Whenever I'm editing a book for an author, I provide them with specific suggestions to avoid common writing mistakes. Now I'm beginning to see the same patterns among a wide variety of authors. I find myself repeatedly advising them to avoid using trite expressions and colloquialisms, to limit the word "very," to remove overuse of the word "that," and to avoid repetitive words and phrases.
Most authors use way too many linking verbs, and I let them them know their writing could be more powerful if they avoided using "that is," "it was," or "there is." Better options exist for beginning sentences. Notice I didn't say "there are better options for beginning sentences."
The majority of authors have a good understanding of the active vs. passive voice, have learned to make use of spellcheck (although they know they cannot solely rely on it),and use proper punctuation most of the time. An exception would be the use of both the semicolon and colon. For some reason, many authors mistakenly interchange them and use the semicolon to introduce an element illustrating what has preceded the semicolon--when it should be a colon.
When it comes to editing, no one can know it all. For that reason, we have style guides. And you can often find me with my nose in "The Chicago Manual of Style!"
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Thursday, September 24, 2009
WE WISH WE COULD PUBLISH YOUR BOOK FOR FREE...
But that’s impossible. Instead, we are offering an incredible bargain. We’ve listened to unsatisfied authors who have published elsewhere. Our platform is based on what today’s authors want and what appears to be lacking from many of the larger self-publishing services.
If you are tired of the misleading claims, hidden fees, and unscrupulous actions that have given self-publishing a bad name, then you have come to the right place. We are here to acknowledge the changing face of publishing and take a firm stand against the corruption in this industry. Our fees are reasonable, and our services are legitimate and of the highest quality. Our staff is comprised of the most experienced and talented individuals available.
We want to help you every step of the way and share in the excitement of your completed project. Publishing your book should be a pleasant experience with an affordable rate and unlimited customer service. We have been in business for 23 years as a writing/editing service, and now we are able to offer the same quality and service as a publisher. Please visit http://www.aflairforwriting.com/XX-publish.htm for full details. Then contact us to discuss your project and all of the attention it deserves.
Warmest wishes,
Donna Erickson, Owner/Acquisitions Editor/Marketing Director
A Flair For Writing – Publishing Services
If you are tired of the misleading claims, hidden fees, and unscrupulous actions that have given self-publishing a bad name, then you have come to the right place. We are here to acknowledge the changing face of publishing and take a firm stand against the corruption in this industry. Our fees are reasonable, and our services are legitimate and of the highest quality. Our staff is comprised of the most experienced and talented individuals available.
We want to help you every step of the way and share in the excitement of your completed project. Publishing your book should be a pleasant experience with an affordable rate and unlimited customer service. We have been in business for 23 years as a writing/editing service, and now we are able to offer the same quality and service as a publisher. Please visit http://www.aflairforwriting.com/XX-publish.htm for full details. Then contact us to discuss your project and all of the attention it deserves.
Warmest wishes,
Donna Erickson, Owner/Acquisitions Editor/Marketing Director
A Flair For Writing – Publishing Services
Friday, June 5, 2009
Here's a recent e-mail from a "Write Stuff" contestant.
Ms Erickson,
I have not even gotten to the point of chapters, but I can send you a few pages. I am interested in the coaching and the tips. Honestly, I know an English major who is willing to help me basically for free so you understand it is not a personal thing. I think your services are a great idea. Also if your a judge with the show, will that effect me? I am interested in your book about publishing. Let me know and I will e-mail you some of my book. I do value your opinion. I saw your You-tube submission and found it impressive. Thank you for your time.
Geremy Howard
I have not even gotten to the point of chapters, but I can send you a few pages. I am interested in the coaching and the tips. Honestly, I know an English major who is willing to help me basically for free so you understand it is not a personal thing. I think your services are a great idea. Also if your a judge with the show, will that effect me? I am interested in your book about publishing. Let me know and I will e-mail you some of my book. I do value your opinion. I saw your You-tube submission and found it impressive. Thank you for your time.
