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Do You Feel Stuck in Advancing Your Book?

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Editor’s Note: You’ll benefit greatly from this program if you’re dealing with inertia on making your book-writing dreams come true. Gail Woodard is a consummate pro who has taught me a lot about the publishing process. The best part? You don’t have to go it alone!

Consider this program to kick off your new year with forward momentum!

Barbara

Forward

 

 

Do you have a book in you that wants to come out?

Do you worry that your book isn’t good enough?

Are you unsure what to do next to advance your project?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, expert help is on the way!

Move Me Forward is a live, six-session online video program for people who need support and guidance as they work on their books.

Hosted by Gail Woodard, CEO and publisher at Dudley Court Press, Move Me Forward helps any writer at any stage of any writing project. During every session, you’ll have the opportunity to:

  • Feel inspired and supported as you get unstuck.
  • See how other authors have dealt with challenges like yours.
  • Get tools and answers to advance your writing project.
  • Be accountable to make solid progress between meetings.

Move Me Forward Schedule

Intro session is on December 7, 2017, then every three weeks, on Thursdays, January 4 through March 29, 2018. All sessions at 7:30 pm EST. $225 for full program. No payment due until after first session. Register here.  

Is this Program Suitable for a Beginning Writer?

Gail’s response: it depends.

If you are at a point where you know you need help with the craft of writing  itself – with issues like how to creat vibrant dialogue or ways to organize for best plot development, this is not likely the first course I would recommend. However, if you are tackling questions of strategy around your writing business, wondering how to think about marketing or even goal-setting, or you are overwhelmed by what you think you should do next, then this program could be very helpful.

We’ll be covering the 7 steps you need to follow to be a successful author. There will be ample time for Q&A – on any aspect of “authordom.” And I think you’ll find camaraderie and accountability – both to serve you as you move forward with your writing project.

Come to the first session and try it out for free. If it feel like a great match for you, great. You’ll be moving forward before the year is out.

How Hyphens Add Clarity to Your Writing

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by Kathleen Watson

When I had boarded and settled in for a recent flight, I reached for the airline magazine in the back-of-the-seat pouch in front of me.

True to form for this ruthless editor, I selected articles for not only enjoyment but also for illumination, keeping my grammar radar on high alert. How do other writers use words and punctuation?

Two articles — one about Pioneertown, a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles, and one about Fishtown, a residential area not far from Philadelphia’s historic district — were packed with examples of well-crafted, rich descriptions of American burgs and the colorful locals who inhabit them.

Narrowing my focus, I became acutely aware of the number of compound modifiers used throughout. Because examples instruct so well, I’m listing several here.

Imagine these modifiers without the hyphen. Can you see how hyphens add clarity?

  • a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles
  • a cup of high-octane coffee
  • a well-worn Formica counter
  • a pair of steel-toed boots
  • his working-class roots
  • the top-floor music venue
  • a whole-animal butchery
  • the ever-present sound of the overhead train
  • a tight-knit community
  • a cash-only shot-and-beer joint
  • a high-end Italian restaurant
  • role-playing games
  • long-term residents
  • a down-to-earth approach
  • largely blue-collar residential neighborhoods
  • a settlement of fully functional Western-style buildings

Note in the last two examples that modifiers ending in ly don’t require a hyphen: largely blue-collar residents, fully functional buildings.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction or for business or pleasure, reading well-written pieces by others can inspire and instruct. How often do you approach reading through that lens?

Kathy Watson

Kathy Watson has a love/hate relationship with grammar; she loves words and the punctuation that helps them make sense, yet she hates those pesky rules. A self-proclaimed ruthless editor, she prefers standard usage guidelines of The Associated Press Stylebook. Her easy-to-use Grammar for People Who Hate Rules helps people write and speak with authority and confidence.

Compound modifiers streamline the writing and reading experience. Share your own examples here. Request a one-word-or-two reference sheet by emailing editor@barbaramcnichol.com

The Incredible Power of 3

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by Les Taylor (used with permission)

power of 3Editor’s note: In my writing WordShops, I emphasize tapping into the power of 3. My colleague Les Taylor explains the research behind that power.

A few years ago I started looking into Minimalism. I have always been attracted to doing more with less – getting more with less – and just simplifying in general. It’s a pursuit of mine that continues today.

Along the way I looked into simplifying as a business model – especially as it relates to performance improvement and professional development. If you’ve read my book Stop Walking in Circles: Get Out of the Wilderness of the Status Quo, you’re familiar with my three-step process for creating an Outperformers Action Plan.

I’ve proven to myself and others the value of the long-standing theory of the “Power of Three.” This theory was espoused two hundred years ago by Thomas Jefferson (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) and has continued to be a formula for success to this day.

