editing

Pricing Your Book

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

A novella collection that I co-authored with three other authors is soon to be published. On top of the many decisions we have had to face together, one of the final ones in that of pricing.

So, I thought I’d let you in on what I have found out when doing a little online research.

When pricing books on AMAZON, you need to:

  • Check out prices of books in your genre by successful authors.
  • Stay in the range of $2.99-5.99 for the most sales.
  • Be sure your book is quality—professional in writing, editing, cover design, etc.  (Be objective about this!)
  • Be sure your book brings value to readers—meaning information, entertainment, humor, encouragement, etc.
  • Offer both books and e-books. Readers come in both types, you know.
  • When possible, offer free e-books or countdown deals on both paperbacks and e-books.
  • Adjust your price points occasionally to find that “sweet spot.”
  • Remember: the more copies you sell (no matter what the price) the more awareness you’ll get from readers!
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Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

In the past two weeks, I have been getting Junk emails advertising—actually guaranteeing—40+ reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. The correspondence says they are fully compliant with Amazon’s rules and regulations.

Why the influx of these so-called review businesses? How much do they cost? Do they deliver what they promise? Do they really “comply”?

Well, the jury is still out on that one because I’m not sure I want to get caught up in something that just might be a scam.

If you have tried one of these. I’d be interested to hear about your experience.

Generally speaking though, I would make these few remarks:

It’s a waste of money to pay for a trade book review if you only intend to sell your book on Amazon. You will sell more books by generating more five-star reader book reviews.

For myself, I usually read short and to the point reader reviews, rather than lengthy professional ones. Those reviews mention things like character, plot, theme (which I am interested in as a reader) and less about writing style, editing, and so on.

And, remember, paying for a review is no guarantee that it will be any more positive than reader reviews.

Here’s a plan for finding those reviews which will be of most benefit:

*Go to Amazon and find several books that might be direct competitors of yours.

*Look at their category on Amazon.

*Find the bestsellers in each category.

*Read their reviews and see what review sources are listed.

*You may find some free blogger reviews and/or some free niche publication reviews.

Like I said, I am curious about the “new” paid reviews advertised out there recently. Please write in and share your thoughts.

Don’t Chuck It!

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

Writing last week, I felt the need to say the same thing I had in an earlier chapter, but in a different way so as not to sound repetitive. I decided to check my “Too Good To Toss” list.

If you don’t have one of these lists, you need to start one. Inevitably you will write something that you just love, but your editor or critique group will say it doesn’t work in your current writing.

Instead of being heartbroken that the world will not get it to read your carefully-crafted sentences, simply copy them into a file you can easily access for future use.

So, I resurrected a short paragraph I had written for a prior publication (but didn’t use) and slipped it into my current document where it worked perfectly.

So don’t trash phrases, sentences, or even paragraphs that you just hate to let go of; instead repurpose something from your Don’t Toss list!

(I also have lists of story ideas, book titles, etc. You never know when they may be useful.)

Passive Voice vs. Active Voice

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I uploaded a page of my chapter into an editing program I had considered purchasing. In less than thirty seconds, the screen blinked and then displayed this message: Be careful not to rely on passive verbs in your writing.

Yikes!

Had I really written something so “non-exciting” that they actually called it passive?

Yes; I vaguely remembered that term. I decided to refresh my memory. Here’s what I found.

Let’s start with the basics: a verb is an action word.

Example: Run, cry, hit, sing.

Depending on how you word a sentence, a verb can be passive or active.

Example of active verb:  

Jon beat Peter in a game of chess.

Example of passive verb:

Jon was beaten by Peter.

In the first example, the subject of the sentence (Jon) is doing the action. In the second, something is done to the subject.

The term voice refers to these two different ways of using verbs.

Passive voice is used most often in formal documents, research papers, and so on.

Active voice is used most often in creative writing (fiction).

Passive verbs are broken down into: present simple, present continuous, present perfect, past simple, past continuous, past perfect, future, and future perfect. There are good examples of all of these on the internet, so I won’t go into each here. 

Especially since my purpose here is to remind those of us writing fiction, that we need to make our writing exciting by using action verbs (active voice).

No; I didn’t purchase the editing program. But its blinking screen and its warning in red CAPITAL LETTERS will be forever etched in this writer’s brain.

Change the Recipe

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I have a cobbler recipe that I like. It is delicious and super easy.

I have used the recipe quite a few times. However, I often alter something about it to make it “better.”

I have substituted different fruits. And I use less and less dry ingredients as I seek that perfectly moist concoction.

As I made my cobbler a few days ago, I thought of my day of editing the day before. Cutting out words, lines, paragraphs—even whole scenes. Inserting others so the story was more suspenseful.

