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Don’t Leave Your Readers Guessing

September 14, 2018 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

readers, write for readersWhether you’re writing an email, an article, a report, or a proposal, never leave your readers guessing what you really want.

Specifically, they shouldn’t have to wonder about these two critical components of communicating:

  • Why have you told them this information?
  • What are they are supposed to do with it?

It’s easy (and lazy) to say, “Give clear instructions and point readers to their next action.” But here’s a more concrete method.

Use a planning tool called Setting Your Objectives that echoes the traditional journalism basics: Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How.

Before you write the first sentence, answer each of these questions on paper as they apply to the written piece you’re crafting. The more detail the better . . .

WHO: Target Audience—Who will read this? What do you know about them already? Who will be affected by what your message says?

WHAT: Message or takeaway, including call to action—What do you want the reader to do, think, believe, or remember as a result of reading your piece? E.g., Attend this important meeting. Consider this point of view. Review this proposal. Refund my money.

WHY: Purpose and benefits—Why do the readers need this information? What’s in it for them? Why should they care?

WHEN & WHERE: Logistics—What details need to be spelled out? If it’s an event or meeting, specify the time, location and other essential facts.

HOW: Style and tone—How do you want your reader to “hear” you? E.g., polite, apologetic, excited, firm, demanding, laid back, urgent, or something else?

Once you’ve thought through all of these, it’s smooth sailing. Why? Because your brain has already included the critical points and especially the two we started with:

  • WHY you have told them the information
  • WHAT they’re supposed to do with it.

By consistently using the planning tool Setting Your Objectives, you’ll find you can craft your pieces more quickly and more completely every time.

How do you ensure your writing is communicating with your readers? Learn more at www.WordTrippers.com

 

Filed Under: Article Writing, Business Writing Tagged With: admin professionals, article writer, book writer, business writer, editing for nonfiction authors, five w's, good writing techniques, How to become a better writer, How to write an article, nonfiction editor, professional book editor, readers, why guess, writers and readers, writing techniques, Writing Tips, writing tools

How to Succeed with a Self-Publishing Blueprint on Your Team

June 16, 2017 by Barbara McNichol 1 Comment

by Barbara McNichol

For many authors, the hardest part about writing and publishing a book is knowing how to do it correctly. My colleague, author, and writer’s coach Teresa Funke has launched a tool that anyone who’s self-publishing a book will find full of essential information.

The Self-Publishing Blueprint was created by Teresa and her partners at Writing Blueprints.

Teresa’s all-in-one resource helps you cut through the confusion of self-publishing and save you from making costly mistakes.

This 9-unit online tool 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.

Have 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 an expert at your fingertips.

Please go here for an explanatory video and full details.

Filed Under: Compelling Special Tagged With: book production, book promotion, nonfiction editor, online self-publishing tool, publishing consulting, Self-publish, self-publishing, self-publishing expert, Teresa Funke, Writing Blueprints

Key Skills for a High-quality Nonfiction Editor and Writer

November 15, 2015 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

Students taking a professional editing course at Kennesaw State University recently contacted me and asked the question below. As I responded to them, I thought both wnonfiction editingriters and editors would find this list helpful.

What are the most important skills someone needs to be a high-quality nonfiction editor?

These essential skills come to mind:

  • Patience to concentrate on one tedious project for countless hours (ADD people rarely do well with this)
  • Knowledge of English language and grammar rules – sounds basic but the basics are often missing among writers (that’s why we have editors)
  • Curiosity to question accuracy of word use and willingness look up answers (e.g., dictionary.com, my Word Trippers)
  • A proven process to ensure projects are handled thoroughly (in my case, 3 reviews of every manuscript)
  • Focus on what might be missing from the piece in terms of logic, examples, clarifications
  • Ability to whack wordiness (e.g., tighten the writing, get rid of extraneous words, finding redundancies, keep sentences short, etc.) If writers did this in their own reviews, the editor would focus on value-added aspects such as flow and creativity.
  • Respectful, explanatory tone rather than demanding tone (e.g., beware of using “must” and “should”)
  • Power of using active voice rather than passive voice – rewrite where practical
  • Sense of orderliness and flow so there’s a logical thread running through the piece
  • Smooth transitions between paragraphs
  • Use of figures of speech, metaphors, similes, etc.
  • High level of skill in Word, including formatting and setting up automated Table of Contents

The bonus? Authors who revise their own writing using these skills can save time and money in the editing process before ever getting an editor involved.

