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Beware of Misinformation and Especially Disinformation

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by Barbara McNichol

Dictionary.com’s 2018 Word of the Year—misinformation—is more than a word; it’s a call to action.

Dictionary.com defines “misinformation” as “false information that is spread” and goes on to say its rampant spread poses new challenges for navigating our communications today.

Not Interchangeable

The meaning of “misinformation” is often confused with “disinformation,” but the two aren’t interchangeable. “Disinformation” means “deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda.” The difference between “misinformation” and “disinformation” is marked by intent.

That means when people spread “misinformation,” they believe the information they are sharing. In contrast, “disinformation” is crafted and sent out with the intent to mislead others. A piece of “disinformation” can ultimately become “misinformation” depending on who’s sharing it and why.

For example, if politicians strategically spread articles, photos, etc. they know to be false, that’s “disinformation.” When a recipient sees the information, believes it, and shares it, that’s spreading “misinformation.”

Misinformation vs Disinformation – Know the Difference

The point is to learn the difference between them, then heighten your sensitivity to their nuances—and don’t knowingly spread either.

What can you do to fight misinformation at work and outside of your job?

Armed with awareness, you can:

  • improve your own media literacy by carefully considering your sources of information
  • fact-check stories you read on social media before believing them
  • commit to reading entire articles, and not just headlines, before sharing them
  • point others to fact-checking resources when you see misinformation spreading
  • learn to recognize misinformation and wrk toward stopping its spread

I encourage you to read more on this hot issue by doing an online search. Share your thoughts here.

Chiasmus: When Words Mirror Each Other in a Sentence

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by Barbara McNichol

Using figures of speech in our writing make it fun. Truly my favorite figure of speech is the chiasmus­ (ky-AZ-mus). That’s when words in a sentence mirror each other.

Politicians have made them famous (e.g., Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. – John F. Kennedy). Experts have made them accessible and even fun (e.g., Dr. Mardy Grothe’s book: Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You: Chiasmus and a World of Quotations That Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say)

My contribution to the joy of words is a 4-page Chiasmus Collection I’d like to share. Simply email me with Chiasmus Collection in the subject line.

The ones I’ve included come from years of gleaning them from authors, clients, and subscribers in my daily editing work.

A few choice examples:

It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old; they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams. – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Write only what you love, and love what you write. – Ray Bradbury

New York is the perfect model of a city, not the model of a perfect city. – Sir Lewis Mumford

What is your favorite chiasmus? Share it here!

Request my 4-page Chiasmus Collection.

 

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.

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.

9 Things All Writers Can Do at the Editing Stage

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by Jennifer Scott, guest blogger

As a writer, it can feel hard editing your own writing. You’re close to your own text, so how can you ensure you’re getting it right?

Here are 9 tips to help you edit your own writing effectively and make it the best it can be.

  1. Take A Break

First of all, take a step back from your manuscript. You’ve worked hard on it, so you deserve a break. Give it a week or two, and then come back to it. It’s much easier to be objective once you’ve taken your time and then come back to your writing.

  1. Read The Whole Thing Through Once

Book editor Janelle Green from Top Canadian Writers says, “Before you do anything, read the whole manuscript through once. It’s tempting to start getting right in there and making changes, but in fact you can be making things harder for yourself.” Read the whole thing through and make notes. Come at it from the perspective of a reader before you start editing.

  1. Chop Down Sentences

Take a look at the sentences in your work. Some of them will be longer, although not exactly run-on sentences. If you can, cut them down into shorter sentences. A long sentence can contain a couple of different ideas, and it’s easy to lose the reader if there’s too much going on.

  1. Don’t Rely On Spell Check

Spell check is a handy feature when you’re editing, but you can’t rely on it to catch everything. It’s fallible, just like any other editing software, and can miss errors if they don’t show up as incorrect. Use it by all means, but then follow with a manual check to look for any errors you’ve made.

