Unexpectedly kind words

This is why we do what we do – snippets from an email received from a client earlier today [book information redacted in parts]:

‘Thanks so much for all you’ve done on my story.

I do sometimes get carried away with the story to the detriment of the writing and you help to pull me back on track. I’ve incorporated your amendments and believe I’ve addressed a few issues too. [Redacted] I’ve added more dialogue as you suggested so hopefully there is more showing rather than telling. I’m going to try to do that in my writing in future.

I’ve paid your invoice and added a small tip too.’

Receiving kind words like these make it all worthwhile.

Deb, you’re always a pleasure to work with and I’m so glad you like what we do!

Proofreading tips

Tips for proofreading:

1: Spell checkers are not foolproof. Their dictionary is limited which means that there is a chance that some of the words that show as having been misspelled may simply not be in their memory. If you know the word you have typed is correct, add it, so it catches it in future. Spell checkers also don’t catch valid words, e.g., your/you’re; there/they’re/their; than/then (and please make sure you use the correct version – can you see what’s wrong with the following sentence? ‘She’s an alcoholic; she’d rather have a glass of wine then a cup of tea.’)

2. When you have finished writing and want to begin to edit/proofread your work, if you use Word, there’s a little button that looks like a speech bubble (at the very top of the screen) which allows you to listen to what you have written. Simply highlight your text, turn up the volume, press the button and sit back. It will let you know where you have made any errors (e.g., double words – the the, she she, etc.,) and highlights where any text is ‘clunky’. In short, it lets you hear how your writing flows. I use this a lot. N.B: the amount of text you can listen to is limited, so be prepared to highlight it in stages.

3. Alot is not a single word.

4. If you are talking about one particular item, it is a specific item – not a pacific item. The Pacific is an ocean.

We’ll be back with more examples of how you can begin to proofread your work next week. In the meantime, have a great week, and happy writing!

“Wish I’d found you at the start of the series…”

I’ve recently had the good fortune to proofread ‘The Point of Me’ by Rachel Davidson (which deservedly achieved best seller status very rapidly), and am currently honoured to be copy editing the final book of a rather wonderful series. (I’ll let you know more about this when the author is ready to publish.)

So when the second author emailed me to say, “Wish I’d found you at the start of the series”, believe me when I say it means a lot.

I love my job!

Words and their meanings: Q-W

Continuing on from the Ps…

Query letter. A letter that is written to literary agents or publishers when an author seeks representation or publishing.

Rejection slip. A letter sent by an agent or publisher in response to your query letter saying no thank you. Frame it. Chalk it up to experience. Try again.

Reprints. Work that is published after having already been published somewhere else.

Rights. Ownership of a work and how it may be used.

Royalties. The percentage of revenues paid to the author by the publisher. Indie authors receive royalties via the channel they use to publish when their work is purchased.

Run-on sentence. A sentence that goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and shouldn’t. If you have one like this, re-write it.

S.A.S.E. (or SAE) Acronym for “self-addressed stamped envelope” and is sometimes asked for by publishers or agents when you submit to them so that they can send your manuscript back to you along with your rejection slip…

Satire. Used as a way of criticizing people in a humorous manner. Not to be confused with irony: hyphenated -v- non-hyphenated…!

Self-publishing. Used by Indie authors. This is where the author uploads their work (hopefully edited and proofread) to a channel that allows them to sell it. Can also be used for POD (see previous post).

Serial. Something published in several parts, one after another. Examples include trilogies or a run on series.

Short story. Fiction that typically has less than 5000 words and is published alongside other material, rather than as a stand-alone.

Simultaneous submissions. Sending a manuscript to multiple publishers or agents at the same time. If you intend doing this, be sure to check each publisher/agent’s submission guidelines. If they ask you not to do this, don’t!

Small press. A small publishing company rather than one of the ‘big 5’. Small presses often specialise in a particular genre (or in very few select genres – check before you submit to them).

