Barbara McNichol Editorial Services

Add power and persuasion to your books, articles, and one-sheets

Fine-Tune Your Writing Through an Editor’s Lens

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by Barbara McNichol

fine-tunr your writingWhenever you write something—a report, article, proposal, manuscript, or sensitive email—you naturally don a writer’s hat. But don’t stop there. You’re not finished! It’s time to scrutinize and then fine-tune what you’ve crafted.

Start with this question: Does every word contribute to conveying your intended message?

To answer that question, you need to reread your piece (at least three times) as if you’ve never seen it before. It’s akin to “thinking like an editor” by examining every phrase/sentence and asking:

Is it NECESSARY?

Is it CLEAR?

Is it CONCISE?

If you can’t confidently answer YES to these questions, pay attention to the following fixes and use them wherever it’s appropriate.

NECESSARY: Be picky and picky again. Delete whichever elements don’t support the piece’s meaning.

CLEAR: Ensure subjects and verbs agree; no mixing singular and plural. For example,

  • Incorrect: A group of writers were in town. (“Group” is singular while “were” is plural.)
  • Correct: A group of writers was in town. (“Group” is the subject here, not “writers.”)

CONCISE: Whack wordiness by getting rid of extraneous phrases and words that add no value—e.g., really, some, great, very, that. Change these wobbly words to something specific and/or descriptive that gives readers more information. For example,

  • Let’s add some examples to the report.
  • Let’s add 12 examples to the report.

By looking through your editor’s lens, you can fine-tune your writing to ensure every word counts toward getting your message across.

Want more ways to fine-tune your work? Check out 18 Days to Become a Better Writer. (Use 18DAYS code for a $4.95 discount at checkout.)

Authors: Virtual Classes Now at Book Selling University

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book selling universityBook Selling University is pleased to announce it now offers live, virtual “classes” with Guy Achtzehn, an expert in selling books in both small and large, non-returnable quantities to non-bookstore (special sales) buyers.

Individuals will get an understanding of their target prospects,  steps for selling to them, and ways to repeat the process for long-term sales growth.

  • A list of target buyers customized to their content
  • Basic contact information for each prospect
  • Tips and techniques for reaching them
  • Networking hints for meeting buyers in person
  • Role playing to build their confidence
  • Tips to follow up with buyers successfully
  • Ways to build recurring revenue from each customer

Book Selling University is an online, on-demand series of pre-recorded courses. These course help self-published authors and independent publishers produce better books and sell them profitably in large quantities.

All online courses are conducted by instructors who are experts on their material. This includes Barbara McNichol’s hour-long webinar, Strengthen Everything You Write, BSU-176.

Book Selling University (www.booksellinguniversity.com) is sponsored by BookLife, Bowker, Ingram Spark, and the Association of Publishers for Special Sales (APSS). It creates an awareness of special sales (non-bookstore marketing) and  steps to achieve greater revenue.

Full details at BookSellingUniversity.com or contact BrianJud@bookapss.org

Self-Publishing Your Book Made Easy

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by Barbara McNichol

For many authors, fiction and nonfiction, the hardest part about writing and self-publishing a book is knowing how to do it correctly.

My colleague, author, and excellent writer’s coach Teresa Funke has launched a tool that all self-published authors will find essential.

The Self-Publishing Blueprint was created by Teresa and her partners at Writing Blueprints. This all-in-one resource helps you cut through the confusion of self-publishing and will save you from making costly mistakes.

What can you expect from this highly recommended self-publishing tool?

Its 9-unit format walks you through every aspect of producing, publishing, and promoting your book. It features detailed videos, checklists, and worksheets to help you choose the self-publishing path that’s perfect for your project.

Put a Self-publishing Expert at Your Fingertips

Here’s the best part: Once you buy this online tool, you own it, and can use it again and again as you produce new books. It’s like having your personal expert at your fingertips.

Please go here for an explanatory video and full details.

Don’t Leave Your Readers Guessing

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by Barbara McNichol

readers, write for readersWhether you’re writing an email, an article, a report, or a proposal, never leave your readers guessing what you really want.