Steve Jobs was a true believer in the power of three. He used this model in every one of his famous product launch events. In 2010, Jobs introduced the first iPad as a “third device” between a smartphone and a laptop. The iPad, he told the audience, would also come in “three models”: 16, 32, and 64 GB of flash storage. In 2011, Jobs introduced the iPad 2 as “thinner, lighter, and faster” than the original.

Who Cares?

So, what does the power of three have to do with you and why should you care about this phenomenal model? Research, going back to the mid-1950s at Bell Labs, has proven that limiting the number of things to remember enhances retention. This research resulted in the basic structure of phone numbers.

When someone leaves a phone number on a voice message, you’re more likely to recall the first three digits before having to listen to the message again for the remainder of the number.

I believe that limiting areas of focus to three (e.g., See Clearly – Focus Intently – Work Wisely) will greatly enhance your performance and productivity. The rule of three, like the 80/20 rule, is everywhere when you look for it. An effective presentation is divided into three parts. Looking for a new job? Give your prospective employer three reasons to hire you. Want to improve your golf game? Focus on driving, wedge play, and putting.

Spend some time this week considering how you can use the (incredible) power of three to enhance your performance, your productivity or your professional development. It will be time well spent indeed.

Les Taylor is a business owner, executive coach, award-winning author and  professional speaker. He is the founder of Outperformers International, a professional development company committed to helping individuals and organizations radically increase their “performance capacity.” He can be reached at 602-478-4209 or les@lestaylor.net

How do you tap into the power of 3 in your world? Share your comments here.

 

Advice from a Professional Editor for First-Time Authors

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Editor’s Note: This post is an excerpt from a new book published by Gail Woodard and Dudley Court Press. Titled Write the Book You’re Meant to Write: A Guide for First-Time Authors, it gets to the heart of the issues first-time authors face. I was honored to have been interviewed for this book as well as edit it.

by Gail Woodard

I asked my good friend and editor Barbara McNichol what advice she would give to a first-time author about the process of working with an editor. Here’s some of our exchange:

How can an editor help an author?  Smart authors know the value of a good editor to improve the clarity of their ideas and conciseness of the words they use. A good editor makes the author’s prose more readable while preserving the person’s intended voice.

Can you advise authors on how to streamline their writing so the editing process goes more smoothly and costs less money? Sure. Adopting these seven practices will make a huge difference in any manuscript:

  • Get rid of extraneous phrases (e.g., the fact of the matter is, there is and there are, is going to, is starting to, is designed to, etc.)
  • Find alternatives for wobbly words—vague words that don’t add meaning (e.g., really, much, very, some, that).
  • Change long noun phrases into short verbs whenever feasible (e.g., “the examination of” becomes “examine”; “the judgment of” becomes “judge”).
  • Limit the length of your sentences to 21 words so readers won’t get bogged down and lose your intended train of thought. (Oh, my. This sentence exceeds 21 words by 2!)
  • Pay attention to noun/verb agreements and pronouns, too. You hear people say “me and Michael went to lunch” but “me” is the wrong pronoun in this case. Know what’s right. Apply the right grammar rules; it’s important to your credibility!
  • Construct your sentences using active verbs, not passive (e.g., “The stranger created a scene” is active; “A scene was created by a stranger” is passive.) Why is this important? The action you want to convey moves forward more directly when you write in active construction. Look for the word “by,” which clues you in to when passive construction is used.
  • For accuracy, know which word to use when. Pay special attention to confusing ones such as “complementary” versus “complimentary.” Hint: the word “gift” and “complimentary” both have an “i” so when you’re being complimentary, think of giving away a gift. I call these “Word Trippers” and offer a word choice guide and subscription program to make it easy to learn the difference. (See www.wordtrippers.com)

Why should someone invest in hiring a professional editor? Editors are trained to be patient and thorough. They go through an author’s manuscript with a fine-toothed comb. That’s rarely the kind of diligence provided by friends or even critique-group members.

In addition to keeping the author’s voice, what else is a primary goal in the editing process? For nonfiction books especially, authors write them to support their business objectives. Their book forms the cornerstone of their company’s message and direction. Keeping that objective in sight during the editing process guides the editor throughout the multiple reviews. Does the book accomplish what it sets out to do for the benefit of the readership and the author, too?

What book editing questions do you have?

Action Items

  1. Order Write the Book You’re Meant to Write on Amazon
  2. Seek advice on writing/publishing your book at www.DudleyCourtPress.com
  3. Contact Barbara McNichol for your editing needs.

 

 

 

When “Start to” and “Decide to” Creep into Your Writing

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making your writing clearby Barbara McNichol

Do you habitually start a sentence with the phrase “start to” or “begin to”? In a 5,000-word document I recently edited, those phrases appeared 14 times, while only five were deemed necessary to the meaning. That’s a lot of extra words!

To be more direct in your writing, skip the “start/begin” part and employ the phrase Nike made famous: Just do it!

These examples show how you can write a stronger statement by going straight to the action verb rather than “beginning” to go for it.