What is your experience editing your own writing? What techniques work best for you?

Filed Under: Editors and Authors Tagged With: active voice passive voice, igures of speech, Kennesaw State University, metaphors, nonfiction editor, nonfiction writer, professional business book editor, professional editing course, similes, Whack Wordiness, Word Trippers

Mrs. Green Launches “Your Mother Called”

March 10, 2015 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

What happens when you launch your book in your own backyard?

Author Gina Murphy-Darling is finding out. In addition to book signings around the state, she’s attracting fans at Tucson Festival of Books. This fabulous event attracts 130,000 people over two days to the University of Arizona campus and highlights both famous and local authors.

As Gina’s editor, I’m most proud she was interviewed by the Arizona Daily Star and, amazingly, the reporter interviewed me, too. I had a feeling my 15 minutes of fame would get cut to one sentence–and it did. Still, reporter Johanna Willett captured the essence of Gina’s book and her passionate message about changing habits to save Mother Earth.

I encourage you to read the entire piece. You’ll appreciate her extensive effort to educate people–in creative, humorous ways–on issues that are choking our mother, Mother Earth. Click here: Arizona Daily Star

You can buy Mrs. Green’s book on Amazon for only $11.95 (click here).

Call Her Back

Call Her Back

Or think big. Mrs. Green is giving away her book as part of a sponsorship that might interest you. Check it out on Mrs. Green’s website.

Why Mrs. Green is Giving Away Her New Book

We really ARE giving away my new book, Your Mother Called (Mother Earth)…You’d Better Call Her Back to every person who becomes a Mrs. Green Sustainer at the $100 level or above. Please read on…

 

Filed Under: Compelling Special Tagged With: Arizona Daily Star, Barbara McNichol, book launch, Gina Murphy-Darling, Mrs. Green's World, nonfiction editor, professional business book editing

How Do You Use “Literally” When You Write?

December 3, 2013 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

Trusty dictionary

Trusty dictionary

by Barbara McNichol

One of my favorite blogs–Daily Writing Tips–keeps bringing up language issues that hit home for lovers of the English language.

A recent blog post addressed how the meaning of “literally” has seemingly changed (not for the better, in my opinion). It’s controversial and fun to read!

Take in this well-researched rant and weigh in with your opinion.

Which “literally” Do You Mean?

You may have missed all the fuss when the media discovered that the Oxford English Dictionary has added an entry for the figurative use of literally.

Among the wails of outrage and dismay was this from a Reddit user: “We did it guys, we finally killed English.”

Here’s the offending OED entry:

literally: colloq. Used to indicate that some (freq. conventional) metaphorical or hyperbolical expression is to be taken in the strongest admissible sense: ‘virtually, as good as’; (also) ‘completely, utterly, absolutely’.

Anguished cries of indignation are still echoing across the web. Apparently a lot of commenters imagine that adding a word to a dictionary reflects an automatic endorsement.

Dictionaries record words that people say. The entry that raised such a stir in August 2013 was actually added in September 2011. My copy of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary—the one you read with the accompanying rectangular magnifying glass—doesn’t have a separate entry, but it does note this use of literally and gives an example from 1863. The new OED entry includes an example from 1769.