Soliloquy. A monologue, usually in a play, where a character talks to the audience or him/herself. Check out ‘Hamlet’ and the ‘To be or not to be’ speech.

Spine. The part of a book that holds the front hardpage and back hardpage (covers) in place. It’s what shows when it’s on your shelf!

Style. The way a writer writes – their choice of words, the structure of sentences and literary devices that are particular to them.

Submission guidelines. Read them! These are the rules you must follow when submitting a manuscript to a publisher.

Subplot. A secondary story that develops within the main story.

Synonym. A word that means the same (or almost the same) as another. E.g. large, big.

Synopsis. A summary of a book’s plot, usually two to three pages long.

Tearsheet. A page torn from a published article that provides proof of publishing.

Theme. The subject of a book.

Thesis. A lengthy piece of writing on a particular subject – usually submitted by university students that shows their key argument and understanding of the subject.

Tone. The mood implied in a piece of writing.

Trim size. The width and height of a book’s pages.

Typeface. The font specifications (see Font).

Vanity publishing. A service that asks authors to pay to have their books published.

Verb. A ‘doing’ word that describes an action, condition or experience (walked, swam, touched, etc).

Voice. Every author has their own. This is the way that the author conveys his/her message shown in the style of the writing.

White space. The area of a page that holds no text or images.

Word count. The number of words in a manuscript.

Writer. The person who wrote the work, usually the author, but can be a ghostwriter.

That’s it folks – hope you didn’t mind the tongue-in-cheek additions!

If you’ve found this useful, feel free to contact me with any editing or proofreading requirements you have.

Bookings

We are currently very busy (which is great news for us!) but it does mean that if you would like anything proofed or copy-edited you’ll need to let us know as soon as possible in order to avoid disappointment.

Words you need to know when writing (and their meanings) N-P

Here are the next lot for you! N-P

Narrative. This is how you explain the events of your story; a description of a series of events that form the story.

Narrator. The character who tells you what is happening in a story, book or film. (In my opinion, ‘The Book Thief’ by Markus Zusak, does this beautifully.)

Noun. Denotes a person, animal, place, thing, event, substance or quality.

Novel. A fiction book with over 40,000 words.

Novella. A fiction book with under 40,000 words.

Outline. Where an author plots out what they want to happen in their book. Can be used as a table of contents. Good for those who like to be organized in their writing. (If you hear the question, are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’, this is what it refers to. ‘Pantsers’ sit and write the story without an outline.)

Paperback. A physical copy of a book that has a soft cover rather than a hard cover (see Hardback).

Parody. The writer copies someone or something’s style (generally from a serious piece of work or an event) and deliberately exaggerates it for comedic effect. (The Scream films are an example.)

Passive voice. When the verb focuses on what is being done to the object of the sentence. (He was eaten by the lion.)

Personification. Human traits that are assigned to an animal or inanimate object. Think cat memes…

Pitch. When it all gets serious. This is what you do when you are trying to obtain an agent or editor. For a book, this is typically a query letter with a synopsis.

Plagiarism. Copying and using someone else’s words without permission. Don’t do it.

Plot. Simply put, your plot is your story.

Point of view. (POV) The perspective through which a story unfolds through a particular character’s eyes. Can be first or third person. (‘I felt’ as opposed to ‘Tom felt’.)

Premise. The idea on which you based your story.

Print On Demand (POD). The process of printing books as they are ordered. Used by the majority of indie authors.

Print run. The number of books (or newspapers/magazines) that are printed at one time.

Pronoun. Used instead of a noun or a noun phrase. (He, she, it, who. They refer to a noun that has already been mentioned. Example: The cat (noun) sat on the mat. It (pronoun) stared at me.

Proofreading. Checks spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and related items, but does not check style or structure.

Protagonist. The main character in your story. The reader should identify with them.

Pseudonym. A pen name that an author uses if they do not want to use their real name.

Public domain. Anything in the public domain is not protected by copyright.