I left my computer, pleased with the final product, and my kitchen with the delightful aroma of another tasty cobbler.

Style in Your Stocking

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I was shocked to find a few glaring grammatical errors in a book I was reading this week.

This was not written by an inexperience author, either.

Which brings me to the point of this post:

Errors in spelling and grammar distract and annoy readers. Before publishing, authors need to read through their own manuscripts at least a half-dozen times, submit to Beta Readers, and then on to their editors.

Once that process is finished, and the final copy comes back, it’s wise to do a final read-thru because the process of formatting can itself produce errors that weren’t previously there.

The mistakes I found in the book I was reading were grammatical:  there (a location) interchanged with their (possessive); and your (possesive) was used instead of you’re (you are).

Want an easy and quick way to make sure you are using the correct words?

For decades now, authors have been referring to a small book, named The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I got my copy years ago. It was the Fourth Edition, printed in the year 2000. This book has been around so long that I was able to pick mine up at our local Goodwill Store.

In it, I found the answer to the correct usage of the word myriad. This is one of the most misused words in the writer’s toolbox. (Many writers insert the word of following myriad (myriad of). This is not correct, although to my human ear I must admit it does sound right…

If you question any wording at all, it’s best to refer to this book, or any number of similar ones. 

Put it on your Christmas list.

Haircuts and the Writing Cycle

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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I hate my hair the first week after getting a haircut. It is shorter than I like and it doesn’t style easily. Each hair wants to do its own thing. 

The next two weeks, my hair seems to go into place without a problem. I love my hair during this period.

Weeks four and five are a gradual downhill decline. My hair grows longer and is “top-heavy.” I have to put more and more effort into styling to get it to look halfway decent.

Then, there’s the day of my next haircut appointment. All of a sudden my hair does me proud and I question whether I should keep the date with my stylist.

This morning as I glared at my recently-cut locks in the mirror, I thought about the writing cycle and its similarities to hair growth/cuts.

Even though I am excited when I begin a new book, the process isn’t without its problems. The first chapter is the hardest because it sets the story up and builds the momentum. Characters need to be developed and “gel” with each other. I inevitably spend time taming them all down and helping them find their “place” and “purpose.”

The following chapters are pure fun. As one officer on the television show SVU says, “I love it when a plan comes together.” It is so rewarding when those puzzle pieces fit together and become a beautiful picture of life as I imagine it.

Nearing the end of the book, I get a bit testy. Writing the conclusion, weaving in the lesson learned by the characters and preparing to write a satisfying epilogue are more difficult—and although I enjoy editing someone else’s work—the editing process is slow and laborious when it comes to my own. 

As I wait for comments to come back from my Beta Readers, I reflect on the multiple edits and rewrites I have done myself. I think about how much time and money I could save if I would skip the formal edit and go directly to PUBLISH.

But, just like the times I’m facing the haircut/no-haircut dilemma, I know I will contact my editor and set the appointment. 

After all, I want to like what I see in the mirror.

  

 

Just What You’ve Been Looking For!

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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Last fall, I wrote about two editing programs I was considering purchasing.

I ended up with Pro Writing Aid.

Now that I have completed my current book, I am using this program to clean everything up before my Beta Readers receive a copy AND before any further revisions are made PRIOR to sending it to my editor.  (That’s right. It shouldn’t take the place of a real, live editor).

All of this is done BEFORE publishing, but you needn’t wait until all of your chapters are written, as I did. Instead, you can use one of the APPS while you are creating, one chapter at a time.

Pro Writing Aid can do a lot for a writer who wants their work to be the best possible. However, to use every feature is laborious and very time consuming.

I suggest you look at this program online and see what features you might want—based on your weaknesses and/or your pet-peeves.

Here’s what I am doing: I copy one chapter at a time into the program. Then, I hit the STYLE button. In a few seconds, a report with suggestions for improvement is generated. It is then my job to read and accept or reject each one. (Do this very carefully, as not every one will make sense for you to use. I find I agree with about 80%)

After STYLE (which includes adverbs, passive verbs, ing starts, etc.), I use GRAMMAR and REPEATED WORDS. (You’ll be surprised at how many you have unknowingly repeated. It blew my mind. This will require a lot of rewriting to get rid of them. However, it is worth it.) 

At the end, I use ECHOES, which shows phrases that are repeated. (For example, I used “Valley of the Sun” a few times. You might not want to repeat a phrase like, “the clouds drifted across the moon”, and so on.) I don’t want to describe things using the same words, over and over again, so I use my thesaurus and tackle each one, separately.

