But for now, please join in … This person is responsible for choosing which manuscripts a publishing house should publish. It only means that your idea is being published. I usually don't complain about my work in detail because I love what I do. How to Think Like an Editor. Editing may seem daunting and scary and intimidating, but it’s really just one piece of the writing process. Because agents and editors crave for authors who are easy to work with and who aren’t afraid to make necessary changes for the book’s best interest for the needs of the readers. THINK LIKE AN EDITOR is designed for the new breed of editors who are evolving at the same time news and information sharing is changing. If you only have one story idea now and you are finding it hard to come up with another one, please don’t panic. As the author, you will have done your research on other books in the market in the past year that are similar to yours in subject, theme, timeline, and content. People often ask me what it takes to be an editor or what it’s like to be one. Writer Unboxed — The importance of editing to good writing is clear, but how to become a good self-editor is not. That’s what your critique group or mentor or friend(s) is for. Check Your Ego at the Office Door Writing is inherently an … 4. Take a few minutes and ruminate. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Think Like An Editor. Active in ACFW and The PEN, she appreciates both communities. It’s also unlikely that you’re dithering over whether to work with them, as they’ll be introduced as part of the larger pu… Children ask me how I feel when my editor asks me to change something or questions my work. This course will teach you how to cultivate the skill set of thinking like an editor about your own content. Writer’s groups are everywhere, but I’ve never encountered a self-editor’s group. While the other two questions were super important, this one probably outranks them. DSLR Video Shooter gives out 7 tips to help you nail that mindset in their videos. The bottom line is to make sure your writing shows what is the most important for the story’s that on your heart. . When you do publicity, especially local publicity, it's good to remember that your first audience is one set of eyeballs—an editor—and not the whole world. how do we think like an editor when we aren’t one? Next month, I’ll share some more tips on how to think like an editor. Thinking is underrated. They don't care that you want to share with kids the joys of playing outside. As you do this, you want to make sure that you get your message across. Tips to minimize an editor’s stress. Developmental editors help structure the entire project, while copy editors focus more on technical things, like the use of punctuation and adherence to grammar principles. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and on social media. A good change will enrich your story, grow you as a writer, and really wow your readers. I’ll give you some quick tips for thinking like an editor. So if you‘re on board, today we’ll explore how to not just consider your intended audience in your writing, but to think like an editor, to improve your submission strategy, your rate of acceptance, and ultimately your bottom line. On the other hand, if you can’t find a book like yours out on the market, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it may mean that your book isn’t ready for publication quite yet, or that your genre or subject is too narrow. Copyright 2019 Almost an Author. . She looks forward to the conversation! What’s a call to action? Writers think about their reasons for writing something. With a bachelor’s in Professional Writing, a master’s in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, she has equal passions for writing and editing. Now, thanks to tinyCoffee and PayPal, you can! Fix it. The intent is to teach you to be an "Authorpreneur (r)." Think like an editor, that’s how: Know the title. If you have a moment of doubt whether the events on the page are consistent, or really true to the character, or scene, or plot, believe the doubt, and fix it. If broad works better for the sake of your piece, then go broad, and get more specific in your argument. And the last thing I want to do is appear angry and bitter about my work. Technology is changing the way editors do their work and the types of documents they edit, but not the reason for editing. General, sloppy ideas that don’t gel with the publication on any level scream ‘I just pitched this to every Tom, Dick and Harry to see if someone might pick it up’. If you read a passage and think to yourself, “Oh, I’ll fix that later,” but plow on with the reading, you’re ignoring your instincts. Agents and editors (freelance and publishing house) tell us to write, write, write . After the five things cinematographers can do to make their editor happier, and the art of shooting B-Roll, another way to ensure that the transition between production and post-production is as smooth as possible is to think like an editor while you shoot. I'm usually just stabby about bad writing. Web Design Relief Presents 6 Questions To Help You Think Like An Editor When Creating Your Author Website. I think of ordering as a kind of three-dimensional thinking, as opposed to the two-dimensional thinking (like using tweezers under a microscope) necessary for line editing poems. What are some other ways you can think like an editor? But – and here’s where it gets tricky – I as an editor would be … About Tisha Martin. So . How do we think like an editor when we aren’t one? Posted on April 4, 2012 by Writers of The Woodlands. Think Like an Editor book. As a contest judge and having read over 100 books this year, an issue I see a lot is a wobbly point of view. Click here for more information and schedule. Next month, I’ll share some more tips on how to think like an editor. Editor … All Rights Reserved. Yes, Larsen has registered this word. Fix it. . Pair this program with Part 1 and make your writing even more effective "Think Like Your Editor," by Susan Rabiner and Alfred Fortunado The worst was "How to Write a Book Proposal." She is the former Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, where she was instrumental in seeing attendee growth in 2018, up 150% from 2017. Editors have told me over and over that it’s very important that writers search the publication’s website before sending an idea. Three More Rules for Thinking Like an Editor 4. 