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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

7 Writing Mistakes Editors are Constantly Fixing

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by Barbara McNichol

What can editors tell writers about improving their writing before they even begin the editing process? Here’s a summary:

Mistake #1.      Being so self-absorbed as a writer that you’re unaware of the reader’s experience. The fix? Know your core message and write to that message, leaving out the experience of writing.

Mistake #2.      Addressing readers as readers rather than a single key person whose interest you want to capture with your message. The fix? Keep a single interested person in your target audience top of mind as you write.

Mistake #3.      Skimming the surface, not going deep enough. The fix? When describing an experience, explain what you felt, what the other person felt as best you can, and what exact words were spoken. Go deeper with the details.

Mistake #4.      Having no rhyme or reason to the order of the paragraphs. The fix? Make a conscious decision about the order based on logic and facilitating your readers’ comprehension.

Mistake #5.      Overusing weak verbs and throwing in extraneous phrases and wobbly words. The fix? Rewrite using active verbs; question use of every adjective and adverb; throw out wobbly words: really, very, much, some that.  “I Really Think That We Should Not Use Some Words Very Much.”

Mistake #6.      Using multiword noun phrases when one active verb will do. The fix? Whenever possible, get an active verb to do the “work.”

Mistake #7.      Writing sentences that ramble (on and on and on and on). The fix? Limit sentences to 15-21 words max but vary sentence length.

Bonus mistake: Mixing metaphors and flat-out choosing the wrong word. The fix? Use a word choice guide like Word Trippers to help you select the perfect word when it really matters.

Make Your Book One-Sheet Work Hard for You

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By Patrice Rhoades-Baum

On the surface, a book/author one-sheet appears simple. After all, it’s one page of sales copy that promotes your book. Toss in a graphic of the book cover, your bio, and photo, and you’re done, right? Wrong!

Your book/author one-sheet is a hardworking marketing and sales tool. As such, it must—

  • help you meet your business objectives to promote and sell your book
  • clearly state the top benefit message for your target audience
  • be professional, both in content and design.

Transforming your one-sheet from a shallow list of information into a strategic tool requires putting on your marketing hat. Use the following 7 steps to guide you.

Take these 7 steps

1. Write down the business objectives for your one-sheet. What do you want this marketing tool to accomplish? Here are some example objectives:

  • “Create a professional-quality one-sheet that makes me shine as a professional.”
  • “Use as a talking guide (like a script) to support my sales calls and visits with buyers.”
  • “Leave with (or mail to) prospective book buyers as a reference sheet, so they have all the information to make a purchase decision, contact me, and buy my book.”
  • “Give to bookstore managers, so they have all info to promote book-signing events.”
  • “Give to media reps, so they have all info when deciding to schedule an interview.”
  • “Position myself as a subject-matter expert who is available for speaking opportunities.”

2. Write down a description of your target audience:

  • Clarify their demographics, needs/wants, and challenges/frustrations.

3. Identify and write down the top benefit your book delivers to your target audience:

  • The buyer must clearly understand how your book will help or educate someone.

4. Identify the target audience who will be using your one-sheet (e.g., owners/managers at local bookstores, buyers at national chain bookstores, buyers for library districts, media reps, etc.).

5. Clarify the call-to-action for your one-sheet recipients. What action do you want them to take?

6. Write professional copy for your one-sheet:

  • Select and hire an experienced copywriter.
  • If you decide to write the one-sheet copy yourself, then hire a marketing copywriter to edit and finalize the copy.
  • Start with writing the copy first, then meet with your designer to give it a professional design.

7. Select and hire a professional designer with one-sheet experience:

  • Book buyers are professionals who expect to see professional-quality materials – both in design and content.

 Write or gather the following content

1. Brief introductory paragraph introducing the book topic and delivering a strong benefit message for the target audience (be clear, concise, and compelling!)

2. Your brief bio, written specifically for this marketing tool

3. Snippets of 2 to 3 book reviews

4. Contact information

  • Publishing company, contact name, and title
  • Phone number
  • Website address (you should have a landing page, at minimum)
  • Email address that corresponds with website address (not gmail or yahoo)

5. Specific book information

  • Retail price for hard cover, soft cover, e-book
  • Bulk discounts, if available
  • ISBN number
  • Book description (example: Business)
  • Page count

6. Include a bold, compelling call-to-action that encourages the buyer to purchase your book!

Graphic elements to create or gather

  • High-resolution image of book cover
  • Thumbnail images of other books you have written, if applicable
  • Your logo, if you have one
  • Your brand colors, if you have them
  • Your professional photo

Don’t cut corners with your one-sheet.  Make it a hardworking marketing and sales tool that shows you off as a pro!