Geremy Howard
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Become a Better Business Writer
By Donna Erickson
Article Word Count: 475 [View Summary] Comments (0)
Every sentence you put down on paper (or on a computer screen) identifies who you are and/or what your business offers. Poor writing, grammatical errors, and typos all deflect from the professionalism you want to generate and the image you want to create. The following tips are meant to help guide you, so your writing is clean, crisp, and clear.
1. Use the active rather than passive voice. This steadfast rule for professional writing is especially important for authors of both fiction and non-fiction. However, the advice is good for all writers creating any form of narrative, copywriting, or web content. Voice shows whether the subject performs (active) or receives (passive) the action of the verb. Instead of saying, "The film was watched by a large audience, say, "A large audience viewed the film." The use of the active voice allows for a more direct and aggressive type of writing.
2. Avoid linking verbs. Rather than saying, "She was honest and genuine" you could say, "Her proven honesty made her even more genuine." Add more power to the punch by staying away from linking verbs, such as is, was, seemed, or had. As soon as you are tempted to begin a sentence with there is, it was, or he had (for example), try coming up with a new approach, such as the one above.
3. Try not to use the word very. In most cases, the sentence will sound better without it. Most likely, you'll notice if you decide to remove it, you won't miss it.
4. Limit the word that. Its overuse in today's writing is abundant. Example: see the last sentence, in number three above. I could have chosen to write: most likely, you'll notice that if you decide to remove it, you won't miss it. You can see the word is not necessary. By the way, I just created another sentence without that (in the previous sentence).
5. Write to the reader. If you are writing to sell, be sure to use the word you more than the word I or we. You want the reader to identify with what you are saying.
6. Stay away from cliches and colloquialisms. Experts recommend limiting the use of them. Occasional use is okay, but I have seen writers who tend to write every sentence that way. Some examples to avoid include: chill out, pissed off, as fate would have it, on top of the world, bored to death, etc.
7. Keep sentences short. Rather than writing a long, run-on sentence of connected phrases, chop it up. Cut it into several short sentences or use the em dash (see below), and you'll see the readability will improve.
If you follow these rules, your writing should improve dramatically. You may even get more business - *because you will be keeping the reader's attention instead of losing a sale.
*( use of em dash)
Donna Erickson
"Your Publishing Guru"
Owner, A Flair For Writing
http://www.aflairforwriting.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Erickson
Article Word Count: 475 [View Summary] Comments (0)
Every sentence you put down on paper (or on a computer screen) identifies who you are and/or what your business offers. Poor writing, grammatical errors, and typos all deflect from the professionalism you want to generate and the image you want to create. The following tips are meant to help guide you, so your writing is clean, crisp, and clear.
1. Use the active rather than passive voice. This steadfast rule for professional writing is especially important for authors of both fiction and non-fiction. However, the advice is good for all writers creating any form of narrative, copywriting, or web content. Voice shows whether the subject performs (active) or receives (passive) the action of the verb. Instead of saying, "The film was watched by a large audience, say, "A large audience viewed the film." The use of the active voice allows for a more direct and aggressive type of writing.
2. Avoid linking verbs. Rather than saying, "She was honest and genuine" you could say, "Her proven honesty made her even more genuine." Add more power to the punch by staying away from linking verbs, such as is, was, seemed, or had. As soon as you are tempted to begin a sentence with there is, it was, or he had (for example), try coming up with a new approach, such as the one above.
3. Try not to use the word very. In most cases, the sentence will sound better without it. Most likely, you'll notice if you decide to remove it, you won't miss it.
4. Limit the word that. Its overuse in today's writing is abundant. Example: see the last sentence, in number three above. I could have chosen to write: most likely, you'll notice that if you decide to remove it, you won't miss it. You can see the word is not necessary. By the way, I just created another sentence without that (in the previous sentence).
5. Write to the reader. If you are writing to sell, be sure to use the word you more than the word I or we. You want the reader to identify with what you are saying.
6. Stay away from cliches and colloquialisms. Experts recommend limiting the use of them. Occasional use is okay, but I have seen writers who tend to write every sentence that way. Some examples to avoid include: chill out, pissed off, as fate would have it, on top of the world, bored to death, etc.
