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When It Comes to Writing, Be a Precisionette

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by Barbara McNichol
 

A friendship that has spanned almost five decades was recently rekindled on two trips to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where my former twirling duet partner Jeannie lives. On the second trip, my hubby and I were warmly welcomed into their home.

As teenagers, Jeannie and I were long-time members of
the Saskatchewan Roughrider Riderettes, providing pregame and halftime entertainment for that Canadian Football League team inthe 1960s.

1966 Riderettes

Saskatchewan Roughrider Riderettes 1966

 
Congrats to the Saskatchewan Roughriders who won Canada’s 2013 Grey Cup on November 24th!

 

In our time together, Jeannie and I reminisced about those glory days of twirling fire baton and flag baton and hoop baton on the football field and at various competitions. I specifically recalled being part of twirling team called the Precisionettes—emphasizing military-like movements in our marching routines.

What good training for my focus on precision in our language today!

One example of writing precision is “just”—an adverb I see overused in the nonfiction books I edit. Mostly, I see authors taking the lazy route by writing “just” when a more precise word works better.

The imprecise “just” can mean “simply,” “only,” “recently,” and more. Consider these examples:

●      I just (recently) returned from the store.

●      It’s just (only) a few blocks away.

●      You can just (only) do one thing at a time.

●      I could just (simply) tell you to stay home.

As a writer, do you see how you can be more accurate if you take a moment to ask: What is a more precision choice than “just” in this situation?

My recommendation? Forget about taking a lazy shortcut and simply (not just) resolve to be a Precisionette with everything you write!

Now have some fun! Guess which Riderette is “yours truly” in the photo. The first one to respond in Comments with the correct identification receives a PDF of my Word Trippers ebook.

Hint: Jeannie and I (posing side by side) are among the tallest Riderettes.

  

The Six Parts of a Nonfiction Book

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By Bobbi Linkemer, from her book  How to Write a Nonfiction Book: From planning to promotion in 6 simple steps (used by permission)

write-a-nonfiction-cover-web

Bobbi’s book

There are six parts of a nonfiction book. What follows is a list of those parts in order of their appearance and what each one contains if you choose to include it.1. Front cover: title, author’s name, illustration or type, and perhaps an endorsement or line from a favorable review

2. Spine: title, author’s name, publisher

3. Front matter:

  • Copyright page: (required) provided by the publisher; title, author’s name, copyright date, copyright rules, country of publication, ISBN, Library of Congress number, publisher and location, and contact information.
  • Foreword: written by an expert in the field; may be mentioned on the cover
  • Preface: explains why and how you wrote the book; can tell your story in a personal way
  • Introduction: practical guide  to using the book; explains what the book is about, why it was written, and how it should be read
  • Acknowledgments: recognizes people who provided assistance in some aspect of the book

4. Chapters: (required) content—research, narrative, quotes from interviewees, resource materials, graphics—separated into sections and labeled with main headings and subheads; bulk of the writing

5. Back matter:

  • Bibliography: acknowledges sources; provides list of references to dig more deeply into the subject
  • Appendices: background information or detail; scientific data, charts, reports, and detailed explanations without ruining the flow of main text
  • Glossary: optional,  alphabetically arranged dictionary of terms peculiar to the subject of the  book
  • Epilogue: one last thought
  • Index: two types—subject-matter and analytical; should be written by professional indexer

5. Back cover: description of main features, category, brief bio and photo of author, publisher, ISBN, bar code, and price

What you need; what you don’t
This list encompasses every section you could write if you wish to; but other than the copyright page, the chapters, and (according to many experts) an index, they are all optional. This is particularly true of the back matter. A bibliography is only necessary if you consult resources. If you are able to include all relevant material in your chapters, you won’t need one or more appendices. If you don’t feel it necessary to define terms or did so in the copy, there is no need for a glossary. Chances are slim you will need an epilogue for the “one last thought” you did not fit in your last chapter.

In the front matter, you write the preface in first person (I, my, mine) and the introduction in third person (he, she, his, hers). A foreword lends credibility, and acknowledgments show good manners.

Bobbi Linkemer is a ghostwriter, editor, and the author of 17 books under her own name. She has been a professional writer for 45 years, a magazine editor and journalist, and a book-writing teacher. http://www.WriteANonfictionBook.com

Powerful Affirmations for Writers

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by Grael Norton (used by permission)

Feeling stuck?

Take a few minutes to switch gears in your brain by repeating one or more of these powerful affirmations for writers.

1. What I write today doesn’t have to be good but I do need to be good and write. Perfectionism is the biggest inhibitor for writers. It makes the blank page win every time. Slay that dragon by setting the timer and start writing.