Patrice Rhoades-Baum specializes in branding and copywriting for websites and one-sheets. Backed by 30 years of strategic marketing communications, Patrice teams with authors, speakers, and consultants to clarify their brand, write copy for their websites and one-sheets, and facilitate their logo, website, and one-sheet design/development. Learn more at www.BrandingAndWebsites.com.

 

“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.

 

 

 

Converting Print to eBook – Lessons Learned

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by Karen Saunders, MacGraphics Services (used with permission)

As an author and independent publisher, I’m always looking for ways to leverage my work. Turning my intellectual property into various products is a pretty obvious solution. The emerging popularity of Kindle, iPads, and Nooks convinced me now was the time to convert my printed book, Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal into an ebook.

 Many Ways to Sell and Distribute eBooks

I discovered there are several routes I could take to sell and distribute my ebooks, depending on how much time and effort I wanted to put into the distribution process. I initially learned that I could use a third-party aggregator to get my books listed on popular ebook sales sites such as Amazon.com’s Kindle department, Apple iBookstore, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook’s department.

All About Aggregators

Third-party aggregators (such as Smashwords, BiblioCore, LuLu, Book Baby, LibreDigital, DarkFire, InGrooves, and many more) help self-publishers convert their books into ebooks and set up distribution with the popular retailers I’ve already mentioned. But the aggregators also take a cut (sometimes a significant cut) of each sale. Some aggregators also use contracts that are digital rights management (DRM)-free. DRM protects the copyrights of electronic media. DRM as applied to ebooks is a proprietary file encryption that helps publishers limit the illegal sale of copyrighted books. This is very important to me, so it was another reason not to use aggregators.

 Direct Portals to Retail Sites

Next, I discovered there are direct portals to each of these retail sites. I set up my own publisher’s account with Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Google. This allowed me to keep a bigger portion of my sales by selecting a discount rate of my choice (the discount rate is an amount I agree to give to the retailer to sell my book) and keep the middleman (aggregator) out of it.

I filled out an application and contract online with each of the retailers and provided information on how they could make payments to my bank account, as well as metadata (information about the book such as copyright date, book categories, ISBN number, keywords, etc). Then I had to convert my book to the proper format they requested, and upload the ebook file and cover image.

Here is a chart on the most popular ebook formats:

Retailer/Location     eReader Device/App       File Format      Publisher’s Connection

Amazon                      Kindle                                Mobi                 Digital Text Platform          

Apple                         iPad                                   ePub                  iTunes Connect

Barnes & Noble          Sony Nook                        ePub                  PubIt

Libraries                     Adobe Digital Editions        ePub                  Local Libraries

Many ways to convert a book into an ebook

My printed book was originally formatted in Adobe InDesign, and I also had an identical version available in a PDF file format. (I can easily output an identical version of my printed book in a PDF file through Adobe InDesign or Distiller.) But these sites didn’t want a PDF file. They wanted Mobi or ePub format.

My book was two columns and had over 200 illustrations and graphics throughout the interior, so it was a fairly complicated layout. I discovered that complex interior formats don’t easily translate into ebook pages.

Although InDesign has a feature that allows me to convert a document into epub, and I’ve seen websites (including Amazon’s) that claim it is easy and inexpensive to translate a file, they just didn’t result in a clean format.

First of all, eBook readers are built to support one long continuous column, so I had to make some major adjustments to my 2-column layout. A proper layout was particularly important to me since my book was about design, layout and marketing! The websites and automated conversion software do convert very simple word documents with pretty good results though.

So I sought the experts in this area; individuals and companies who specialize in ebook conversion services. Because my book had such a complex layout, the price was quite high. I also got a price from a company overseas. I quickly learned that you get what you pay for. As in any service field, the price of the service usually matches the quality you receive.