7. Keep sentences short. Rather than writing a long, run-on sentence of connected phrases, chop it up. Cut it into several short sentences or use the em dash (see below), and you'll see the readability will improve.
If you follow these rules, your writing should improve dramatically. You may even get more business - *because you will be keeping the reader's attention instead of losing a sale.
*( use of em dash)
Donna Erickson
"Your Publishing Guru"
Owner, A Flair For Writing
http://www.aflairforwriting.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Erickson
Friday, April 24, 2009
Another Testimonial...
Donna -- good for you. This is definitely "Greater Good" work. Writers today don't know where to turn, or who to turn to! Great karma is headed your way. Mary Anne
By Maryanne Donovan Professor, English at St. John Fisher College
posted 18 hours ago
By Maryanne Donovan Professor, English at St. John Fisher College
posted 18 hours ago
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
A testimonial from one of my discussion groups...
Donna Erickson
Senior Editor/Copartner at AG Press
Ryan has given you good advice. Double-check your proposal. You don't want any typo's. I happened to spot three in your posting. If you decide to have someone proof it, I can help. If you e-mail me privately, I can refer you to two small presses that won't charge--if you decide to go the traditional route and if they feel it is marketable. Good luck!
Best wishes,
Donna Erickson
donna@aflairforwriting.com
Posted 4 days ago | Delete comment
Ion Itescu
Experienced Book Seller, AdWords Marketer, Solid Background in Book Distribution, and Real Estate Investor
Both Ryan and Donna gave you good advice. You can also look into self publishing and POD. You left out the subject of your future book - the most important piece of info which almost always determines the route you need to take to being published.
Ion itescu
probizmanager@gmail.com
Posted 2 days ago | Reply Privately
Douglas Keeney
Founder at L. Douglas Keeney & Company, LLC
I don't know Donna E. but her point is so terribly important. Typos are deal killers. Typos are like finding a pebble in your pizza or bugs in a sandwich. Uch. Well, you have typos. You have typos in your question. You have typos in your LinkedIn Summary. Not good. But don't take any of this the wrong way. This comes from people who have been burned by their own mistakes. One of my books -- published by Wm.Morrow -- had a typo on the date of the attack on Pearl Harbor. We've been there. It kills your credibility as an author. Particularly on a pitch.
No typos. Get an agent. Or POD.
D
Posted 18 hours ago | Reply Privately
Donna Erickson
Senior Editor/Copartner at AG Press
Ryan has given you good advice. Double-check your proposal. You don't want any typo's. I happened to spot three in your posting. If you decide to have someone proof it, I can help. If you e-mail me privately, I can refer you to two small presses that won't charge--if you decide to go the traditional route and if they feel it is marketable. Good luck!
Best wishes,
Donna Erickson
donna@aflairforwriting.com
Posted 4 days ago | Delete comment
Ion Itescu
Experienced Book Seller, AdWords Marketer, Solid Background in Book Distribution, and Real Estate Investor
Both Ryan and Donna gave you good advice. You can also look into self publishing and POD. You left out the subject of your future book - the most important piece of info which almost always determines the route you need to take to being published.
Ion itescu
probizmanager@gmail.com
Posted 2 days ago | Reply Privately
Douglas Keeney
Founder at L. Douglas Keeney & Company, LLC
I don't know Donna E. but her point is so terribly important. Typos are deal killers. Typos are like finding a pebble in your pizza or bugs in a sandwich. Uch. Well, you have typos. You have typos in your question. You have typos in your LinkedIn Summary. Not good. But don't take any of this the wrong way. This comes from people who have been burned by their own mistakes. One of my books -- published by Wm.Morrow -- had a typo on the date of the attack on Pearl Harbor. We've been there. It kills your credibility as an author. Particularly on a pitch.
No typos. Get an agent. Or POD.