  1. Read It Backwards

When you’re looking for technical errors in your writing, read it backwards. This way, you’ll be more likely to spot issues rather than be distracted with how the piece reads. You’d be amazed at how much this simple tip works.

  1. Don’t Forget The Grammar

No matter how experienced you are at writing, your grammar should always come under scrutiny when you’re proofreading. It’s easy to misunderstand a rule of grammar and create sections of text that need revision. If you’re struggling with this, don’t worry; there’s lots of help. Try the following sites:

  1. Watch Your Tone

The tone of your manuscript is important. If you’re writing a how-to text, a more straightforward approach is needed. If it’s a comedy book, of course inject more personality into it. Take a look at your tone and ensure it’s consistent.

  1. Read It Aloud

The best way to ensure your prose flows is to read it aloud. You’ll be able to see how your writing sounds to a first-time reader and make changes as needed.

  1. Get Help If You Need It

If you find it hard to edit your own writing, plenty of services are available to help. The Huffington Post in its “Write My Essay” feature explains why editing and writing services are more valuable than ever.

Use these 9 tips the next time you’re editing. You’ll be amazed at how much you can polish your writing before sending your manuscript to an editor.

Jennifer Scott works as online editor at Best British Essays (https://bestbritishessays.com/). Also, she is a business developer who works in education, technology, security, and online marketing.

7 Tips for Getting Book Endorsements

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by Mary Walewski (used with permission)

book testimonialsWhen you’re publishing your first book, it’s easy to overlook getting endorsements. These are the blurbs on the front and back cover of your book. A great book blurb – or endorsement – by an expert in your field, a known author, or even a celebrity can give your book a seal of approval and help sales.

Getting a book blurb or two sounds easier than you think now that the experts you want to contact have websites and are on social media. No more contacting publishers or agents – your prospects may have assistants helping with their online profiles, but at least you can skip a few of the middlemen.

Here are my top 7 tips for getting book endorsements:

  1. Start your prospect list early – ideally when you’re still writing the book. At least, be working on your list when your book is still in editing. Visit your prospects’ websites and look for a contact page or email. Friend and follow them on social media.
  2. Your list should consist of people your audience would know and respect. Look for fellow authors in your genre, experts in your field, and celebrities who have a connection to your topic. Don’t count on the big names to respond – but you never know.
  3. Outline a general query letter for your prospects, then customize it for each person you’re approaching. You have a better chance of snagging an endorsement of your favorite authors if you show you’re a fan of theirs. Also include info on how you’ll be marketing and selling your book – nobody wants to endorse a book that nobody will see. If your book sells, your endorser benefits too!
  4. In your letter, include sample endorsements for your prospects to edit as they please. Some may choose to write their own, and that’s great.
  5. After they say yes, ask them whether they’d like a paper copy or an ebook, the entire book, or just an excerpt. You can have ARCs – advance reader copies made through your local POD publisher or even at the local office supply store.
  6. Ask four times as many prospects as you think you’ll need. You only have room for 1 blurb on the front and maybe two more on the back. If you get more, put them on the inside front page. Whatever you do, don’t NOT use a good blurb. If someone goes to the trouble of reading your work and writing an endorsement, use it.
  7. Give your endorsers a reasonable deadline and follow up tactfully. Don’t be a pest – remember, they’re doing you a favor! Lastly, after your book comes out, send your endorsers a copy of your book with a nice inscription and a thank you note.

Mary Walewski of Buy The Book Marketing is a book marketing consultant for indie authors and publishers. You can contact her at https://buythebookmarketing.com.

What tips have helped you? Please add to this list below.

An Editor’s Story and an Enticing Resource

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by Barbara McNichol

As a life-long editor who’s had a professional editing service for 23+ years, I frequently trip over embarrassing writing mistakes—e.g., “except” instead of “accept” or “complement” instead of “compliment” and hundreds more. Clearly, English is a tricky language!