Overseas Service

I paid a very low price for the ebook conversion service, but I had to spend many hours proofing layout and formatting errors and checking all the links. The titles, subtitles, lists, body copy, and graphics were not formatted in a consistent manner or in a standard book format. Indents and justified formatting were applied to titles and subtitles when they shouldn’t have been. Links were not active or were going to the wrong places, headline text was clipped off, graphics were missing or in the wrong places, and on and on. Eventually after several months of working with the contractor on both the mobi and epub versions of my ebooks, the files were formatted properly and I was able to upload them to the retail sites.

Some things to watch out for:

  • Make sure you have an active table of contents with live links that go to the correct sections in your book interior
  • Make sure your epub document passes the epub validation test (a free test is available at www.threepress.org)
  • Be sure your ebook has its own ISBN number (you can buy a block of 10 ISBN numbers from www.Bowker.com). Amazon will assign its own unique identifier to your book, but Apple requires an ISBN number.
  • Be sure to have an eye-catching cover design with a title that you can read clearly when it is reduced to postage-stamp size.
  • Reformat your front cover to 600 pixels wide by 800 pixels tall at 300 DPI so it maximizes the entire screen on most eReader devices.
  • Check your files on all the ebook software readers and devices. If you don’t own a Kindle, Nook, or iPad, find a friend who does. Download Adobe Digital Editions and Kindle for Mac/PC. Look at your book on each one and make sure everything looks and works properly.
  • Put your table of contents first, even before your copyright page.
  • Be careful about your decision on digital rights management and how you answer this question on contracts.
  • Do the numbers on how to price your book according to the discount rate you pay the distributor/retailer. It sometimes works best to lower your price to get a higher profit margin. For example, Amazon and Apple will pay up to 70% royalty on a book if it is priced between $2.99 and $9.99. They only pay 35% if the book is priced at $10.00 or more!

New Technology and the Lack of Established Standards

As with any new technology, standards need to be established, and ebooks are no exception. There is a lot of debate among developers and publishers regarding a number of issues including whether every ebook format needs a separate ISBN number, the standard order of pages, coding that provides consistent results on every version of each device and software, consistent image size and resolution requirements for cover and interior graphics, formatting that resembles books, navigation, whether the devices supports color imagery, etc. This is where a lot of the labor was spent; trying to make my book look the best on every eReader device out there.

I hope this helps you find your path from printed book to ebook with fewer trials and tribulations.

Karen Saunders and her team of award winning designers help authors and small business owners design their books, build their brand, launch their website and market their business. She now offers ebook conversion services. Visit her website to download a free Book Media Checklist and a free eCourse on How to Create a Best-selling Book Design from the Inside Out www.MacGraphics.net

Note: Barbara McNichol is editor of Karen’s book Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal.

(c) 2011 Karen Saunders

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.

 

Make Your Writing Come Alive

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by Dawn Goldberg, Write Well U (reprinted with permission from Fuel)

Writing is more than just packaging your words. Those words are the meat of your project and your message. You have to think about content and your audience and writing it well and getting your readers’ attention and keeping your readers’ attention and…. The list goes on and doesn’t ever seem to stop.

If you write well, then your writing will accomplish all those goals: getting your readers’ attention, keeping their attention, and meeting their needs. Now, we’re not talking about correct grammar and sentence mechanics, although that is important to writing well.

We’re talking about how to make the writing come alive, to be yours and yours alone.

  • Be creative. Whether you’re writing titles or giving examples, come up with your own ideas. It seems clever to riff off the “Got Milk?” slogan, but after a while (and sometimes a very short while), that gets old. You don’t have to worry about your writing being cliché or old when you come up with your own creative ideas.
  • Be yourself. You’re not the answer for everyone, and not everyone is going to be attracted to your stuff. However, if you write authentically, then you have a better chance of people sticking around to see what you have to say. It’s basic Law of Attraction.
  • Be original. You don’t have to do it like everyone else. You don’t have to follow all the rules. Just because you get great advice from E-zines and books on writing, it doesn’t mean you have to follow all of it. Do it your own way and stand out from the crowd. If you’re like everyone else, what would make people gravitate toward you? Give them a reason to pick you.
  • Be strong. Choose a stand and believe in it. If your writing is filled with “I think” and “I guess” and “I believe” and “it seems,” you come across as wishy-washy. Take those words out and stand firm. Say what you believe and believe what you say.
  • Be human. We all make mistakes. Don’t try to pretend you’re perfect. If you make a mistake, own up to it. Your audience wants someone to whom they can relate. If you come across as perfect, how can they relate to you? Admit your weaknesses and be authentic.
  • Be fun-filled. Enjoy what you’re writing about. Write from the heart. Be passionate. If you like humor, be funny. If you like word play, add a few puns. If you’re thrilled with what you’re doing, let that joy come out in your writing.