D
Posted 18 hours ago | Reply Privately
Monday, April 6, 2009
A TYPICAL WORKDAY
Usually, my workday begins about 9 a.m. – sometimes earlier, sometimes later. That’s one of the things I like best about being my own boss. First, I check all of my e-mail and sort through what needs to be answered right away and what can be saved. I check the date for any deadlines that I have given to my clients or colleagues. If someone was supposed to get back to me (with revisions, payments, completed e-mail forms, etc.) and hasn’t, I follow up with a phone call and/or e-mail. Then I make any other phone calls that are necessary before beginning my work.
I’m usually writing or editing until about 1 p.m. From approximately 1:00 to 2:00, I’m busy with lunch, errands, exercise, or meditation. At about 2:00, I’ll answer saved e-mail, any new e-mail, and return phone calls. Then it’s back to writing/editing until about 4:30.
After making dinner and connecting with my family, I’ll be cleaning up, taking a walk (if I hadn’t gotten any fresh air that day), and talking on the phone to friends or family. I also try to read the newspaper. Between 7 and 8 p.m., I do a final e-mail check or some last minute editing.
As soon as a client requests a job, I create a file and open the account. All notes and information gets tossed into the folder and placed in my “Work In Progress” pile. From there, it moves to “Work Completed,” where I may be waiting for a reply, revisions, or payment. Once it is complete, it is stored and saved on a back-up disk.
I try to keep all of my work in progress prioritized. The folders are lined up, so I can see what needs my attention first. It’s also handy to have them nearby if a client calls, and I need to pull the file while we talk. Being organized definitely helps me get through each workday day with ease.
I’m usually writing or editing until about 1 p.m. From approximately 1:00 to 2:00, I’m busy with lunch, errands, exercise, or meditation. At about 2:00, I’ll answer saved e-mail, any new e-mail, and return phone calls. Then it’s back to writing/editing until about 4:30.
After making dinner and connecting with my family, I’ll be cleaning up, taking a walk (if I hadn’t gotten any fresh air that day), and talking on the phone to friends or family. I also try to read the newspaper. Between 7 and 8 p.m., I do a final e-mail check or some last minute editing.
As soon as a client requests a job, I create a file and open the account. All notes and information gets tossed into the folder and placed in my “Work In Progress” pile. From there, it moves to “Work Completed,” where I may be waiting for a reply, revisions, or payment. Once it is complete, it is stored and saved on a back-up disk.
I try to keep all of my work in progress prioritized. The folders are lined up, so I can see what needs my attention first. It’s also handy to have them nearby if a client calls, and I need to pull the file while we talk. Being organized definitely helps me get through each workday day with ease.
Monday, November 3, 2008
6 EXTRAORDINARY MONTHS - Recollections From the Editor by Donna Erickson
“I’ll take that one.” Those were my words when Cheryl Pillsbury, owner/publisher of AG Press, offered me my first editing assignment. She had rattled off four or five titles, but when she uttered, “Witch of the Nissitissit” (the original name for the book), I was intrigued. I had just begun working for Cheryl and found her enthusiasm contagious. I was eager to begin and felt immediately drawn to this project. All I knew, at the time, was that the book was about a ghost. I have always been interested in the occult –even more so during the past decade. You see, I have discovered that I have clairvoyant abilities--and this was “right up my alley!”
And so I began my winter project. The bleakness of February 2008 set the stage for long hours at the computer—perfect for that time of year when much of my writing business slows down. The experience was rather lonely at first. I had no communication with the author. Rose was in Florida and wasn’t due back until spring. I knew I would be spending a lot of time with this work in progress. Being the first draft, it needed major editing. But I enjoy turning sentences inside out and removing wordiness. For me, it feels like I’m removing clutter, which is one of my great pet peeves (just ask my family).
When Rose returned, she came back with another 70 pages. Not having an ending already planned, she was suddenly fueled with new ideas. She finished writing the book and headed back home with it. When she arrived, I added it into the 250-odd pages she already had completed. I had a manuscript more than 300 pages long to revise—line-by-line, word-by-word. I was busy for a lot longer than I had anticipated.