Like it or not, in the 21st century, literally is widely used as a mindless intensifier. Just browse the web:

  • The news literally knocked my socks off!
  • Every time I cleanse, I can literally feel the toxins leaving my body!
  • George Clooney Is The Best Part Of “Gravity” Because He Is Literally Real-Life Buzz Lightyear
  • Kelly Clarkson: “I literally dropped 18 pounds in a month”
  • He’s literally left Ben Haim for dead there.”

Poor old OED. If they label a word “nonstandard, “or “vulgar,” they’re castigated for being prescriptive. If they give space to a new twist on an old word, they’re accused of opening the door to the destruction of the English language.

Just because a word is “in the dictionary” doesn’t compel us to use it in our own writing or speech. The OED has an entry for irregardless, but only the most uninformed English speaker would use the word in a serious context.

The “new” definition of literally doesn’t come without a caveat:

Now one of the most common uses, although often considered irregular in standard English since it reverses the original sense of literally (‘not figuratively or metaphorically’).

Attempting to control the way other people use language is futile. So is getting upset when they don’t use words the way you want them to.

Literally is one of those words like crazy, awesome, and wicked that are overused in inappropriate contexts by speakers unaccustomed to thinking about the meaning of words. Annoying? Yes. Destroying the language? Probably not.

For my part, I intend to continue using the word wicked to mean “evil or morally wrong,” although I won’t have any difficulty understanding a Facebook comment that says, “My mother makes wicked pies.”

As for using literally to intensify a metaphor, I don’t plan to do it myself, but I always enjoy the terrific images some of them conjure up, like this one:

“That’s literally opening a team up and putting them to the sword” – Niall Quinn

– from http://www.dailywritingtips.com

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: Daily Writing Tips, destroying the language, dictionary definition, nonfiction editor, professional editing services

Powerful Affirmations for Writers

May 2, 2013 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Book Writing Tagged With: Grael Norton, nonfiction editor, professional book editing, stuck writing, Wheatmark, writing affirmations

Editing: Why It’s Your Best Marketing Tool

March 14, 2013 by Barbara McNichol 2 Comments

by Penny C. Sansevieri

Editing as a Strong Marketing Tool

Editing as a Strong Marketing Tool

With all of the options out there to publish, it’s pretty tempting to just point and click your way to a completed book. When print-on-demand first came on the scene around 1999, we saw a glut of books being pushed through the system, unedited, unvetted. When someone said “garbage in, garbage out,” they were often referring to self-publishing. Hence the stigma. If you’re new to indie publishing and you think that the stigma is the “us against them” idea, you’re only partially right. The history, albeit a somewhat negative one, started many years ago when authors thought their book was “good enough” to publish.

Cycle forward to 2013: We now have some 300,000 books published a year, the competition is fierce and the stakes are high. That number, by the way, comes from Bowker, which produces these statistics and readily admits that this number doesn’t include eBooks or books that are published without an ISBN. You can imagine how high that number really is.

People ask me all the time, “How can I be successful?” Well, aside from the usual stuff, like show up and keep promoting, the one key to success is to publish a book so good, your reader can’t put it down. But to take it a step beyond that, I would say publish something that has been edited often, and by someone who knows how to edit a book and isn’t afraid to tell you the things you may not want to hear. It’s amazing how, over the years, I’ve heard time and time again that, “Well, my neighbor/mother/wife/husband edited my book.” You should never, ever have your book edited by someone who is a family member, friend, etc. Why? Because if the book is really horrible, they may not feel they can tell you. Also, are they really professionals? Do they have a business?

Let me say this, if you publish a book that’s subpar, no matter how much money you throw at it, it will never succeed. Some critics might say that the Celestine Prophecy succeeded despite a poor editing job. Well, that may be true, but can you think of another book that reached bestseller status where people said, “Good story, but it needed an editor?” I didn’t think so.

Let’s look at this from another perspective: book reviews.