2. I will write every day until my book is completed. The quote by Thomas Edison, “Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration,” is worth applying to your writing project.

3. Every minute that I spend writing is making me a better writer. Rome was not built in a day, but it was built. Concentrate on writing every day. Write and rewrite. You will get better.

4. Consistency in writing every day is more important than spasmodic writing marathons. As any accomplished musician will tell you, fifteen minutes of practice a day, every day, will improve your playing more than two hours of practice once a week. Slow and steady builds writing muscles and improves writing technique.

5. I will not let my negative feelings today affect my writing today. If you let your feelings dictate when and how much you write, you’re not in control. Your feelings are. Feelings are affected by outside circumstances such as lack of sleep, too much sugar, a negative comment, almost anything, and everything.

6. The reality is, if I continue to write, I am a writer. This is a play on the quote “The reality is, if you plant corn, corn will come up.” Think about this one. If you plant writing seeds every day, you will produce an abundant harvest.

Grael Norton is Acquisitions Manager at Wheatmark, a company that helps authors with every step of the writing and publishing process.

Five Stages to Writing Your Book

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by Barbara McNichol

Authors who may want to hire me to edit their books don’t always know the details of how we’d work together on their manuscripts. Let me spell out the stages you’d follow and where the editing piece usually comes in.

Stage One

  1. Organize your content (stories, narratives, exercises, etc.) into sections and chapters.
  2. Determine a working order for these sections and chapters.
  3. Write individual chapter summaries in bullet-point form, spelling out distinct objectives for each one.
  4. Get editor’s feedback on logic, flow, and completeness of the book’s planned content.
  5. Make adjustments based on feedback.

Stage Two

  1. Go through content again and make sure it’s complete; add or subtract stories, graphs, exercises, etc.
  2. Write transition paragraphs, captions, etc. where needed.
  3. Editor does a 3-page Sample Edit and creates an Editing Plan.
    • Time/fee will depend on word count and level of editing needed (determined by doing Sample Edit).

Stage Three

  1. Start editing process—editor’s first review includes:
    • Improve expression of the writing in clear, succinct ways; rewrite where needed.
    • Correct grammar, spelling, syntax, and minor sentence structure problems.
    • Ensure continuity, logic, and consistency of the writing.
    • Eliminate jargon, wordiness, redundancies, etc.
    • Make sure formatting is consistent throughout.
  2. Editor asks clarifying questions and embeds suggestions for additions as part of this review.

Stage Four

  1. Answer clarifying questions; make additions.
  2. Send out manuscript for peer review.
  3. Add, subtract, change content based on feedback from peers.
  4. Integrate all changes—editor’s second review.
    • Ensures all changes flow well within the edited text and are consistent in style and tone.

Stage Five

  1. Reread the manuscript and make your final changes.
  2. Editor edits all final changes and does a final proofread.
    • Catches lingering grammar, punctuation, spelling, and missing-word errors.
    • Ensures the document is ready for design/ production.

At what stage is your manuscript-writing process? How can I help?Email me to set up a time to discuss your needs.

What’s the Link Between Quality and Value in Your Writing?

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by Barbara McNichol

When you select a dentist, no doubt you weigh many factors before making that appointment. Quality and value considerations top the list.

I recently explored how book authors in my circle view the relationship between QUALITY and VALUE when it comes to improving their writing through editing.

Not only did I bask in some praise (“like finding a good dentist, Barbara takes all the pain out of editing,” one client wrote), I got valuable information to share at an upcoming editing panel at the Tucson Festival of Books. 

The questions I asked about 400 authors were:

  1. If you have not used professional editing services, what do you expect the VALUE of your written pieces to be when they are professionally edited versus no outside editing?
  2. If you have used editors, how did you perceive the relationship between the QUALITY of the editorial services received and the VALUE it brought to your work?
  3. For future projects, how will you determine the QUALITY of editing you need to achieve the ultimate VALUE you’re looking for?

From the responses I’ve received to date, I’ve gleaned a number of insights representing only a smattering of valued responses.  They include:  

    • To respect the author’s intentions by understanding the hearts and minds of intended readers
    • To ensure the author’s work is a delight to read and, therefore, marketable
    • To appreciate and respect the subject and intention of the book’s topic
    • To emphasize that the more professionally written the piece (book, article, blog, newsletter), the more credibility and respect (value) the author gains
    • To make the writing more engaging and use vivid words that paint a picture for the reader
    • To ask insightful questions and add considered opinions to the book’s discussion
    • To make the author’s experience easy and efficient though a high standard and fast turnaround times
    • To convey that because of the quality of the editing, the value of what’s written increases immensely; for some, it has led to more speaking engagements!

I invite you to chime in on this conversation and share your thoughts on these three questions.