The point is to throw yourself into your writing. It can be scary, yes, but you’re more likely to grab your readers and have them follow you rather than get a lukewarm or so-so response. Take risks. Be yourself. Let your words be powerful.

Which “Writing Well” tips do you find most helpful? Share your thoughts here.

George Orwell’s Writing Rules

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by Barbara McNichol

According to Writer’s Almanac, in 1946, George Orwell (famed author of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four) wrote an essay called “Politics and the English Language.” In it, he included five rules for effective written communication.

I share these five rules here with my own commentary in red. For the life of me, though, I can’t figure out what the fifth one means. What’s your best guess? 

Please share your interpretation of what (v) means in the comment box below. Yes, it can be outrageous!

Orwell’s Five Rules for Effective Written Communication

(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print. I’d say – Use  original, creative figures of speech, not common (worn out) cliches that everyone knows.

(ii) Never use a long word where a short one will do. Ditto!!

(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. I’d say – Find ways to Whack Wordiness in your writing. (See my blog posts on how to do that.) /wp-admin/post.php?post=250&action=edit

(iv) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. Agreed (most of the time)! One of my criteria in creating Word Trippers is selecting everyday words, not obscure ones.

(v) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous. Help! Need a translator for this one!

What would you add to Orwell’s list?

Nonfiction Authors: Think Like an Editor

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Barbara McNichol

Writers take their observations of the world, draw a few conclusions, and translate them into messages on paper (or computer screens). When you write something to market your products or services, you don a writer’s hat to express your message in words. But don’t stop there. You then need to put on your editor’s glasses and focus on fine-tuning those words to make sure they communicate with your intended audience. That requires you to read your piece as if you have never seen it before and think like an editor.

A skilled editor examines every phrase and asks:

  • Is it NECESSARY?
  • Is it CLEAR?
  • Is it CONCISE?

When you review your own writing, you likely won’t answer “yes” to all these questions. So take off your writer’s hat and look through your editor’s glasses, then make changes based on these five common writing problems.

1. Use the active voice. (WHO does WHAT to WHOM.)

Passive: It was decided that everyone would take the class.
Active: The principal decided everyone would take the class.

2. Make subjects and verbs agree. (No mixing singular and plural.)
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.”)

3. Use parallel construction. (Give your writing rhythm.)
Weak: We’ve learned to read, write, and we’re making sure information is shared.
Stronger: We’ve learned to read, write, and share information.

4. Make the subject obvious. (Don’t let your participles dangle!)
Yucky: Driving down the highway, the new stadium came into view. (Who was driving down the highway? The stadium?)

Better: We could see the progress on the new stadium as we drove by it on the highway.

5. Use specific, vivid verbs and nouns. (Don’t overuse adverbs and adjectives.)

Dull: I saw some really pretty yellow daffodils.

Interesting: I reveled in a riot of daffodils.

When you wear your editor’s glasses, make sure every word counts. What are your favorite writing/editing tips that will enhance someone’s writing? Please share them here.

 

Game for the World is Making a Difference

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by Barbara McNichol

Rarely do I step off my soapbox about writing well to divert your focus to a worthy cause. Today, I couldn’t resist.

My wonderful colleague Anne Harman has clearly demonstrated how what she’s written and created–Game for the World–can make a difference in educating people about AIDS and HIV.

With the help of sponsors, she recently produced a video that explains the Game’s accomplishments–all while showing how this simple educational tool deserves attention around the world.

Please watch this video and share your ideas on spreading the word about Game for the World. Specifically, she’s looking for corporate sponsorship and celebrity endorsements. I’ll pass them along to Anne!

Feel free to spread this link far and wide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCj74TiAfeo

AIDS prevention and education

Banner from Game for the World website www.gamefortheworld.com

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