Marlene, who is a blogger at Book Lover and Procrastinator, http://bookloverandprocrastinator.blogspot.com/, says: “I think the self-published author either doesn’t have the finances to get a good editor or is unaware of the need. It is very frustrating to read a book that could be great – if the bad editing didn’t take you out of the story. Not all self-published books are poorly edited. I’ve read some great self-published books. I get about 10-15 requests for review a month. I usually review 4 or 5 books a month. After I get a submission, I read the excerpt and a little of the book. If the book doesn’t strike my fancy, I don’t review it. Bad editing and author’s voice go into this decision.”

Your book is your resume. Ask yourself how many book reviews you might be losing because of poor editing. I asked Lauren Hidden of The Hidden Helpers, http://www.thehiddenhelpers.com, to weigh in with her views on editing.

Why is editing so important?

You had phenomenal ideas for your book; many of them, in fact. Maybe it was a section of super-helpful information in your business book or a fascinating, quirky character that popped up every few chapters in your novel – you certainly have a personal investment in what made the “final” cut from your head onto paper. You know your topic or your story inside and out, but sometimes what you’re thinking doesn’t successfully translate to paper. That’s where an editor steps in – clarifying a confusing scene, tightening up a repetitive or wordy section, correcting a word you consistently misspell, or fixing a problem with shifting tenses. Readers can tell if your book isn’t edited. The idea is for readers to love your book and tell all their friends about it. Don’t give them a reason to put your book down after the first five pages.

Who should get their book edited?

Everyone. Wise authors know that they have to put their best foot forward. Period. This applies equally if you are seeking a traditional publishing contract or if you are planning to self-publish your book. Why would you let a reader or agent/publisher read anything but your best work? Competition is fierce. A poorly edited book will score bad reviews from readers or end up in the circular file in an acquisitions editor’s office. Too many authors say they can’t “afford” to get their book edited, but you shouldn’t start writing a book without incorporating editing into your budget. Think of the hundreds of hours you put into your book writing and revising, and the money you earmarked for layout, cover design, and promotion. If your book isn’t polished, you’ve just thrown away all that time and money – not to mention future revenues you were eagerly anticipating from book sales. An investment in editing can pay off for years to come.

What mistakes do people make when choosing an editor?

The biggest mistake people make is not finding the best fit for them and their specific book. Ask for editor recommendations from other authors and industry professionals. You should choose an editor who is experienced in working in your genre. You should also be sure to ask how long the project will take them to complete, as well as how they charge for their services. Also, make sure you and the editor agree on the amount and type of the editing to be performed. Some editors may perform more of a proofread looking for blatant errors and some may try to rewrite your book. You likely don’t want either of these extremes.

Another big mistake people make is looking for the cheapest possible editor. Do your homework and make sure the editor’s expertise and experience is a good fit for you – as well as the fee. The last thing your wallet or timeline needs is to have to hire a second editor because the first one didn’t do your book justice.

What’s the difference between copyediting and content editing and do people often need both?

Simplified, copy editing is polishing the words on the page. This can be correcting subject/verb agreement, eliminating repetition, fixing spelling errors, cleaning up awkward phrasing, correcting homonyms, and the like. Content editing is addressing the “bigger picture” of the book. In fiction, this most often means addressing inconsistencies with character and plot points, recommending the author eliminates or expands scenes, and ensuring the book flows well. In nonfiction, content editing most often addresses the clarity, completeness, consistency, and organization of the information being presented. And yes, every author should have content and copy editing performed. Sometimes authors don’t think they need content editing, but they’re also not an impartial party. Of course, everything makes sense to the author who wrote the manuscript, but will it make sense to the reader? Content editing answers this question.

How many times should a book be edited? Is there such a thing as over-editing?

A book should certainly be self-edited by the author before a professional editor ever lays eyes on it. When it reaches an editor’s hands, the editor and the author will discuss the number of rounds the editor typically performs. Then you may want an independent proofread for a second set of eyes. But after that, and after the author’s final review, the book should be finished. I’ve seen some authors run into problems when they’ve self edited their book, then hired a trusted, high-quality editor, and finally asked for feedback from their friends who all suggested other changes to the book. At some point you have to let your book go. Don’t keep second guessing yourself. If you passed your book around to 10 different industry friends, you’d get 10 different opinions what to change. If you feel that you took all the necessary steps to produce a great book, had it professionally edited, and are happy with how it turned out, then it’s time to release it to the world.