The question I’ve asked for eons is “How can I help people avoid embarrassment and quickly find the correct word?” So I coined the Word Trippers model as a way to quickly distinguish between tricky words. Here’s an example:

Affirm, confirm – “Affirm” means to declare positively or firmly, to assert as true or factual, while “confirm” means to verify, make firmer, strengthen, support or establish validity. “Working on the campaign helped confirm my intention to go into politics,” he affirmed in his announcement speech.

I couldn’t stop! After creating an extensive resource featuring 390+ common Word Trippers, I sent out Word Tripper of the Week for 3+ years, and I featured Word Trippers in my WordShops.

Then it dawned on me. I could combine Word Tripper of the Week with proven writing techniques through an innovative subscription resource: Word Trippers Tips. It’s designed for:

  • Business professionals
  • VAs and admin assistants
  • English language learners
  • Authors, bloggers, speakers
  • High school and college students
  • Grant writers, court reporters, journalists

Word Trippers Tips assists people who value accuracy in communication.

  • Saves you time looking up definitions
  • Establishes your credibility as a communicator
  • Helps avoid writing mistakes that lead to confusion
  • Assists in understanding the nuances of our language
  • Boosts your confidence by knowing the correct words

All these benefits are yours! Bring Word Trippers Tips and its multiple bonuses into your world.

Word Trippers Tips saves me a lot of research time because it gives me a quick reference instead of going to Google. I save every Word Tripper of the Week so when my boss or co-workers disagree on how to use a word, Word Trippers becomes the referee. All of us live on email. If someone sends me one that’s sloppily written, it’s like saying, “I don’t have time for you.” I want to be sure I write clearly and accurately. Word Trippers Tips is perfect for me! – Susan Powell, Team Lead, Ratner Companies

Word Tripper Tips—a 52-week subscription resource for only $99
www.WordTrippers.com

Change Testimonials for Nonfiction Book Websites?

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by Patrice Rhoades-Baum

Have you heard this advice: “Never edit or change your testimonials.” Not true! You SHOULD edit them so they’re professional and add value using a light touch. Just be careful not to change the meaning.

Use this checklist:

  • PROOF – It’s vital to fix typos and punctuation issues. This helps to ensure your website and other marketing tools are polished and professional.
  • SHORTEN – Brief testimonials get to the point and are easy to read. Trim long testimonials to 3-5 sentences. Yes, this means sacrificing content. But that’s better than loooong testimonials, which cause readers’ eyes to glaze over.
  • REWORK (IF IT’S CONFUSING)– If a testimonial contains good content but is confusing or poorly written, consider rewording key sentences. Be careful not to change the meaning or the person’s intent. Then email the revised testimonial to your client for approval.
  • ORGANIZE – I like to place testimonials with the most impact at the top of the website’s “Testimonials” page. When you organize testimonials, alternate those that address similar challenges.
  • INCLUDE FULL NAME & MORE – Make every testimonial work hard for you! Include the person’s full name, title, organization, and books written.
  • ADD SEO KEYWORDS – When you edit client testimonials, sprinkle in organic SEO keywords. For example, if your name is Jane Doe and you’re a business coach, you can do this:
    • Replace this statement: “Jane guided me to…”
    • With this statement: “As my business coach, Jane Doe guided me to…”
  • MAKE A BOLD STATEMENT – Your website visitors (your prospects) don’t read every word on your website. They skim. That’s why I select one sentence in every testimonial and make it bold.

Always take time to edit or change testimonials you use in your book marketing. This adds professionalism to your marketing efforts – and adds value for your book.

Please share your opinion on this topic in Comments below.

change client testimonials Patrice Rhoades-BaumThis article is from my colleague Patrice Rhoades-Baum. As a marketing consultant and branding expert, she guides solopreneurs – professional speakers, corporate consultants, and business coaches – to create a clear brand, strategic website, and polished one-sheet brochure. Patrice  specializes in branding for small businesses and writing strategic, hardworking one sheet and website copy.

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