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Line-of-Sight
Author author author, this is editor editor editor. In a recent maritime radio course, I learned about how radio waves travel from source to receiver. Before then I’d thought of radio waves just “existing in the air” but they do need to transmit from one point to another. Hills, cliffs, large trees, etc can impede…
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Layers
I’m dressing myself in a shacket and overalls and building up the beds over here. Topsoil, compost, steer manure, straw, wood stove ash, seaweed, egg shells. Each offering nutrients, protection, stability. I often talk about editing in layers. A macro edit to determine the big picture, then a micro edit to fine-tune the idea and…
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Want to be a writer? Get comfortable with failure.
If you’re going to write, you don’t need to show that writing to anyone else. Your benchmark for success could be journalling every morning, or doing a character study once a month. It doesn’t need to be for anyone but yourself. You can win every time you sit down with your notebook or laptop. But…
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How to do a lot with a little
I’m a big fan of using one line instead of three. I love whittling away redundancies. A crisp paragraph is my jam. I’m constantly reminded you can do a lot with a little. A five-minute movement practice this morning dropped me enough into myself that I could take on the work of supporting other writers.…
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Imposter syndrome never goes away
“It’s getting scary and real!” I’ve been working with an author since last summer. I helped them shape their book proposal, and edited their manuscript. The result? They landed a book deal with their top publisher. Success! But despite that success, the imposter syndrome never really goes away. Now that the author is lining up…
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How do stories form?
“A book (I think) is something which has a beginning and an end (even if it’s not a novel, in the strict sense of the word). It is a space which the reader must enter, wander round, maybe lose his way in, and then eventually find an exit, or perhaps even several exits, or maybe…
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A common mistake first-time writers make
“What’s a common mistake first-time writers make?” This question came from one of the students in the Publications course at OCAD U, Ontario’s largest art & design school. I did a guest lecture today about editing, and focused on my core value of co-creation and how it informs my focus on developmental editing. (Yes, I…
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How should you approach your editor, and what can you expect to pay?
Hello, writers! As you’re embarking on your great resolution to FINALLY write that book (well done, you!), here are some pointers to keep in mind as you approach editors. (Post 3/3) How should you approach your editor, and what can you expect to pay? If I approached any service provider—dentist, mechanic, plumber—I’d give a sense…
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How can you find your editor?
Hello, writers! As you’re embarking on your great resolution to FINALLY write that book (well done, you!), here are some pointers to keep in mind as you approach editors. (Post 2/3) How can you find your editor? You have some say over which editor buys your book, especially if you’re a repeat author and you’ve…
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What type of editor do you need?
Hello, writers! As you’re embarking on your great resolution to FINALLY write that book (well done, you!), here are some pointers to keep in mind as you approach editors. (Post 1/3) What type of editor do you need? At this time of year, my inbox is flooded with people looking to hire an editor. I…