Specifically, they shouldn’t have to wonder about these two critical components of communicating:

  • Why have you told them this information?
  • What are they are supposed to do with it?

It’s easy (and lazy) to say, “Give clear instructions and point readers to their next action.” But here’s a more concrete method.

Use a planning tool called Setting Your Objectives that echoes the traditional journalism basics: Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How.

Before you write the first sentence, answer each of these questions on paper as they apply to the written piece you’re crafting. The more detail the better . . .

WHO: Target Audience—Who will read this? What do you know about them already? Who will be affected by what your message says?

WHAT: Message or takeaway, including call to action—What do you want the reader to do, think, believe, or remember as a result of reading your piece? E.g., Attend this important meeting. Consider this point of view. Review this proposal. Refund my money.

WHY: Purpose and benefits—Why do the readers need this information? What’s in it for them? Why should they care?

WHEN & WHERE: Logistics—What details need to be spelled out? If it’s an event or meeting, specify the time, location and other essential facts.

HOW: Style and tone—How do you want your reader to “hear” you? E.g., polite, apologetic, excited, firm, demanding, laid back, urgent, or something else?

Once you’ve thought through all of these, it’s smooth sailing. Why? Because your brain has already included the critical points and especially the two we started with:

  • WHY you have told them the information
  • WHAT they’re supposed to do with it.

By consistently using the planning tool Setting Your Objectives, you’ll find you can craft your pieces more quickly and more completely every time.

How do you ensure your writing is communicating with your readers? Learn more at www.WordTrippers.com

 

7 Essential Ways to Become a Great Proofreader

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By Howard Robson, Guest Blogger

Great bloggers neither leave their content unpolished nor do they publish before their work is wholly refined. To bring traffic to your website and enlarge your targeted audience, it is essential to respect the proofreading process.

Whether you’re working on a paper, blog, article, e-mail, or other essential document, always be sure to proofread it and make sure it delivers the proper message. Here are seven ideas you can apply.

  1. Change Your Mindset

If you are always grumpy about revising your work and find no fun in it, your results will show it. You might lose readers, which won’t help in the long run. Here’s how to adopt a growth mindset:

  • After you’ve created your piece, take time to reflect on your work. Is there anything you don’t feel unsatisfied about? Are you content with delivering this message to your niche? Is your grammar correct?
  • If you have unanswered questions, write down ideas to address them. What would you like to improve, how, and in what time frame? Set goals and deadlines, then start working on them.
  • Treat yourself kindly and take regular breaks. Nobody can work non-stop! Work 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break. During your free time, meditate, dance, read, listen to classical music, or do something that loosens you up. Avoid getting sidetracked into social media.
  1. Practice Makes Perfect

Become a better proofreader through practice. When you don’t have any assigned tasks, write! Yes, simply write down your thoughts using the best language you can.

Dan Creed, content writer at AustralianEssays, shares this opinion: “You could write about your day, your plans, your goals, or anything else that goes through your mind. Search for synonyms for words you are displeased with. Rock that learning curve!”

  1. Reading Is Essential

To improve your writing skills, allocate at least 15 minutes a day or more to reading a well-written article. Sign up for The Economist, HuffPost, The New York Times, or any magazine that’s attractive to you. Pay attention to the writer’s approach and style. That will inspire you to progress—in both your proofreading and your writing.

  1. Find a Proofreading Buddy

Identify a colleague you can reach out to. Work with a person who’s specialized in your area of interest. You can trade tips, exchange ideas, and do each other’s proofreading projects. Help that person help you.

  1. Write Down Your Common Errors

Design a “mistake list” and go through it every time you’ve finished writing an article. For instance, I know that “affective” and “effective” are two words I always mix up, so I include them in my list. Every time I use these words in my articles, I check twice to see if I got them right. Use your mistakes as learning tools. (Excellent resource: Word Trippers Tips)

  1. Be Patient

Take things step by step, and don’t rush when you write, polish, or proofread your piece. Remember, you are not done until you’ve revised your content to your satisfaction. Be patient with your learning process. Read and write daily, and you’ll make fewer mistakes, write better (and faster!), and have more free time.