At least I had contact with Rose, and we could bounce ideas off each other. She decided to have me just read for a while, so I would become more familiar with the characters, plot, and sub-plots. So, I worked each day, and every night I curled up with the manuscript and entered the imaginative world Rose had created. I began to feel connected to the book and the characters. Rose told me she had even dreamt about the characters while writing the book. Weeks later, I began dreaming about living in the 1800’s.
Rose had warned me there had been a legend about a curse. She had read that anyone who writes about “the witch” will be cursed and die a horrible death. I thought, “Oh great! Now you’re telling me this!” I shrieked out loud, “What??” “Don’t worry,” Rose replied. “The more I read, the more I realized there’s no truth to it. Plenty of people have written about it and are either okay or they died normally.” What a relief.
Rose and I worked well together as a team. She seemed to appreciate my revisions and we were in agreement most of the time. I had my own ideas about some of the characters and happenings, but, ultimately, the final decisions were hers. We had some nice chats, and when I finished (six months later), we both missed the daily e-mails. Toward the end, I said to Rose that I dreaded the final chapters. I had become so attached to the story and characters, that I felt an actual loss when I was done. Rose told me she had experienced the same emotions—even more so. Although we felt as if we were losing something at the time, we were actually gaining a lot. Now we have the personal satisfaction of seeing the book sell and hearing the wonderful feedback from the many readers who have enjoyed it.
Donna is the owner of www.aflairforwriting.com .
And so I began my winter project. The bleakness of February 2008 set the stage for long hours at the computer—perfect for that time of year when much of my writing business slows down. The experience was rather lonely at first. I had no communication with the author. Rose was in Florida and wasn’t due back until spring. I knew I would be spending a lot of time with this work in progress. Being the first draft, it needed major editing. But I enjoy turning sentences inside out and removing wordiness. For me, it feels like I’m removing clutter, which is one of my great pet peeves (just ask my family).
When Rose returned, she came back with another 70 pages. Not having an ending already planned, she was suddenly fueled with new ideas. She finished writing the book and headed back home with it. When she arrived, I added it into the 250-odd pages she already had completed. I had a manuscript more than 300 pages long to revise—line-by-line, word-by-word. I was busy for a lot longer than I had anticipated.
At least I had contact with Rose, and we could bounce ideas off each other. She decided to have me just read for a while, so I would become more familiar with the characters, plot, and sub-plots. So, I worked each day, and every night I curled up with the manuscript and entered the imaginative world Rose had created. I began to feel connected to the book and the characters. Rose told me she had even dreamt about the characters while writing the book. Weeks later, I began dreaming about living in the 1800’s.
Rose had warned me there had been a legend about a curse. She had read that anyone who writes about “the witch” will be cursed and die a horrible death. I thought, “Oh great! Now you’re telling me this!” I shrieked out loud, “What??” “Don’t worry,” Rose replied. “The more I read, the more I realized there’s no truth to it. Plenty of people have written about it and are either okay or they died normally.” What a relief.
Rose and I worked well together as a team. She seemed to appreciate my revisions and we were in agreement most of the time. I had my own ideas about some of the characters and happenings, but, ultimately, the final decisions were hers. We had some nice chats, and when I finished (six months later), we both missed the daily e-mails. Toward the end, I said to Rose that I dreaded the final chapters. I had become so attached to the story and characters, that I felt an actual loss when I was done. Rose told me she had experienced the same emotions—even more so. Although we felt as if we were losing something at the time, we were actually gaining a lot. Now we have the personal satisfaction of seeing the book sell and hearing the wonderful feedback from the many readers who have enjoyed it.
Donna is the owner of www.aflairforwriting.com .
Thursday, October 23, 2008
New Direction
I'm excited about my new duties as Senior Editor and Copartner for AG Press. Owner, Cheryl Pillsbury has designated me to review the work of the other editors to determine if additional editing is required. I'll also be managing the company website, proofing Poetic Monthly Magazine, and editing company documents. I just received the latest (15th edition) of the Chicago Manual of Style-the "Bible" for writers, editors, and publishers-which will help me answer questions from the other editors. I will continue to edit manuscripts to be published by AG Press. None of my services have changed at A Flair For Writing. Needless to say, I'm quite busy!
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