend I will finish “The Mayonnaise Murders Part 3” , the conclusion of my scifi/fantasy serial novel. The first two parts are already completed and for sale at our Amazon store. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a book I actually began…
Read More“Perhaps the greatest benefit of reading novels is that it gives writers a sense of how it should be done. They show us how to create effective dialogue, narrative and characters, as well as how to place flashbacks, insert tension and atmosphere and how to maintain…
Read MoreTo guarantee a smooth publication process, it is important that you ensure the text and figures of your manuscript are complete and final. To help you, there are a series of guidelines, and reference standards for your book manuscript. 1. Keep in mind that generally, manuscripts…
Read MoreGood question. I can’t remember what the first piece of fiction was that I ever wrote, but even without being able to recall that lost and lonely tale, I already know how the characters in the story were created. They created themselves. No, honest. Different writers…
Read MoreAuthors today have more options for releasing their books, whether they choose to distribute hard copy print books, or digital e-books, or both. The digital media industry has made self-publishing more popular, and accessible to anyone who’s interested. A commercial publisher distributes books under its own…
Read MoreWhen I first started writing “The Mayonnaise Murders” nearly 20 years ago as an assignment from an educational company that needed a detective story for kids, I knew why I was writing the book and I was confident the book would reach a wide and appreciative…
Read MoreHas self-publishing ever crossed your mind? Think you’ve got what it takes to write an entire book/manuscript/document, and then self-promote it? Let me give you a hand. In this post we are going to let you know a few of the qualities of a successful self-published…
Read MoreOur professional and experienced editors offer three types of increasing detailed editing services for your customized manuscript preparation project: 1) proofreading only, 2) line editing, or 3) substantive editing. To help you determine what type of editing your manuscript needs, consider the following possible situations: Has…
Read MoreFor those who have already read the first two parts of The Mayonnaise Murders, you may have noticed that humor plays a big role in the narrative. If Vid, who serves as the primary narrator of this tale, isn’t cracking wise about something or other, then…
Read MoreSo now we have reached the last item of my list of four benefits of using an editor, which is the likelihood of acceptance. With the digital media at full force, it seems that suddenly everyone is an author or a musician… or both! Publishing is…
Read MoreWhen I first started writing “The Mayonnaise Murders” more than 20 years ago, there wasn’t any such thing as a website. There was no such thing as a Twitter. Facebook? The kid who invented that social media phenomenon, Mark Zuckerburg, hadn’t even reached high school…
Read More“When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.” – Enrique Jariel Poncela So we have mentioned 2 out of 4 benefits of editors. We talked about quality, and how much value can an editor add to our precious document. We…
Read MoreToday is Day #1 of the December NaBloPoMo–National Blog Posting Month. I believe that I am prolific in several areas, but since the theme for this month is “work”, I will state that I am quite the “pro” with the English language. My Master’s Degree and…
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