Ruthlessly Edit Your Own Writing and Be Gentle With Others

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By Jerry Brown, APR (used by permission)

Good editing is a blessing, bad editing a curse. Unfortunately, there are more bad editors than good ones.

The reason for this unfortunate situation is that too many of us don’t know when to quit editing other people’s copy and when to keep editing our own.

Be ruthless when editing your own copy. Get out your axe and chop away. But be gentle when editing someone else’s. Put away your axe and use a scalpel.

In fact, one of the true marks of a really good editor is that s/he knows when to leave things alone. We all have our own unique way of saying things. Your job when editing someone else’s copy isn’t to turn their words into yours. Your job is to help them say what they have to say clearly and accurately.

If you’re editing someone else’s copy and find a typo or grammatical error, fix it. If you find something that isn’t clear, make it clearer. Better yet, tell the writer why it isn’t clear to you and encourage her/him to clarify what s/he has to say. If there are extra words that don’t add anything worthwhile, take them out. If you find a mistake, fix it. If you find something you suspect could be a mistake, check it out — or suggest the writer check it out.

What’s written is accurate and clear but you’d say it differently? Leave it alone. You’re not the writer. Your job is to help the writer, not replace the writer’s voice with your own.

It’s a different story when it comes to editing your own copy. Then it’s time to be ruthless.

Jerry Brown specializes in Media Training, Media Relationships, and Message Development at www.pr-impact.com. Do you agree with Jerry’s point of view? When you pay for an editor, what are your expectations–gentle or ruthless? Share your thoughts below.

The Single Most Important Thing Authors Can Do Better

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by Barbara McNichol

If you don’t want your editor spending copious amounts of
time changing weak verbs into emotional or visual ones,
what can you do?

First, watch out for “is” words and their various cousins.
Stay alert to phrases like “is happening” or “was being good”;
change them to “happens” or “behaved.” Search out every
weak “is” form in your manuscript and find a strong
alternative.

Also, don’t overuse the words “start to” and “begin.” What
can you do differently? “Start to rub your hands together”
becomes “rub your hands together”; “allow your energy
fields to begin merg ing” becomes “allow your energy fields
to merge.” Are you guilty of overusing these two weak words?
 
In fact, I’d put the word “just” in the same “weak” category.
I love what one of my subscribers wrote: “I don’t have a
Begin or Start habit. I do, though, have a Just habit. I just
can’t kick it. It just seems appropriate when you just do
something . . . like I just read your newsletter. Without the
just, I could have read it anytime.”

Add to that a few lazy linking phrases like “there are” and
“there will be.”  Rewrite them! For example, “There will be
many representatives elected” becomes “voters will elect
many representatives.” (Better yet, instead of many, use a
specific number.)

Why do I call these phrases lazy? Because they often lead
into long passive sentences that stem the flow and slow
readers down. When your readers have to swim upstream to
follow what you write, they tend to give up. Better to ease
them along with crisp, sharp prose—especially active verbs!

Yes, I do keep beating this drum about active verbs because
I know they will make your writing better. Test the waters
and you’ll see how they improve the flow, enhance the clarity,
add muscle to the meaning, and of course reduce the time it
takes to edit!

What Readers Think When You’re Too “Into” Your Writing Process

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by Barbara McNichol

F. Scott Fitzgerald has said you don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say. When an author is too “into” doing the writing itself, the “something to say” part can get lost.

I recently edited a book that fell into this trap. The author kept losing sight of what his readers would care about—that is, a system he had created. What were the clues? Passages such as these:

  • “In a previous chapter, I stressed the importance of self-awareness, and I assure you, dear reader, that I am very much aware of the preachy tone of this chapter.”
  • “When I wrote the first draft of this book, I worked for several hours each day for three months.”
  • “Before tackling Chapter Eight, I asked myself, ‘Does what you have written through Chapter Seven capture the essence of what you set out to say?’”

Do you see how he’s drawing readers into his own process rather than emphasizing his core message?  Remember, people read your book because of the promises you imply with your title and subtitle.

Guess what. Unless you’re Stephen King writing about writing, they don’t care about your writing process! If the title of your book is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, readers expect a discussion of those 7 habits, not what Stephen Covey asked himself while he was writing the book.

 What’s the fix?

 Remain conscious of the readers’ point of view—not your own— even when you’re deep into the writing and rewriting process. And it never hurts to get an impartial opinion from a good editor!

Ideas for Picking Titles from Daily Writing Tips

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Editor’s note: I hope you enjoy these fun ways of picking titles from Daily Writing Tips–a fabulous resource for writers.

