Opportunity to ask, learn and promote:
Carolyn Howard-Johnson (http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/) and Yvonne Perry (http://writersinthesky.com/about-yvonne.html) will be facilitating a one-time class to air on Tuesday, January 13, 2009.
"Conversation with Editors" will cover some of the common mistakes writers make and how to correct them. We will also provide helpful tips for impressing a publisher with your query letter.
If you would like your questions about editing and querying answered in this audio class, please post them by using the comments feature beneath this post. If you are an editor and would like to chime in on what mistakes you see most often, please contact Yvonne.
There is no need to register for the class. To get an e-mail with the link to the recording on January 13, simply sign up for the RSS feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/WritersInTheSky)to our blog or contact Yvonne ( http://writersinthesky.com/contact.php) on her Web site.
Carolyn is an editor and author of The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward To Avoid Humiliation And Ensure Success (How to Do It Frugally).
Yvonne is a full-time freelance ghostwriter and editor, and the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (http://writersinthesky.com/).
Participating in podcasts like this is a great way to get the title and Web address of your book mentioned!
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
10 comments:
Thank you for commenting on posts at #SharingwithWriters blog, a Writers Digest 101 Best Websites pick at
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This is great, Carolyn. I'll pass the info along to some of my author friends.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I noticed in the article you say..."publisher". Will the class also cover tips on securing an agent?
ReplyDeleteAllyn
I went over my manuscript with a fine tooth comb, then had an English teacher friend check it for grammar, punctuation and typos, then my agent and publisher/Editor went through it, then my copy editor, then I did one more sweep and there were STILL a handful of errors that one reviewer found it necessary to point out. What can be done to avoid this with my next book?
ReplyDeleteHeather Cariou
Author, Sixtyfive Roses: A Sister's Memoir
I'm very excited about this audio class, Carolyn! I happen to admire Yvonne very much and really appreciate all your advice on your blog.
ReplyDeleteMy question is this: I am in the process of writing my 2nd children's book. My first children's book I had a critique group helping me with the editing until I felt my manuscript was "good enough" to give to an editor. I do not have a critique group in my area any longer I can run my manuscript by (which is about 1/2 complete). Is there a good point to bring on an editor? Should I bring one on now for advice or wait till I have the manuscript complete? Or should I work with an editor during the entire process?
Thank you and I look forward to the audio call!
Barbara Techel
Author of Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog
www.joyfulpaws.com
Barbara: So glad you are participating in Yvonne's and my podcast. I passed your question on to her 'cause she's moderating. (-:
ReplyDeleteVivian: Thank you so much for your award nomination. Yes!! I will be pleased to pass this lovely peer honor forward!
Best,
Carolyn
Anonymous, one of the big reasons that writers must learn to edit well (even if they hope to secure a publisher who comes attached with a GREAT editor--who will, ideally be assigned to that writer's book!), is to secure a publisher. Or to secure a well-connected agent who will secure that publisher for her! So, yes. Anything said in the podcast, whether we allude to it or not, will be in the interest of getting a good agent and/or publisher or, for that matter, doing a great job of producing one's own book if that is the preference of the author. (-:
ReplyDeleteHope to see you there.
Best,
Carolyn
Heather, in The Frugal Editor I point out that a perfect book is a rare thing indeed. Since I became more aware, I find questionable style choices and erors and typos in even New York traditional publisher's books.
ReplyDeleteI also urge both writers and reviewers (sometimes one and the same) to be patient because the gremlins will get them one day--for sure.
Also know that it is the job of a reviewer not to give perfect reviews. Perfect reviews tend not to be as credible as those that can find some one little thing to critique.
And, yes. Of course. Good question. Yvonne and I will include it in our podcast. Hoope you can join us.
Best,
Carolyn
Posting for Yvonne in response to Anonymous (or Allyn!):
ReplyDeleteGetting a good agent and/or publisher is very important. One of the big reasons writers must learn to edit well is to secure a publisher or to secure a well-connected agent who will secure a publisher for her! Even if an author prefers to self-publish or use a POD service, doing a great job of producing one's own book goes a long way toward generating sales. A poorly written book is not one that people are going to promote by word-of-mouth to their friends. A reader may not even finish reading the book—let alone recommend that someone else read it. For that very reason, WITS Podcast has criterion that a book must meet before we have the author on our show. ~ Yvonne Perry, owner of Writers In the Sky
Posting for Yvonne in answer to Heather:
ReplyDeleteGreat question! I’ve seen many professionally edited and published books have errors. What about you?
Yvonne Perry
Social networking is a great way to connect with others and create an online presence.
Follow Writers in the Sky to success on Twitter, www.twitter.com/writersinthesky.
This is especially for Heather, but it may help others as well. I ghostwrote a book for a client last year. After writing it, I edited it twice: once to reduce the 700-page count, and again to get the gremlins out. Then, I had my mom proofread it. The author and another editor proofread it. The author's publicist proofread it. The publisher proofread it, and everyone who gave endorsements proofread it. You would think that the book would be error free, right? Nope. A typo reared its head in the final PDF today! Fortunately, we still have time to fix it before it goes to print, but I wouldn't be surprised if another boo-boo doesn't manifest after we get a copy of the printed book in hand.
ReplyDeleteLike Carolyn said, even professionals make mistakes, and I've seen typos in textbooks produced by the most reputable companies. Most readers won't notice a tiny error, and those who do, may not mention it. It's the big, ugly errors (like dialog punctuated incorrectly) that are repeated over and over in a book that really throw it out of the running as an enjoyable read. I see that a lot with POD and self-published books.