Category: editing

Kick Your Negative Self-Talk to the Curb with the 10-Day Girly Thoughts Detox Plan

GirlyThoughtsDetoxCover-2Generally speaking, we women aren’t very nice to ourselves. Almost from our first days, we begin to internalize messages that we aren’t good enough—we are too much of some things and not enough of others. Those messages become such a part of who we are that we don’t even realize how ridiculous some of them sound.

Do any of these statements sound familiar?

  • I just need to lose five more pounds.
  • Age might be just a number, but I’m giving myself Botox treatments for my birthday.
  • Isn’t my five-year-old daughter adorable when she pretends she’s sexy?
  • I don’t need to worry about saving for my future—I’ll be married by then.
  • It’s my fault my husband had that affair.
  • I can’t take that meeting; my hair looks awful today.
  • I hate going out with those people—they always make me feel bad about myself.

Today is publication day for The 10-Day Girly Thoughts Detox Plan: The Resilient Woman’s Guide to Saying NO to Negative Self-Talk and YES to Personal Power by Patricia O’Gorman, PhD, and it’s a day I’ve looked forward to for some time.

I worked with Dr. O’Gorman on two of her previous books, so when she asked me to edit her book about girly thoughts, I jumped at the chance. Her goal for the book, which was inspired by the phrase she developed and used in The Resilient Woman: Mastering the 7 Steps to Personal Power, was to shine a light on the damage women do to ourselves by internalizing these negative messages and then provide a plan to detox from them. What woman wouldn’t embrace that concept?

Negative messages surround us, and they contribute to the toxic self-talk that reinforces our negative beliefs about ourselves and have helped us form our identities as women. Consider the advertising that reminds you:ID-100264893

  • your gray hair makes you look older,
  • those extra pounds might keep you from getting a promotion, or
  • being too assertive isn’t sexy.

Then, as Dr. O’Gorman writes, “We take it one step further: We believe these messages. We internalize them. We monitor ourselves to ensure our acceptability by letting our girly thoughts, our toxic self-talk, guide us. And we shut our powerful selves down. We try not to be offensive in any way. We certainly try not to be bossy.”

As the epigraph in The 10-Day Girly Thoughts Detox Plan reads:

“It’s hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.”

—Sally Kempton

Continue reading “Kick Your Negative Self-Talk to the Curb with the 10-Day Girly Thoughts Detox Plan”

Delighting in the Unexpected

ID-10053750Every so often, we all need to “mix it up a bit” to keep our creativity flowing. For writers that often means writing in a different genre or voice. For an editor like me, that means focusing on more than one type of editing, and I stepped out of my editing routine a few months ago when I proofread RIBUS 7, the first book of a sci-fi/romance series by author Shae Mills.

My first job in publishing was as a proofreader, and it’s something I love to do. Most of the editorial inquiries I get, though, come in earlier in the writer’s process. I’m usually contacted for either developmental/content editing or copyediting/line editing. I don’t often get straight proofreading jobs.

Many writers who think they’re ready for proofreading haven’t worked with a professional editor or even beta readers, so they actually need more editing help before they’re ready for the proofreading phase.

(If you’re unsure about what type of editing to ask for, check out my post, Copyediting or Proofreading: 5 Steps to Determine What You Need.)

But every so often, a proofreading project comes along that is just perfect—a compelling story that has been revised and professionally edited, revised again, edited again, and is now ready for proofreading before publication. That perfect project was RIBUS 7 by Shae Mills, and when I began to read it, well, let me just say that the author’s commitment to her craft really showed.

In her first email to me, Shae explained that she’d been working on her story for many years, and after first working with a developmental editor and then hiring a copyeditor, she was ready to hire a proofreader.

I love working on series, and Shae’s description of the book sold me. Okay, I’m not gonna lie, this is what really caught my attention: “[My novel] contains some of ‘the most sensuous romance ever written,’ according to my previous editors, their words not mine.” How could I say no to that? I wanted this job!

Imagine my delight when I was selected as the lucky editor to proofread this 210,000-word manuscript! We’re talking epic sci-fi romance here, and as one reviewer put it, “The characters and world-building [are] both strong and the storyline [is] excellent.”

A bit about RIBUS 7:

Chelan is a brilliant young woman, an aeronautics engineer who dreams of one day soaring toward the stars in a craft of her own design. But while on vacation, she is badly injured during a bizarre encounter with menacing strangers. Awakening, she finds herself held captive aboard the alien battleship RIBUS 7. Convinced at first that she is the victim of an elaborate hoax, the nightmare soon becomes all too real.

Before her stands the Iceanean Overlord, Korba, an ebony-clad god of war, a cunning predator, and a finely honed killer. As Commander of RIBUS 7, his mission is to eradicate all aliens, Chelan included. Yet one look at the exotic beauty smuggled aboard his ship stays his hand.RIBUS 7 Final cover, low res

Struggling against her growing attraction to her captor, Chelan clings to her Earthly values like a shield. But in a culture where the men and women pursue the pleasures of the flesh with a passion and a skill equal to that of the kill, Chelan finds herself awash in a sea of temptation at every turn. Korba himself yearns for her, but their love is forbidden by all that governs his culture. To claim her as his own is to risk all . . . but it’s a risk he hungers to take.

