Posts Tagged ‘editors’
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
 Last week I covered the ‘Why’ of writing book jacket copy, so now let’s roll up our sleeves and get into the ‘How’.
What is copy?
Book jacket copy isn’t about summarizing your project or providing the reader with a clear synopsis or plot spoiler; it’s about sales. Book copy should be short, succinct, and send a message. It should grab the reader and tell them why they should pick your book rather than the thousands of other titles packed into the shelves.
How do I write it?
First, and most importantly, you should draft a synopsis of your project. This will help you to determine which plot points you want to highlight and which you don’t want to spoil for the reader. Once you’ve got your synopsis down, there are three components to creating effective book jacket copy:
Attention
Start off your copy with a powerful hook that demands attention. Is there a central question or revelation in your plot? You might start off with the first sentence or two from your plot summary.
Interest
Intrigue interest and create curiosity. Again, book jacket copy is about sales, and copywriters generally have knowledge of certain key words that engage readers and get them excited about a book. These terms are specific to each genre and audience; the same words that entice a thirteen-year-old girl to purchase a young-adult book will be far different from the key words in place on the back of a literary novel aimed at an adult audience. Your best bet? Research your market.
Detail
Provide details about your story, but again, don’t turn your book copy into a spoiler! The best way to determine how much detail to include is to read other book jackets. Start with those in a genre similar to your book; copy on a romance novel, for instance, is going to be vastly different from a science fiction or horror story. This will also help you to get a feel for your audience and what they want to read.
You might even want to peruse the New York Times Bestseller List – pick up a couple of books on there and check out their jacket copy. The jacket copy may not be the only thing selling those books, but it can’t hurt to check out the success stories.
A final caveat: The length of the copy that appears on your book jacket is completely dependent on the final book design.
Book jacket copy is meant to be slightly over-the-top and sales pitch-y, so have fun with it, and take the opportunity to really make your book shine and out-sell all the rest.
While you may try to design and format your book jacket cover on your own, know that there are professional editors who do it for you. An experienced professional editor, such as the editors at FirstEditing.com will create a professionally written book jacket cover that will capture your audience’s attention. This is short, succinct copy that sends a strong message about your writing.
Tags: book jacket cover, editing, editors, firstediting, Professional Editing, Writing for Publication
Posted in Book Editing, Christian Writing, Editing Skills & Services, Fiction Editing, Manuscript Editing, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Friday, April 9th, 2010
Set up a successful blog to promote your writing career. With either your own website, or using a free blogging platform, you can attract readers from around the world.
 There is no doubt that the internet has changed the writing world. Not only does it provide a new means for writers to get published, but it also opens a new avenue for writers to promote and market themselves. The creation of a successful website can enhance a writer’s reputation, resulting in an increase in sales. It could also attract attention to the writing of an otherwise unpublished author, giving that author the exposure that he or she needs in order to secure an agent or publishing contract.
Blogging can be an excellent way to keep readers coming back to your website, and thus, to build a growing readership. When choosing a host for your blog, there are many free blogging platforms, such as Blogger or WordPress. These are ideal if you’re looking for a quick, cheap, and easy way to start your blog. Alternatively, if you’re interested in having more control over your website, buying your own web address could be the right choice. Either way, when choosing your web address, remember to keep it simple and logical, so that it’s easy for your readers to remember; simply using your pen name can be a good idea.
When it comes time to start uploading those all-important posts, remember to keep the content relevant. If you created the writing blog to help promote your writing career, then stick to that subject. This is what readers will come to your blog expecting and wanting to read more about: you as a writer. It’s best to keep any unrelated venting about your personal life on a separate blog. Additionally, it’s always good to offer your readers something useful to take away with them, such as information about your latest published work and where to find it, advice on the writing process, any writer’s workshops that you’ve enjoyed, or editors and editorial services that you’ve found helpful (such as, First Editing).
Of course, as with any piece of writing, make sure your blog posts read smoothly and cleanly, free from any distracting spelling and grammatical errors that may undermine your credibility as a writer. Remember to always proofread before you publish! If in doubt, submit it to a professional editing service, such as FirstEditing.com. We’ll be happy to polish your blog posts for you.
