Barbara McNichol Editorial Services

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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.

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.

 

 

 

Why Wimbledon Tennis Amazes and Engages Me

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by Barbara McNichol

I used to delude myself that watching the pros play their brand of
tennis on TV would benefit my own game (even though I didn’t start
playing until my 40s). I’m not sure how much technique can be picked
up by watching. But what’s even more important to pick up on are qualities like tenacity, strength and deftness, and grace under pressure that the pros model.

Every day I watch the pros, I’m more eager to know how they overcome setbacks and build their careers. Yes, tournament play—like the recent Wimbledon Championships in England—fascinates me, engages me, almost possesses me.

Why? For the same reason it’s impossible to put down a good novel.

Each of the men’s and women’s singles field starts with 128 players
and, within a fortnight, only one man and one woman stand victorious.
In the meantime, unveiling character traits (who’s got the most
resolve? quickness? stamina?) keeps me involved. So does the suspense
(who can remain unphased by former champions?).

In addition to absorbing match after amazing match, I love reading
about the unfolding drama. I’m especially in awe of sports writers who
can hook a whole article on a minute angle. My favorite, Jane Voigt,
turns a sporting affair into a slice-of-life vignette anyone can
relate to.

For example, she wrote a piece for Tennis Server about The Queue—a
line that forms for those vying to buy tickets to Wimbledon’s Centre
Court. She explained how The Queue has evolved into a culture of rules
and politeness.

“The Queue first became a part of The Championships in 1927 when some
27,000 appeared for entry to the grounds. The system has become such a
time-honored experience that the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum
established a special exhibition t o trace the history of The Queue.
The Code of Conduct for The Queue details everything from what is The
Queue to the 10 PM cutoff time for music and game playing at the
campsite, plus the maximum number of people allowed in a tent (two).
Alcohol is limited to one bottle of wine . . . Some fans make The
Queue an annual celebration. They like the party atmosphere of the
campsite, which can draw musicians, jugglers, and hacky-sack players.”

What’s my point? That you can turn a seemingly ordinary event into a
slice-of-life masterpiece by writing about it with verve and
originality. Observe. Research. Look for variety. Tell unexpected
things. Within the writing process, you can build character, suspense,
drama—making it like a novel within a book, even a nonfiction book.

Our language is just waiting to be massaged with your insightful and
talented writing. Are you playing with that part of your game
“brilliantly” (as the Brits would say)?

Your turn. When have you turned an observation into a delightful
slice-of-life story? Leave your comments below.

 

Who’s This Book For, Anyway?

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by Barbara McNichol

Do you admire people who do what so many only dream of—write a definitive nonfiction book on a subject they care passionately about ?

These experts also care enough to turn their manuscripts over to an editor for improving structure, tone, clarity, word choice, and more. Yet even with all these elements smoothed out, they can undermine their whole effort if they craft their writing strictly from their own point of view.

If it’s all about you, the writer, it’s time to ask: Who’s this book for, anyway?

Writing from an “I” Point of View

Yes, it’s natural to craft stories from an “I” point of view. After all, these stories are based on your life experiences that you generously want to share. But your readers will find each story and its underlying message far more engaging if you, as its creator, take a back seat and put them in the front. Write from their point of view, not your own.

Do you habitually start paragraphs with statements like “I want you to . . . ” or “I’ve created this to . . . ” or “I have done the research and I’m telling you that . . . .”? If so, you’re dictating, not persuading—plus you risk not engaging readers in what you passionately want to say. Instead, shift into a style that puts them in the front seat. For example:

  • “I want you to understand the importance of eating well . . . ” becomes “You’ll understand the importance of eating well by . . .”
  • “I’ve created this streamlined recipe to save you time” becomes “You’ll save time using this streamlined recipe.”
  • “I have done the research and I’m telling you that . . . ” becomes “From recent research, you can see that  . . . ”

First Person Count

To determine if you’re unknowingly dictating and not persuading, take this one action: Select a chapter you’ve written and count the number of times you used first person (I, my, mine, we, our). Then count the number of times you wrote in the second person (you, your, yours).