Sci-fi romance fans have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about RIBUS 7, which as of this post has thirty-three 5-star reviews, which include:

  • An incredible escape into another reality.
  • The research that had to go into this book related to topography and aeronautics alone is astounding.
  • The characters were more complex than in a lot of sci-fi romances.
  • Once I started reading I was hooked and had to get to the next page!
  • It’s nice to read a sci-fi romance that has plenty of plot to go along with the sexy parts.
  • The militaristic society was well thought out and read true—for this alone it is a must read.

And my personal favorite: “It is hundreds of pages long and I did not see one error.”

The job was a pure delight, and I can’t wait to begin on the sequel!

I enjoyed working with Shae and her novel so much that I asked her to share some details about her journey from concept to publication. It’s a fascinating peek behind the curtain, and I can’t wait to share the details with you in my next post. In the meantime, I encourage you to pick up a copy of RIBUS 7 (available only for Kindle*) and prepare to immerse yourself in an imaginary world of deep and powerful characters who happen to be easy on the eyes and very sexy to boot!

Happy Writing,

Candace

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*No Kindle? No problem— a FREE Kindle reading app is available for most major smartphones, tables, and computers.

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Candace Johnson is a professional freelance editor, proofreader, writer, ghostwriter, and writing coach who has worked with traditional publishers, self-published authors, and independent book packagers on nonfiction subjects ranging from memoirs to alternative medical treatments to self-help, and on fiction ranging from romance to paranormal. As an editorial specialist, Candace is passionate about offering her clients the opportunity to take their work to the next level. She believes in maintaining an author’s unique voice while helping him or her create and polish every sentence to make it the best it can be. Learn more here.

For more great writing and publishing information, check out Change It Up Editing and Writing Services on Facebook, where I share interesting articles and links about writing and publishing.

 

 

Marketing Children’s Fiction as an Indie Author: Guest Post by Kristen Otte

Kristen_Otte_Book3-Front_Cover-v2As a freelance editor, I have the good fortune to work with talented authors who write in a variety of genres, both fiction and nonfiction. One of the most prolific is Kristen Otte, author of the children’s chapter book series The Adventures of Zelda and the YA novel The Photograph. 

In honor of the release of The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach, Book 3 of The Adventures of Zelda series, Kristen agreed to share some of her secrets for marketing children’s fiction as an independent author.

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I never intended to write children’s books. When I started pursuing a career in writing a few years ago, children’s fiction didn’t even cross my mind. But then my husband and I adopted a pug named Zelda.

Zelda was two years old when we rescued her, and she has been a handful from day one. She’s a little pug who is light on wrinkles but heavy with spunk. Her crazy behavior, coupled with a writing-group challenge to write short stories, led to the creation of what is now The Adventures of Zelda children’s chapter book series.

The stories started off as fun blog posts to make people laugh. When I took a few of the stories to be critiqued at my writing group, I realized that I might have stumbled upon something great for kids. My eight-year-old nephew read a few and loved them, so I kept writing about Zelda the pug.

Two and a half years later, the release of The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach marks the third book in the series. Kristen Otte IMG_1225I think that means I am officially a children’s book author. Along the way, I have learned some important lessons about what it takes to be an independent children’s author. Continue reading “Marketing Children’s Fiction as an Indie Author: Guest Post by Kristen Otte”

THE MEMORY BOX downloaded 27,452 times in 3 days

As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of Eva Lesko Natiello and her book The Memory Box. Because we worked together on the editing for several months, I know better than most people how much of her soul is in this book, and I am beyond thrilled for her success.

Don’t miss this fantastic psychological thriller. As I’ve written before, I dreamed about this book while I was editing it—it’s that good!

THE MEMORY BOX downloaded 27,452 times in 3 days.

 

Update September 20, 2014 Check out some of the rave reviews for this book:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22587180-the-memory-box

http://books.hamlethub.com/booksink/readers/41036-friday-read-the-memory-box-by-eva-lesko-natiello

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Memory_Box.html?id=IiPVkv1h20cC

3 Perks of Editing, Or What I’m Doing on My Summer Working-Vacation

Freelance editingMy editing life has been busy lately, and my apologies for the infrequent blogging in recent weeks. Hugs to everyone who has written to make sure I’m okay—and yes, I’m fantastic! Working as a freelance editor isn’t without its challenges, but it has some real perks, too.

