Tag: editing mindset
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The importance of The Sacred Pause
It happens a lot. My clients hit their deadline (nailed it!) and then… “After a day’s reflection, I decided to tighten this scene/add this story/delete that thing I was worrying about last night.” It’s no problem for my editing process. I just add/delete and carry on in the document. But the recurrence highlights how important […]
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So much of writing is wrestling with fear
Here are two examples of how to push through the fear with action and ideas: – If you’re afraid you’re “lazy” and won’t do the work, you hold yourself to a schedule, deadlines, and accountability. – If you’re a perfectionist and afraid of making a mistake, you push through the fear and write, knowing you […]
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Writing seasons
There are seasons in every writing project. Spring: Ideas burst forth, and everything feels possible. Summer: You’re on a creative roll and writing on a regular basis. Autumn: You start to sort out what you’ve written and figure out where you’re going next. Winter: You rest—tired from your efforts, fearful of next steps, or replenishing […]
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Is it better to write an outline first, or just write and figure out the structure later?
It’s often said there are two types of writers: plotters and pantsers. Plotters are those who write from an outline. Pantsers are those who write without an outline—they write by the seat of their pants. So, is one approach better than another? Nope. And can you use a mixture of both styles? You bet. I’m […]
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Three Ways to Build an Editing Mindset
Cultivating an editing mindset can be one of the most supportive things you can do for yourself as a writer. Editing gives you another shot at expressing yourself in a clearer way. In this way, editing can be a deep act of self-care. When you embrace an editing mindset, you know that you won’t get […]
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Want to write a business book? Read this first.
When you’re writing a business book, you need to be clear on your unique offering for the reader. Do you have years of experience in sales, or are you presenting a new approach by blending two disciplines? Do you have a method for the reader to follow? One of the main problems I see with […]
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Publishing ecosystem
It’s no longer enough for your book to be “out there.” It needs to live in an ecosystem. Ecosystems are living, interdependent entitities—once your book exists in the world, it starts to live in a world of its own. Readers are part of the ecosystem. You can’t rely on your publisher to do all the […]
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Do you write with your head or your heart?
Early in my training as a fiction and non-fiction editor at Penguin Random House, I received a key piece of advice from my publisher and mentor Anne Collins. Anne’s advice changed my editing approach. I was stuck on a problem with a fiction manuscript. Anne said, “You’re editing with your head. Edit non-fiction with your […]
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Cultivate an editing mindset
Do you often edit your posts after the fact? Don’t worry about it. Many people associate “editor” with “fixes mistakes.” And that’s true in part. Copy editors and proofreaders correct grammar and catch typos. They also confirm the accuracy of statements or graphics (called a fact check). Substantive or developmental editors help the writer draw […]