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Editors, time to blow your own horn
There’s a tendency in writing and publishing to think of editors as “invisible.” It’s the author’s book, and the editor is working in service of the author and reader, but in some cases the editor is co-creating the idea and the words with the author. I’ve long advocated for editors to speak up about the…
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So, you want to be a writer?
Too often, writing posts focus on the toil of being a writer. The rejections. The late nights and early mornings. The bleary eyes and sore shoulders. Writing on your lunch break, or while your kids nap. Stealing time away from life to write as if writing weren’t life itself. What these posts miss: The look of happiness…
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Is this a book?
I live in a log house that was built in the 1970s. What I love about my house is that it’s so easy to see the bones of its construction. The contractors established a foundation, and then they started stacking logs. They followed a plan, and knew exactly which logs to place where—the slightly larger…
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Lee “Scratch” Perry
Editors have impeccable taste. We shape writing so it lands with its target audience, but before that, we spot talent. It’s the literary equivalent of digging down deep in the record bins. (We also know a little about a lot, so you absolutely want us on your trivia team.) Each Friday, I share a book,…
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Introducing The Publishing Plan
Summer is right around the corner, and it’s an ideal time to begin your writing project or lay the foundations for a writing sprint when you go “back to school” in September. I’m proud to introduce The Publishing Plan, which will help you shape your writing project and choose where to publish your writing. This…
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Editorial case study: Big Enough
When leading entrepreneur Lee LeFever set out to write his second book, it made sense to appeal to the business readership he had captured with his first book, The Art of Explanation. Lee and his wife and business partner, Sachi LeFever, are best known for their business Common Craft, one of the earliest e-commerce companies.…
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How to pick your editor
Choosing your substantive editor may be one of the most important decisions you make in your publishing plan. A substantive editor is the editor who digs into the manuscript with you, shaping your idea, suggesting changes to tone or content, and asking questions on behalf of the eventual reader. Stereotypically, they’re the editor you see…
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Drawing in troubled times
Each Friday, I share a book, song, video *or whatever*…something that inspires me, with the goal that it will offer you a little #fridayinspiration too. Like you, I’m grieving and raging after the racist massacre in Buffalo, New York and the mass murder of children and their teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Gun culture cannot be reformed overnight,…
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How an editor can help you get unstuck
It’s common to feel stuck when you’re embarking on a new writing project. It can feel even worse when you’ve already put in a lot of work and now you’re trying to figure out what you’ve written and where to go from here. Here are five ways an editor can help you get unstuck. 1/…
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Should I write my book now, or wait?
As a book editor, I get this question a lot. The background is usually: I’m establishing my following, developing my voice, and building my expertise in a specific subject. I feel that a book will be a great way to become better known, to express my unique position, and to drive clients to my business.…