There are several more buttons on the program. I have not used, yet.

I  used my pet peeves (repetitious words and passive verbs) to guide my choices. Just the four reports that I ran—and the time it took to make the changes—took me two hours per every ten double-spaced pages.

You can use as much, or as little, help from this self-editing program as you want. 

You can be as precise as you’d like.

You can spend as much time as you feel you need to.

And, of course, you don’t have to use one of these programs (there are several other good ones) at all. However, I think you owe it to yourself to get the free trial offer and play around with it a bit.

You may find it’s just what you have been looking for!

A “Taxing” Time of Year

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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It’s tax time.

The first 3 1/2 months of each year.

In January, I sulk and complain at the very thought of it.

In February, I prepare myself mentally.

In March, I gather receipts, statements, invoices… everything I need.

In early April, I get down to business.

The problem is, I always seem to be writing the last chapters of a book, editing, selecting a cover—in the very heart of Tax Season!!!

That makes it an overwhelming time of year for me—year after year!

It takes me roughly one year to write a book, from planning to printing and everything in between. So, February and March are always “crunch time.”

I’ve come to realize that the only way I can separate tax time and launch time is for me to alter my writing schedule.

So, this is the last year I will publish a book in the spring. 

From now on, I am going to work on some other writing projects for a couple of months and begin writing in earnest June 1. That way, I will change publication dates to the middle of the year.

I have a friend who has moved her writing space to the opposite end of the house to avoid family conflicts. Another friend, tired of computer problems, recently bought a new one. She’s busy loading a couple of new writing programs on it. I hope the changes they are making work for them.

Adjustments are a part of life.

The point is, we shouldn’t keep on living with the same circumstances that cause us angst. Only by changing something will we Improve our situation.

Don’t put it off. 

My father always said of change, “It will turn out great. You’ll wonder why you waited so long.”

So, if something is bugging you— keeping things from running smoothly—don’t procrastinate.

Make the necessary adjustments.

You, too, will say, “I wonder why I waited so long?”

Drafting Can Be Rough

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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Drafting is the next step in the writing process. Whether you use a computer or a steno pad, whether you write with a pencil or pen, call it a “sloppy copy” or use another form of reference, you cannot escape this step in the writing process.

Using what you’ve accomplished so far in the prewriting process, drafting is the actual writing, chapter by chapter, of your book.

With a few tweaks here and there, all writers vary this stage of writing to end up with what works for them. Whether it is a program, such as Scrivener, or your own version of something else you’ve seen out there, now’s the time to get the old creative juices going. You can use a combination of approaches. After five books, I am still changing mine. 

What I am going to share, now, is how I approach the drafting stage of writing. If it is helpful as a whole, or only in part, use what makes sense according to your writing style, your organizational methods, and so on.

I use my computer at home almost 100% of the time. I found, early on, that using Mac’s “Pages” wasn’t the universally accepted format. You’ll need WORD. You can purchase WORD for Mac from the internet or Apple store, if you, too, own a MAC.

After closing my office door to insure quiet, I consult what I accomplished in my prewriting. I used to use giant Post-it’s of about 18” by 30” or so to keep my timeline,  characters and their descriptions straight. I have recently found it just as effective to use a spiral notebook and list these important details chapter by chapter. Clutter on my walls tended to make me nervous, whereas a simple notebook can be closed and stored in the closet for the next writing day.

Next I write … and write … and write …

I may finish and entire chapter or not, depending on the amount of time I have allotted. But, here is where I differ from most writers. After taking a short break for lunch or even overnight, I re-read my chapter, doing a quick edit of anything that stands out to me. These may be typos, mistakes in point-of-view, changes in scene order, or even sometimes deleting entire sections. These pre-edits serve two purposes: 1) Reading through the chapter gets my head back into the story so that I can continue my writing and 2) Just like the Post-its that previously cluttered my walls, it is a way of reducing what isn’t needed and getting down to story basics. 

(Most writers will tell you to keep writing all the way to the end of the book before going back to tackle any kind of editing. That would be ideal, if I could do it, but I just cannot…sorry, my mind just won’t get going unless everything else is cleared up, first).

Although I might do a little revising in the drafting stage, I find that it is wise to wait to do anything major until I have finished the entire book. Too many things can happen in the course of writing that might seem wise to revise early on; however, lots of difficulties will work themselves out in the course of writing. Save yourself a lot to time and work by sticking to your outline closely. Let your story “simmer” for awhile.

Before closing, I want to mention that I give my book, chapter by chapter, to my critique group. I rely on their comments heavily when editing. If there is something that these other writers do not understand (or like), then I am certain that my readers will not, either.

Next week- revising.