Perk #1:

Freelance editing has its pros and cons, but the biggest pro for me is the ability to work wherever I choose. As many of you know, I live in South Florida, which is a paradise in the winter . . . but in the summer? Not so much. But lucky me—I am in the Pacific Northwest as I write this, and until the middle of August, I can pretend I don’t know anything about hurricanes! I guess the best label for my time away from home is “working vacation,” with an emphasis on the “working” part. And I’ve had a wonderful time editing many different projects in the last several months! Before I get to those, Continue reading “3 Perks of Editing, Or What I’m Doing on My Summer Working-Vacation”

Learning from other writers’ mistakes

Learning from other writers' mistakes

We can sometimes learn more from someone else’s mistakes than from our own. Author Cat Lumb dissects a traditionally published novel and points out where it goes wrong—a great list of what not to do in your own novel.

I recently completed reading a novel that I, personally, thought had a number of flaws – both in general structure and, on occasion, the writing itself. The story premise was interesting – I bought it based on the intriguing blurb on the back and a quick scan of the first three pages. However, as I read it I became disappointed. In fact, the first time I tried to read it I had to put it down with a grimace because it wasn’t at all what I expected and I felt cheated. But, I returned to it over the last week or so and ploughed my way through the manuscript which, fortunately, did get better and – once focused on the central characters – had a good story behind it.

Learning from other writers' mistakes #amwriting #writers #authors Click To Tweet

I’m not going to name this novel, nor am I going to review it in the traditional sense. What I am going to do is list what I have learned from this author’s approach and how it might help me become a better writer. There were a number of things that really grated on me whilst reading the book, and I figure if I as a reader disliked these, then I, as a writer, should make sure that I am not guilty of them in my own manuscript.

So, here goes:

Continue reading…

4 Tips for Surviving Your First Edit: Guest Post by Kristen Otte

When I invited author Kristen Otte to share her experience of working with her editor (that would be me—*waves*), she graciously accepted. I’ve been lucky enough to edit three of Kristen’s books: The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga, The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach (coming soon), and The Photograph, which releases today.

As an editor I’m used to being invisible in the final product, but as Kristen writes, I am anything but when a manuscript comes to me for editing and I get my red pen out. Kristen is a dream author from an editor’s point of view: she is receptive to suggestions, thoughtful in her approach to edits, and eager to put what she learns into practice. At this rate, I may be out of a job in another book or two! 😉

Here is Kristen’s take on working with me . . . and a few comments from my side of the table:

It was nerve-wracking when I sent my first manuscript to an editor. I knew my novel was far from perfect, and I needed an editor to clean up the flaws. But it still wasn’t easy to send the manuscript away. It took me over a year to write and revise my first novel. I poured my heart and soul into the project, and the editor was one of the first people to read the entire novel. [ED: I’m a writer, too, and I understand just how difficult it is to send your “baby” out into the world.] The good news is that even though the editing process was nerve-wracking, I survived my first edit. From my experience, I compiled a few tips to help you survive your first edit.

Continue reading “4 Tips for Surviving Your First Edit: Guest Post by Kristen Otte”

Ooh Là Là! Eternal Traces Is Here!

Eternal-Traces-New-Book-Cover

If you’re a fan of paranormal romance, you’re in for a Friday-the-13th treat! Author Shonda Brock has released a new edition of her sizzling-hot paranormal romance, Eternal Traces, with a sexy new cover. (I’m still fanning myself over here.) I was lucky enough to edit Shonda’s second book, Eternal Burns, which will be out later this summer, and I am so excited to read this first book of the series!

As part of the publication celebration, Shonda is offering prizes (yay for prizes!), which we’ll get to in a moment, but first let me tell you about Eternal Traces: Continue reading “Ooh Là Là! Eternal Traces Is Here!”

Sentence clauses and where to put the comma. With gratuitous nudity.

“Should I or shouldn’t I?” That’s the question most writers ask themselves about commas, and Eric Baker wrote one of the best explanations I’ve read to help you decide. Wish I’d written one that was half this much fun!

Sentence clauses and where to put the comma. With gratuitous nudity.

Sentence clauses and where to put the comma. With gratuitous nudity. #writetip #punctuation #amediting Click To Tweet

Do you have any idea how hard it is to think up an enticing blog post title when your topic is sentence clauses? That’s about as unsexy a thing as can be discussed. My other options were Full Frontal Commas and When Punctuation Marks Hook Up, but I ultimately decided “sentences clauses” and “comma” both belonged because the union of those two language elements is what we’re talking about today.

I’m willing to bet that when writers express worry about their punctuation skills, their chief grief is commas. Like, when to use one and where to put it (by the way, if you block out the rest of this post, you have to admit what I just wrote could be sexy). Today I shall discuss one aspect of comma use: when they are required to separate sentence clauses and when they are not.

The guidelines are pretty simple. If you have a dependent clause, you don’t need a comma, and if you have an independent clause, you do need a comma. Important note: Dependent and independent clauses are typically separated by “and” or “but.”

But sometimes, to even the most experienced writer, grammar talk sounds like bleeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhh grldlugnk fzzznuh. Therefore, I shall provide examples.

Continue reading…