Picking a title can often be the hardest part of a writing project. Sometimes the title just comes to you, but more often than not, you have to put quite a bit of work into finding just the right one. You may even have to sift through several titles before you find one that sits well with you. Here are a few suggestions to try:

1. Mad Libs

Think of a couple adjectives, nouns and verbs that describe your story. Write them all down on a sheet of paper and combine them into different phrases. Sometimes you can pick up on a title that works.

2. Pick a Part

Look for an important turning point in your novel or just focus on the climax. Describe this event on paper. Pick out the words or phrases that stand out to you in your description. Mix and match these words to see what works for you.

3. Live by Example

Pick out novels or short stories that run in the same genre as your project. Study the titles and how they relate to the story as a whole. Then, look at your project as a whole. Think of the theme or overall message of your book. Write down some words that go along with your theme and work them to see if you can find a fitting title.

4. Go for the Obscure

Avoid the obvious “The” titles like “The Pink Slipper” or “The Brown Dog.” Look for slight recurring themes or undercurrents in your novel and try naming your novel after those subtle nuances. JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is a genius with titles. The titles, especially the Half-Blood Prince, all highlight under-riding themes that later play a large role in the series as a whole.

5. Appeal to the Higher

Poets usually have a way of weaving words in a beautiful tapestry of art that put prose writers to shame. Read some famous poetry and write down words and phrases that stick out to you. Song lyrics often have the same effect. You can find some powerful titles by mixing, matching and combining words from powerful lyrics.

6. A Writer’s Best Friend

Consult your thesaurus and look up synonyms for commonly occurring words in your novel. Write down as many synonyms as you can to try and get a fresh point of view on an event in your novel. Look up these synonyms in the dictionary to get a better understanding of their meaning. Use different words in context to find a combination that you like.

7. Super Easy Way

Type “title generator” into Google and see what pops up. There are several websites that will either have you type in a couple descriptive words and scramble them for you or they’ll just generate some random titles for a variety of genres. Some, like guywiththecoat.com, just generate extremely random and funny titles. Mostly, these titles are just good for a laugh, like “Pants ride the Bus,” but you may actually be able to find something that works with your project.

Reprinted from Daily Writing Tips, Dec. 16, 2011

“How Can I Be a Good Editing Client for You?”

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by Barbara McNichol

Recently, an author and I settled in to have our project-finalizing conversation before starting to edit her manuscript. Price determined. Timelines set. Anticipation high. Before we signed off, she asked with gentleness and genuine interest, “How can I be a good editing client for you, Barbara?”

Quite frankly, this question blew me away—largely because no one had asked it before in my two decades of editing books! Deep inside, my playful side wanted to answer, “Well, accept everything I change, write a glowing testimonial, pay me extremely well, and send me loads of great referrals, too.” But instead, I curbed my enthusiasm and quietly said, “Simply be available to answer my questions during the editing process.” An okay answer . . . well, really kinda lame. Because upon further reflection, I came up with these 7 ways to help turn any book-editing project into an ideal process—for both me and the authors I love to work with.

Ideal Process Point #1: Have a focused understanding of your book’s “reason to be”—that means knowing what this book will do for your readers, for you, and for your business (e.g., solve a problem, provide a new stream of income, open doors to a new niche, etc.). When your goals and overall dream for your book are stated upfront, I can better ensure the writing hits the mark.

 Ideal Process Point #2: Have a feel for what to expect throughout the editing process (e.g., Does the manuscript go through one, two, or three editing reviews for the stated project fee? Is proofreading included? Do you want it to come before the layout stage or after?)

Ideal Process Point #3: Early on, communicate any sense of urgency (e.g., book must ready for an upcoming conference). Planning for tight timelines affects priorities and avoids a “push” that adds crazymaking—and the potential for errors.

Ideal Process Point #4: Understand the level of editing desired—ranging from proofreading to minor edits to major rewrites. Doing a Sample Edit (editing 3 to 10 pages of your manuscript) helps both author and editor assess the level required.

Ideal Process Point #5: In reference to #4, take heed when the editor advises a “deep massage” rather than a “fluff-and-buff” approach to editing the chapters. In my experience, authors appreciate the “deep” treatment when it’s needed to clarify and strengthen their writing so readers can readily understand what you want to say.

Ideal Process Point #6: Hold off making copious changes and additions once the editing process gets underway. Integrating the “new” with the “old” can increase time, expense, and frustration, so make your content as complete as possible from the get-go.

Ideal Process Point #7: Send red roses when all is said and done—just kidding (although it’s happened J). Like most editors, I appreciate receiving a signed copy of the printed book, a testimonial that reflects the benefits of our work together, and a willingness to refer my services to other authors.

Most of all, I appreciate it when the process runs smoothly and we can both reap the rewards of being “good clients” for each other.

 

 

 

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