A high percentage of “yous”–the higher the better–puts your readers in the front seat. Bydoing this, you’re more likely to engage them in the subject you feel passionate about and make writing your nonfiction book worthwhile.

(excluding examples, 17 “yous” in this post and 0 “I’s”)

Barbara McNichol edits nonfiction books in the areas of business, self-help, how to, health, and more. Contact her at editor@barbaramcnichol.com

Match Your Book Content with the Right Editor

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by Barbara McNichol

Finding the right editor for your manuscript helps you feeling confident you’ve got a good match and comfortable that your editor understands what you want to accomplish.

How do you start this match-making process? By first seeking a reputable editor who understands the type of book you have written. If your book is business or self-help, for example, choose an editor experienced in these genres who has been a pro for a decade or more. Check to see that this editor has worked with both traditional and self-published books over the years. Spending time reading that person’s website should give you clear answers and reveal a high level of professionalism (or not). You want your writing to reflect a professional image that comes from expert editing; an editor’s website is your first clue.

In your match-making search, get ready to answer the following questions an experienced editor will likely ask. Your responses help ensure this editor understands your objectives. More important, they reveal an eagerness to get to know you and set up a conversation that will give you a sense of how you’d work together.

Questions Editors May Ask in the Match-Making Process

How would you answer these questions?

  • Who is in your book’s target audience (demographics, age group, position, industry, region, etc.)?
  • What genre or market niche does your book fall in? What section would it be found in a bookstore?
  • What is your expected editorial timeline (e.g., when did you promise to give it to an agent or designer, or have it ready for a conference, etc.) allowing time for your review, peer reviews, and a professional editor’s review?
  • What is the current length of your book before editing? (number of pages and/or number of words in an MS Word document)
  • What is the anticipated total length, including front and back matter?
  • If you want to have a foreword, have you asked someone to write it and provided a deadline for delivering it?
  • How much are you expecting to spend on having your book professionally edited (excluding proofreading after the design)?
  • What else do should the editor know about your expectations so he or she can do a really good job for you?

Finally, it’s important to convey how much of your book is written. Have you finished all the content you want? Does that include both front and back matter (e.g., foreword, testimonials, acknowledgments, dedication, footnotes, resource list, glossary, appendix, etc.)?

If your book isn’t 100% complete, determine what’s missing to make it complete from a content perspective. Alternatively, your incomplete manuscript may be a candidate for a manuscript review. This “big-picture” analysis evaluates the ideas and wording already in place, then provides you with direction for making changes before the manuscript is deemed ready for “nitty-gritty” editing.

Three Steps to Selection

Once you’re clear on what you’re looking for in an editor, where do you start to find the right one for your manuscript? Consider these three steps:

  1. Ask your author, speaker, and designer friends for recommendations and anecdotes about the editors they’ve worked with.
  2. Check their recommendations and/or search for alternatives by reading the Acknowledgments in books similar to yours that are well written. Then using an Internet search, locate these editors.
  3. Contact them and request from each a sample edit of your own work (not someone else’s).

The before/after sample edit of your own work reveals how an editor can work magic on your writing without changing your voice. But be sure you like the overall result. If you don’t agree with the approach or the kinds of changes made, discuss them immediately. Chances are, you’ll come to an agreement on how to deal with any “sticky” issues. Getting agreements at the beginning of the process will save lots of time in the long run.

Reviewing Sample Edits

Here’s a rule of thumb when reviewing the sample edits you receive: If you, the writer, can clearly see an improvement based on the editor’s work—words flow better and your piece has more clarity and pizzazz—you’ve got a good match. If you think the changes are too many or too few, or if you have specific preferences, talk them through. The editor has good reasons for making the changes and is probably willing to explain why.

Remember, the final judgment belongs to readers in your target audience. Ultimately, you want your editor to be the advocate of those you want to influence. So select a pro who not only “gets” you and your book, but makes it possible for your readers to easily connect with your message.

Barbara McNichol adds power to your pen with expert editing of articles, book proposals, and non-fiction manuscripts. Request a free “Getting to the Results You Want” questionnaire via email at editor@barbaramcnichol.com or contact Barbara at 887-696-4899 (toll free).

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