Example 1: Slowly begin to approach your teammate with your idea.

Better: Slowly approach your teammate with your idea.

Example 2: Start to make an agenda for the meeting.

Better: Make an agenda for the meeting.

Whenever you write “start to” or “begin to,” question it. Ask: Is “start” or “begin” essential to the meaning of the sentence? Chances are you can glide straight to the action verb without it!

Similarly, watch out for “decide to” in your writing. Which verb carries more weight in this example sentence, “decide” or “launch”?

Example: The president decided to launch the company’s implementation strategy next month.

Better: The president will launch the company’s implementation strategy next month.

Do you see how “decide” doesn’t add meaning while “launch” is vital to the message? When you catch yourself writing “decide,” ask: Is it needed?

Your goal is clearer, stronger writing so your readers clearly understand what you mean. Pay attention to these phrases and streamline them. It will make a big difference.

What similar verb phrases belong in this category? List them here. I will discuss them in future posts.

Barbara McNichol has created a Word Trippers Tips resource so you can quickly find the right word when it matters most. You’ll improve your writing through excellent weekly resources in your inbox including Word Trippers of the Week. Details at www.WordTrippers.com

 

 

The Versatile Semicolon

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by Barbara McNichol

In many of the memos and manuscripts memos I read, writers take a convoluted approach to punctuation. Especially, too many semicolons show up in too many wrong ways. How can you remember what’s right?

Every time you’re tempted to use a semicolon, review these three brief rules.

  1. Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses. Independent means each clause has both a subject and verb. Even though each clause could stand alone as a separate sentence, the semicolon indicates a relationship between the two.

e.g., I need to upgrade my writing skills; embarrassing mistakes have been creeping in.

Note: Do not use both a semicolon and a conjunction to join two clauses—pick one or the other. e.g., I need to upgrade my writing skills; but embarrassing mistakes have been creeping in.

  1. Use a semicolon before a transitional adverb such as “therefore” or “however.”

e.g., The payment is overdue; therefore, we owe a penalty.

e.g., It’s been a long time since we met; however, it’s not too late.

Note: Use a comma after “therefore” and “however” in these cases.

  1. Use semicolons to separate items or elements in a list that contains one of more internal commas.

e.g., She traveled to Beijing, China; Paris, France; and London, England.

e.g., He believes three things: that every situation, no matter how grim, can be resolved; that no one needs to suffer, especially Mother Earth; and that people are inherently good.

Note: This sentence could improve if it were broken into two or more sentences. Easier to follow!

Get clear on these rules; I guarantee knowing them will simplify your writing!

Celebrate National Punctuation Day, September 24th

3 Worst Places to Make a Grammar Error

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Grammar ErrorBy Kathleen Watson (used with permission)

News headlines draw us into a story. Report titles summarize what our readers can expect. Email subject lines should do both. That’s why these are the three worst places to make a grammar error.

Here are three headlines that don’t pass a grammar test and how they could be better:

  1. Bill Nye Only Needs 10 Seconds To Explain The Toughest Science Theories

The problem: misplaced modifier

Modifiers are words that add meaning or clarification. The emphasis of this headline is the minimal amount of time Science Guy Bill Nye needs to explain complex science theories.

Modifiers should be placed close to—preferably next to—the words they modify.

The solution:

Bill Nye Needs Only 10 Seconds To Explain The Toughest Science Theories

  1. France’s Political Parties Are Banding Together To Stop Le Pen

The problem: redundancy

Not all sources agree but I consider banding together redundant.

My test for redundancy: Would the opposite descriptor—in this case banding apart instead of banding together—make sense? Do people ever band apart?

Of course not. So there’s no need to clarify that people—or political parties—band together.

As a verb, band is described this way: to unite in a troop; to come together in a group because of a common purpose or belief

Synonyms are to connect, to join, to unite, to merge.

The solution:

France’s Political Parties Unite To Stop Le Pen

  1. Stabbing At Flint Airport Deemed Potential Act Of Terrorism By FBI

The problem: This wording could be interpreted as the FBI having committed a potential act of terrorism.

The solution:

FBI Deems Flint Airport Stabbing Potential Act of Terrorism

FBI Deems Stabbing At Flint Airport Potential Act of Terrorism

News cycles rapidly, and writers are under pressure to publish stories in minimal time. Yet when I read these headlines, it took me just seconds to recognize better ways to compose them without a grammar error.

Whether you’re reporting the news, writing a title for a report, or crafting an email subject line, allow time to review what you’ve written. You’ll be more likely to catch these kinds of oversights that avoid detection when you write in haste.

If you see silly or questionable headlines, please note them here or send them to mailto:contact@ruthlesseditor.com

Kathleen calls herself the Ruthless Editor. She has created Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help people write and speak with authority and confidence. Kathleen can be reached at kathy@ruthlesseditor.com.

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