  1. Ask for Help

Don’t hesitate to get help if you need it. Ask your colleague or even a professional editor to re-read your piece after you’ve polished it and proofread it yourself. Take the feedback you receive into consideration and learn from your errors.

To become a great proofreader, I suggest you set a positive mindset, practice reading and writing daily, find a proofreading buddy, ask for help when needed, and be patient and kind with yourself.

Howard Robson is a blogger from Melbourne, Australia. He enjoys traveling, photography, computer games, and meeting new people. Join him on Twitter and Facebook.

What additional ideas do you have that would improve the proofreading process? Share them here.

 

 

 

Don’t Make Me Get Out the Red Pen!

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by Lynne Franklin (used with permission)

Here’s the truth. No one wants to read what you write. Everyone is time-starved. For many, the best moments in the day are when we see an email we don’t have to read and can hit “delete.”

Because we’re overwhelmed, we write something, give it a quick look, and then hit “send.” We forget that we’re writing to persuade people to do something – not noticing that what we’ve created just made it harder for them to agree with us. One of our chief sins is …

Being Boring

Kill the Clichés. When you use these, you scream, “I have no original thoughts! I’m doing this on autopilot.” Why would anyone want to read further – let alone care what you think?

Make a better choice. Switch “at this time” to “now.” Change “attached please find” to “here is.” Drop “it has come to our attention” for “we understand.” You’ll notice this already makes your writing more succinct, which you’ll need to …

Stop Droning On. It’s neuroscience. Once a sentence passes the 25-word mark, you can’t remember the subject. (Or maybe you just no longer want to.) Aim for an average of 10- to 12-word sentences in reports and speeches, and eight-to-10 words in emails.

Don’t think that commas, dashes and semicolons can save you. It’s true: the first two give your readers a place to take a breath in their minds. But don’t abuse this tactic. Cut that longer sentence into two. And generally avoid using semicolons. They mostly confuse people – and could lead to arguments with English majors (who will be happy to tell you when you’ve used them incorrectly).

Watch the length of your paragraphs. Few things are as discouraging as seeing one that goes on for 20 lines. I once reviewed a document with a 265-word sentence, in a paragraph that lasted a page (single-spaced). I was the only person who read it. While I forgot the subject 10 times, I remembered the ire it engendered.

Get to the Good Stuff Fast. Before you begin, consider what your readers know. If you must, reference important shared knowledge quickly. But spend most of your time on new ideas. Telling people what they already know – at length – bores them or makes them think you’re talking down to them. They’ll either stop reading (because they’re not learning anything) or get angry with you.

A colleague once explained it this way: “Reading his writing was like taking the local versus the express bus.” Most non-engineers don’t need to get into the weeds on the hows or whys of something. Focus on what’s in it for your reader, then decide what to keep or junk.

It’s a Conversation

Read Your Writing Out Loud. Watch for the words that stumble off your lips – or when this is language you’d never ordinarily use. (“Pursuant” anyone?) Change those kinds of words.

Often your writing is the conversation you have with someone on screen or paper before you have the conversation on the phone or in person. Don’t bore them. You’ll miss the chance at that second conversation – and getting what you want.

Lynne Franklin teaches you how to be the most persuasive person in the room. She is the author of Getting Others To Do What You Want. You can reach her through her website at www.lynnefranklin.com

What ways do you avoid boring your readers?

Have You Heard of Book Selling University?

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by Barbara McNichol

Did you know you can now get book-related information on demand to help you plan, produce, price, distribute, and promote your books more  efficiently? Yes, through Book Selling University, sponsored by Association of Publishers for Special Sales (APSS).

book selling universityI’m fortunate to be part of a line-up of 60+ fabulous instructors who have one goal in mind: show you how to succeed as an author in these categories.

  1. BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING
  2. PREPARATION
  3. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
  4. DISTRIBUTION
  5. PROMOTION
  6. SPECIAL SALES

My hour-long webinar/course, Strengthen Everything You Write (Barbara McNichol, BSU-176) is offered as part of PREPARATION.