Tags: blog, blogging, blogging for writers, editing, Editing Skills & Services, editors, First, firstediting.com, How to, how to blog, Professional Editing, successful blogging, writers
Posted in Book Editing, Book Editors, Business Editing, Copy Editing, Editing Skills & Services, Fiction Editing, Manuscript Editing, Newsletters, Novel Editing, Proofreading, Writer's Tips, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
 Yesterday we explained, How to Write a Press Release. Now that you’ve written your release, knowing how to send your release will ensure that it’s sent to the right hands for distribution. You’ve got the perfect event/product and you’ve managed to draft the perfect press release to highlight it. Now all you need is the right audience. Below is a list of tips on how to effectively get your press release into the hands of the media.
Query first
Compile your list of potential recipients by selecting the editors and journalists who may be most interested in what you have to say. Now comes the hard part – the best way to get your press release seen is to query each media outlet via phone or snail mail to ensure that they accept emailed press releases, and to obtain the most up-to-date contact information on where to send them to avoid the dreaded spam folders.
Know your audience
Get the full name, position, and email for the appropriate contact for your release. Sending a press release without specific contact information is the equivalent to folding your press release into a paper airplane and throwing it out your window. Only send your press release to one person per news outlet. The biggest complaint from editors? Receiving press releases that have nothing to do with what they publish.
Fax is dead
Send your press release via email; a stressed editor is more likely to grab a story from a format that lends itself to cut-and-paste. If you can make it easy for them to print your story, why not do it?
Don’t get attached
Format your email carefully. Don’t send your full press release as an attachment; due to the prevalence of computer viruses it is becoming standard practice to delete unsolicited emails with attachments unopened. Instead, include a ‘teaser’ of your press release in the body of the email, with a link to the full press release as it appears on your website.
Timing is everything
Mid-week is usually the best time to send out your press release, as editors aren’t swamped after the weekend but still have time to follow up with you prior to the next weekend. Avoid sending out press releases in and around known holidays.
Think big, but don’t be afraid to start small
Begin by reading the news; the content of your press release may unexpectedly become a hot topic. Trade publications, regional or local newspapers, free weekly newspapers or magazines, e-zines, newsletters, or other niche-market publications are all good places to send your press releases, in addition to national papers and high-circulation magazines. Remember, any exposure is good exposure!
Your editor at FirstEditing.com can review your release to make sure it’s consistent, error-free, properly formatted, and ready for distribution.
Tags: distribution, editing, Editing Skills & Services, editors, First, firstediting.com, How to, media, Press, Press Release, professional, Professional Editing, release
Posted in Book Editing, Book Editors, Business Editing, Copy Editing, Editing Skills & Services, Newsletters, Writer's Tips, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
 A press, or news, release is a statement issued to the media to announce a range of news items, including events, awards, or new products or services, in order to generate feature news stories. In light of their aim, press releases need to be two things: accurate and interesting.
Journalists receive truckloads of press releases every day and therefore have standards as to what they expect to be included in each release.
The best way to tackle the fearsome press release is by answering the most basic questions every journalist asks when covering a story:
Who – What – Where – When – Why
Once you’ve got all of that information nailed down, you’re ready to begin drafting your press release.
The Headline
The headline is your chance to grab the attention of the journalist – remember, with press releases, you only get one shot. Encapsulate the content of your press release in one sharp, concise, and catchy sentence. Bold and center your headline on the page.
The Body
Begin with the date and city in which the news item originated; this can be done in point form.
Now, pull together your “who – what – where – when – why” into short, concise sentences that explains in brief detail what your press release is about.
Use the third paragraph to give your press release a personal touch here – expose the ‘human interest’ side of your news item. Why will people care? Who will be affected? Explain in further detail why your item is newsworthy. Make it engaging and make it catchy. If it’s appealing, a journalist will bite.
Finally, don’t forget to include your contact information. The contact info you include should be specific to each press release, and should include the following:
Company name
Media department’s name and contact person (if applicable)
Business address
Telephone & fax numbers with proper country/city codes and extension numbers
Mobile phone number
Email addresses
Website address
Time of availability for contact
Final Tips
Use the Times New Roman font in size 12 to keep your press release clean and simple. Flashy fonts and layouts aren’t going to win you any points – they just mean more work for editors.
Keep it to one page. Once you’ve got a feel for writing press releases your goal should be to have your press releases published as-is. Papers today have shrinking page counts and are often short-staffed; if you can provide copy that’s publishable with little-to-no editing, you’re more likely to see your press release in print.