Finally, here are a few more things you should know about editing:

If you’re just submitting a book proposal to agents and publishers or you are submitting the entire manuscript, you should have the book fully edited. Why? Publishers and agents often don’t have the time to ferret through unedited or rough manuscripts. You’ll increase your chances of getting noticed if your book and package are polished.

If your editor loves everything you write, there’s something wrong. The truth is that while you should like your editor, they should push you. One reason I love working with my editor (Lauren) is that she pushes me very hard on my work and won’t let me slide or slack off on anything. While sometimes I really just want to be done with it, in the end it makes for a much better book.

Don’t skimp on editing. Ever. I know Lauren addressed this above but really, it’s such an important part of your book and, as I mentioned early on, the single biggest marketing tool. Consider this: you have spent years writing this book, why would you pour marketing dollars and marketing effort into something that wasn’t your best work? The world won’t love your book simply because you wrote it, it must be the best work you could have produced and if you’re not ready to meet this criterion, then you may want to wait until you are. There’s a lot of time and money wasted on books that aren’t great. In fact, some years ago I worked with iUniverse.com, and the then CEO told me that only 1% of the books submitted to them are, in fact, readable. One percent. That’s a frightening number. Here’s another scary stat. There are approximately a billion eBook titles and three million print titles on Amazon.com. Staggering, no?

It’s hard enough to compete in publishing. Put in the effort and put forth your best book. Does your book deserve anything less?

Reprinted from “The Book Marketing Expert newsletter,” a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

Filed Under: Editors and Authors Tagged With: book publishing, editing, Lauren Hidden of The Hidden Helpers, nonfiction editor, Penny C. Sansevieri, professional editing services

Taking Artistic License with Commas—Okay but Watch Out!

June 4, 2012 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

quotation markWhen working with business professionals and nonfiction authors, I often wonder how much they struggle with their use of commas and other punctuation—or whether they question it at all!

At times, strict punctuation rules can be relaxed, especially when writing artistic pieces. Even in the absence of rhyme or reason where commas are placed, however, consistency must reign.

Unconventional punctuation can create confusion in meaning.
If authors don’t struggle a bit with when to use commas, they
may be forcing readers to struggle with “getting” what they
mean. That’s when relying on the rules takes priority over artistic
license.

A fascinating article from a New York Times columnist adroitly
addresses the correct use of a comma.

I encourage you to read this article and learn from a master, Ben Yagoda.
Yagoda’s examples explain the tricky rules for using commas. For example:

I went to see the movie, “Midnight in Paris” with my
friend, Jessie.

Comma after “movie,” comma after “friend” and, sometimes,
comma after “Paris” as well. None are correct — unless
“Midnight in Paris” is the only movie in the world and
Jessie is the writer’s only friend. Otherwise, the
punctuation should be:

I went to see the movie “Midnight in Paris” with my friend
Jessie.

If that seems wrong or weird or anything short of clearly
right, bear with me a minute and take a look at another
correct sentence:

I went to see Woody Allen’s latest movie, “Midnight in
Paris,” with my oldest friend, Jessie.

Do you see how the correct punctuation set up clarity in
the meaning–a subtle but important distinction.

How important is it for you to follow strict punctuation
rules in your writing? Please share your comments here.

Filed Under: Business Writing Tagged With: book editing services, comma usage, good punctuation, nonfiction editor, professional book editing

Nonfiction Authors: Think Like an Editor

May 20, 2011 by Barbara McNichol 2 Comments

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.

 

Filed Under: Article Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: Barbara McNichol, book editing services, Grammar Tips, nonfiction editor, wear editor's glasses, writing and editing tips

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