Working with Book Selling University, you’ll be able to:

  • Take courses as time permits and needs demand
  • Learn from instructors who are experts on their course material
  • Make more money selling your books
  • Price your books for maximum profits
  • Pinpoint social media
  • Improve your sales online
  • Make your publicity more effective and efficient and MORE

These TWO FREE COURSES get you started:

  • How to Purchase a Course (Brian Jud, BSU-199)
  • Introduction to Special Sales (Brian Jud, BSU-100)

I encourage you to check out this golden opportunity to take any element of the book writing/publishing/selling journey and learn more about it.

Full details at BookSellingUniversity.com or contact BrianJud@bookapss.org

Feel free to contact me for a comprehensive flyer listing all courses available.

 

 

How (and Why) to Work with an Editor

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Barbara McNichol from June 2018 issue of Speaker Magazine

work with an editorAs a professional, you send your ideas into the world in writing—via books, blogs, articles, and more. In today’s crowded marketplace, the more you write, the more every word counts.

Who can help you break through the clutter? Editors: your conduit to communicating to those you want to influence. For if an experienced editor doesn’t “get” your message, neither will they. And because the written word sticks around longer than the spoken word, it matters!

Why You Need an Editor

It’s tempting to regard hiring editors as an unnecessary expense. Instead, see it as an investment in effectiveness. Here’s why:

  1. You grow as a writer. Pay attention to editors’ changes and learn the tricks of the editing trade. That includes getting assurance that your piece meets your objective.
  2. You improve your book’s marketing power. A good editor can wordsmith titles, headings and subheads as well as incorporate keywords to hook readers during online searches.
  3. You gain insight and save embarrassment. Your writing benefits from an editor’s initial “deep massage” that asks insightful questions and makes suggestions to hone your message. It’s followed by a tight copyedit to find those pesky grammar gremlins and wording errors before readers do. After you make changes, your editor reviews everything, does a final proofread, and keeps your project moving.

Then at the end of the process, you can declare with confidence, “My writing sounds just like me—only better!” (As an editor, that’s what I desire for my clients.)

Choosing an Editor

For books, the magic of selecting the right editor lies in the Sample Edit—a complimentary edit of your work from your manuscript. Sure, you get value from seeing Before and After of someone else’s project, but don’t skip this step. Request samples from all contenders. That’s how you come close to comparing apples to apples.

I call the Sample Edit “magic” because you get to see:

  • the level of editing required
  • how clearly your message can be expressed
  • if the edits changed your voice—a huge concern for authors.

And it does something else: The Sample Edit helps determine your project’s place on the editing spectrum. Does it require proofreading, copyediting, or a complete rewrite? Along with word count, that determines an editor’s customized fee, communicated in writing up front.

In your selection process, be sure to examine prospective editors’ credentials. Study their websites and peruse their portfolios. Testimonials are great, but also ask for references so you can pose questions to their clients related to your needs.

In short, don’t miss the opportunity to deliver your best writing. After all, it’s you, your voice, your contribution to the world. Make sure your message comes across clear and strong. It’s that important!

Tricks of the Editing Trade

  • Enliven your text by using active (not passive) construction:
  • Active: “The boy chomped into the juicy watermelon.” The verb “chomped” is active.
  • Passive: “The juicy watermelon was eaten by the boy.” The word “by” is a clue that it’s passive.
  • Keep it simple:
  • One idea per sentence
  • One distinct point per paragraph
  • No more than 21 words in a sentence.
  • Whack wordiness:
  • “I really think it’s time to go.” (“It’s time to go.”)
  • “Due to the fact that” (“Because…”)
  • “There are m[M]any experts that believe in magic.”

Word Alert: The word “that” doesn’t substitute for “who” when referring to a person. You’d refer to someone who speaks, not someone that speaks.

  • Use the correct word to say what you mean. Even from excellent writers, editors often encounter misused words: browse vs. peruse, compliment vs. complement, advice vs. advise.

As an expert editor, Barbara McNichol proudly helps speakers/authors change the world with their well-crafted words. Over 24 years, Barbara has placed more than 350 books (and counting) on her editor’s “trophy shelf.” She is also the creator of Word Trippers Tips, a resource for better writing available at www.WordTrippers.com.

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