While creating a press release may need some practice, remember that you are not alone. Having another pair of eyes reviewing your press release is a very good idea. A professional editor, such as the editors at FirstEditing.com will review your press release for editing and formatting to ensure your press release is perfected and ready for media submission.
Come back tomorrow when we explain “How to send your press release”
Tags: editing, editors, First, firstediting.com, formatting, How to, How to write a press release, journalists, media, news, news release, Press, Press Release, Professional Editing, professional editor
Posted in Book Editors, Business Editing, Editing Skills & Services, Newsletters, Writer's Tips, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
 Author bios are one way for the reader to get to know you, the author of their favorite story, article, or book, a little bit more intimately. This is your time to sell yourself to potential readers and editors. Including your author bio with queries and submissions enables editors to get to know you; who you are, where you’re coming from, and whether or not you’re a good fit with their publication.
Three tips for writing a strong author bio:
- Always write in the third person. This is the mark of a professional; a bio written in the first person is seen as amateurish, whereas a bio in the third person shows you’re taking yourself seriously as a writer.
- Include a few relevant publishing credits, educational and work experiences. They key word here is relevant.
Non-fiction authors, emphasize your expertise. Sketch out your background, including your publishing history, education, or work experience that makes you the perfect author for the topic you’re tackling. Include the titles of books, articles, etc. that are relevant only to the project to which you are attaching this bio. Remember, your bio is a sales pitch, so if you’re writing a book on the state of health care in the US, including the title of your first photography book probably isn’t relevant.
Fiction authors, emphasize your influences and writing style. This will help to situate potential readers before they dive in, and may also give added context to your work. If it’s appropriate, include a line or two about your choice of subject matter. Also, like the non-fiction authors, only include previously published titles in your bio if they are relevant to your current project.
Unpublished? Your best bet is to keep it simple. Don’t overload on biographic detail and never, ever lie; you’ll always get caught. If you lack publishing credits, focus on your education, work, or other experience that enabled you to write this work. Important words to live by: When in doubt, leave it out.
3. State where you live – not your address, but state and country will do – readers want to know where you live, especially if your writing incorporates local elements. Also, you many include a few familial or biographic details to humanize you to readers and editors.
Key words to take away: Relevant and Brief. Make sure every detail in your bio is relevant to the project you have written/are pitching, and keep your writing concise. Author bios can be anywhere from a few paragraphs to three or four sentences long. Keep in mind that in the case of bios, shorter is always better than longer. Scope out bios in magazines and on book dust jackets; practice by copying someone else’s bio.
While you shouldn’t experience anxiety over writing it, it is important to feel comfortable with your author bio. You never know what door it could open next!
Keep in mind that there are professional editors who can create your author’s biography for you. An experienced professional editor, such as the editors at FirstEditing.com will create a professionally written bio which can be used on the back page of your novel or submitted with any publication.
Tags: Author Bio, biography, biography editing, editing, editors, firstediting, firstediting.com, manuscript editing, Professional Editing, publishing, self-publishing
Posted in Book Editors, Editing Skills & Services, Fiction Editing, Manuscript Editing, Novel Editing, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
Editing, whether it is for an academic journal, a short story submission, or a non-fiction manuscript for publishing, always follows basic rules of grammar and punctuation. This blog will help you learn the basic rules of em dashes and ellipses, and how to use them accurately in your work. While this blog will assist fiction writers most often, this is a useful skill to have in your writing arsenal.
The em dash
 Em Dash The em dash is a longer dash that is similar to a hyphen. It is used to show a pause in a quote that is all one sentence, and it is also used to show when one sentence trails off and another begins.
For example,
“I hope that you have told me the truth – you don’t always.” This quote is all one sentence, but there was a pause in between the words truth and you that are represented by the em dash.
OR
“He just walked right in through the – He didn’t even think to announce his presence!” This shows that one sentence trailed off and another began – NOTE the capital letter to begin the second sentence.
When typing in Microsoft Word, you can prompt one of these dashes by placing a space after the last letter of the word, hitting the hyphen key (next to the zero) and then pressing your spacebar again before typing the next word. Most Microsoft Word applications use an auto format that will insert the em dash for you.
Ellipses
 Ellipsis
In contrast, the ellipsis is used to show when a thought trails off and the sentence is incomplete. It is a series of three dots.
For example,
“I just couldn’t believe what he was…” she muttered, as if to herself.
These quotation marks most often trip up fiction writers, as they’re used often in dialogue. However, whether you are writing a fiction piece, or working on an academic submission, please remember that the professional editors at Firstediting.com are always here to assist you with your work. Happy Writing!
Tags: editing, editors, ellipses, firstediting, Professional Editing, Proofreading, The em dash, writing tips
Posted in Book Editing, Book Editors, Business Editing, Christian Writing, Copy Editing, Editing Skills & Services, Fiction Editing, Manuscript Editing, Newsletters, Novel Editing, Proofreading, Technical Editing, Thesis/Research Writing, Writer's Tips, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
Editing your own work can oftentimes be a daunting task; however, there are some basic guidelines you can follow while writing and editing your work or that of others, which can make the process much less challenging. The following guidelines, as well as some accompanying examples, have been cited directly from William Strunk JR. and E.B. White’s “The Elements of Style: 50th Anniversary Edition“, a definite must-read for every writer and editor!
1. Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding ’s, unless it is the possessive of an ancient proper name.
For example: James’s house Moses’ law
2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. This is often referred to as the “serial comma.”
For example: apples, bananas, and oranges purple, yellow, and red
3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.
For example: My brother, John Smith, is a well-renowned police officer. While we were on our way to New York, a tiring drive, to say the least, we stopped many times to enjoy the scenery.
4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause.
For example: The road was slippery, but we continued to drive to the movie theatre. The house was a beautiful sight, and the gardens were absolutely magnificent.
5. Do not break sentences in two. Basically, do not use periods for commas.
For example: Incorrect: She was an interesting talker. A woman who had traveled all over the world and lived in half a dozen countries. Correct: She was an interesting talker, a woman who traveled all over the world and lived in half a dozen countries.
6. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation.
For example: Lisa’s grocery list contained a mere three important items: bread, milk, and eggs.
7. Use a dash to set off an abrupt break of interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary.
For example: His first thought on getting out of bed—if he had any thought at all—was to get back in again.
By no means are these seven items an exhaustive list of things to look out for while writing and editing; however, they’re definitely a good place to start. I will be sure to revisit this topic again in a future blog to highlight more items to take note of during the editing process. Hiring a professional editor, such as the editors at FirstEditing.com can ensure that your document is perfect and ready for publication.
Gina
Editor Specializing in Business Editing Services for FirstEditing.com
Tags: editing, editors, professional editor, Proofreading, punctuation, writing tips
Posted in Book Editing, Book Editors, Business Editing, Copy Editing, Editing Skills & Services, Fiction Editing, Manuscript Editing, Novel Editing, Proofreading, Writer's Tips, Writing for Publication | No Comments »
Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Editing, whether it is for an academic journal, a short story submission, or a non-fiction manuscript for publishing, always follows basic rules of grammar and punctuation. This article will be the first in a series to help you enhance your writing skills.
Basic editing skills are a must for any writer or editor. Good writing is a hallmark of professionalism; unfortunately, it is also a chance to make a first impression upon a client, supervisor, or potential publisher. While not all of us are born excellent writers, basic grammar and punctuation rules can be learned. Please allow this article to be of assistance.
Capitalization is a necessary grammar skill that can tangle even the best writers.
Please allow this professional editor a few moments to provide you with a few basic rules of capitalization:
* Capitalize the first word in each sentence.
* Capitalize the first word in a quoted sentence.
* Always capitalize I, no matter where in the sentence it appears.
* Capitalize proper nouns.
Some easy ones to remember (and some examples):
* States and countries – Texas, Canada
* Brand names – Gucci, Dr. Pepper, Disneyland
* Religions – Judaism, Roman Catholic
* Days of the week, months, holidays – Thursday, March, Easter
* Magazines, newspapers – Martha Stewart, Detroit Free Press
* Movies, TV shows – New Moon, American Idol
When you have a question about when or when not to capitalize something, a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, “Is this specific?” For example, while you would not capitalize school (noun), you would capitalize “Parkside Elementary School.”
Directions are tricky- Do not capitalize north, south, east, or west, when referring to direction, such as “Go east along I-4.” Capitalize them when a part of the name of a specific location, such as “North Carolina.”
Names and titles can be difficult as well, but the following should help clarify when and when not to capitalize:
Titles are always capitalized when they precede a name or an organization. For example, “Inspector Lukas,” or “President of the United States of America.” A title should not be capitalized when it is referred to in text with no name, no organization, and it is not part of dialogue. For example, you would not capitalize mayor in the following sentence:
“Are you really the manager?”
Capitalize any title when used in a direct address, e.g.
“Are you ready, Inspector?”
I hope that this has been helpful. Please remember that having a professional editor, such as the editors at Firstediting.com, will ensure your document is perfected and ready for publication.
Alison
Editor Specializing in Fiction Editing Services for FirstEditing.com
Tags: editing, editing tips, editors, fiction editing, firstediting, Professional Editing, writers tips
Posted in Book Editing, Book Editors, Copy Editing, Editing Skills & Services, Fiction Editing, Manuscript Editing, Novel Editing, Proofreading, Technical Editing, Writer's Tips, Writing for Publication | 2 Comments »
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
You’ve written undergraduate papers and even graduate-level papers, but now you’re getting ready to work on the biggie: your master’s thesis. Panic sets in as you realize that this is beyond the scope of your previous academic research and writing experience…and maybe even skills, you’re thinking now. “What was I thinking?” you groan, clutching your head.
Take a deep breath and relax. While writing that thesis may not be painless, it’s not as difficult as you’d think. Below are six steps to make the process less intimidating:
- Choose your thesis topic carefully. While original research is expected in a thesis, you want to be sure that your work isn’t so original that there are no sources for you to refer to for research. The childhood of A.A. Milne might be utterly fascinating and help explain why he wrote his series of Winnie the Pooh books, but if there are few sources that discuss his childhood; this might not be a good thesis topic. On the other hand, Abraham Lincoln’s childhood has been over-researched, and while plenty of sources exist, it would be difficult to add anything new to them, and so this might also be a poor choice for a thesis topic. You want to hit that middle ground, where sources exist in enough quantity to be helpful but not to give the impression that your topic has been over-worked by previous researchers.
- Review your course papers. Look at your existing graduate and even undergraduate research papers for topics that might mesh with your thesis topic. If you’ve been wise and had the opportunity in your graduate courses, many of your existing papers should be in the same general area as that of your thesis topic. It’s not too difficult to revise a stand-alone paper on the Lend-Lease Act and make it a chapter in a thesis on American foreign policy during World War II. For that matter, perhaps one of your graduate papers could be expanded into a full-blown thesis.
- Break down your work into manageable chunks. Start with a very general outline or perhaps a short essay describing what you plan to do. This is for your own reference, so it doesn’t have to be perfect or even grammatically correct—free-associate, scribble, doodle—whatever helps you focus on the direction you want your research to go. Then work on a chapter at a time, possibly following the same process for each chapter before you actually begin writing the final product.
- Don’t procrastinate. While many passable undergrad—and maybe even some decent graduate-level—research papers have been written in the wee hours of the morning on the day the paper was due, this is not an advisable approach with something as major as your thesis. If you know the thesis committee wants to see a reasonably polished draft in three months, take the time to sit down and figure out how to have that thesis written in two and a half months. That way, if something comes up at the last minute, you’ve got a little time to spare.
- Back that sucker up in several places! Don’t rely just on your hard drive: what if it crashes and takes two months’ worth of work down with it? Copy everything you do, every day, to a flash drive, a CD, an external hard drive—some backup source (or maybe several sources) that will protect your work. In fact, there are those paranoid souls (and I’m one of them) who even suggest keeping a copy of your work in a safety deposit box at your local bank. Hey, a little paranoia is a good thing when it comes to protecting months of hard work!
- Hire a professional editing firm such as FirstEditing (www.first editing.com) to give your thesis a final review before you turn it over to the committee. Professional editing can save you much embarrassment by catching silly slip-ups that your spell/grammar checker missed and can also ensure that your citations and references are in the correct format, as set forth by your committee.
While these steps won’t guarantee a painless thesis experience or the instant approval of the committee, they can certainly make the entire process less daunting and improve your chances of approval for your completed thesis.
Vonda
Editor Specializing in Technical Research Editing Services for FirstEditing.com
Tags: disseration, editing, editors, firstediting, Professional Editor, research, Technical Editing, thesis
Posted in Technical Editing, Thesis/Research Writing | No Comments »
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