8 talking about this. Breaking into the publishing industry as an editor is very difficult. At the submission point, editors do not care what your reason for writing something was. And keep writing! Tisha Martin is a writer and editor, and she lives to encourage authors and editors to bridge their relationships and work together for the publishing industry cause, where readers will treasure books for always. 3. I am not saying you should make every single change that an agent or editor want you to make, for you know where your book stands as far as its core message, and there will be things you will not want to change. Another big question, but an important one. Think Like an Editor: Enliven Your Writing Style Part 2: Grammar Booster for Style. Now this is a scary question because agents especially want to ensure that the author seeking representation has more than one story or book idea. Disabuse yourself of that idea. If you find many like yours, that’s good. Because if I recently published an article called “How to Think Like an Article”, then I can’t afford to pay to publish it again. Here’s a case in point. Think like an editor Grabbing press coverage - the last, and most important, piece of the jigsawThere's lots and lots of fantastic advice already available on the web describing how to get press coverage. Keep in mind that every author and editor has their own style, preferences, and idiosyncrasies for what they like in a story. 2. Click the image to download it as a PDF poster! They don't care that you want to encourage children to obey their parents. That said, consider broadening your subject focus or story question. I’ll give you some more tips on how to think like an editor. But this trait is at the heart of everything journalists do, no matter their age or stage in their careers. Ready? Tisha Martin is a writer and editor, and she lives to encourage authors and editors to bridge their relationships and work together for the publishing industry cause, where readers will treasure books for always. If you aren’t an idea person (but rather someone who runs with an idea after it’s been fleshed out), you may want to sign up for coaching sessions or find a friend who will listen to your idea strain and then ask you questions about it to get you thinking. Writing is scary stuff, my friend. Don’t put the “i” in diva! 5. Simply put, editing is just going through a more detailed process to make sure our manuscript is ready for the public eye. and also make sure that our manuscript is edited well. Log in. Successful editors turn their love of language into a way to earn a living and have an impact on the world around them. Well. Doesn’t that raise all kinds of questions? Using Pronouns and Antecedents, 10 Ways to Help Fellow Writers (Without Spending Money). Five Good Books on Editing and Self-Editing Strategies, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Rise of the Modern Hospital: An Architectural History of Health and Healing, 1870-1940, Tips for Turning Online Procrastination Time into Writing Research Time, How to Think Like an Editor | A Writer's Notepad | Scoop.it, The Turndog Tales: 04/03 – 09/03 « Turndog Millionaire, Sterling Editing » Written on the internet, The Week in Writing and Publishing 11th March 2012 | A Writer's Quest, https://writerunboxed.com/2012/03/04/how-to-think-like-an-editor/, Popular articles on editing and memoir I posted to Twitter this month, Revision and Editing: Every Editor Matters - Surly Muse, Take Five: Julie Carrick Dalton and Waiting For The Night Song. Why? Writing with a Disability (Different Ability), Do’s and Don’ts When Forming Your Launch Team, New Post @ Almost an Author: National Book Month | Donna Jo Stone, Writers Gotta Read: Where to Find Book Recs and A Short List of Suggested Reading for YA Authors, The Cold Call: How to Approach a Church or Women’s Group for Speaking Opportunities, Who Are We Talking About? Writing is a funny art, isn’t it? These ways to overcome fear of writing will increase your writing productivity and … Think Like an Editor As an author, I appreciate the guidance of a good editor. … That’s exactly what thinking like an editor is all about, and chances are, you’ll never be without a writing project or a published book available on your favorite bookstore shelf. Editing doesn’t have to be so intimidating. Why? 3/9/2014 to crumple-proof your press release. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers. Different editors work in different ways, and often the experience you have will be defined by what you hire an editor to do. If it’s a moving shot, will that moving shot work with a static shot or another moving shot? Who is doing the “seeing,” or telling the story, anyway? Organized by the 50 strategies of editing and working, each ""strategy section"" runs in length … An editor's goal is always the same: to improve communication. By this, I mean think about your business objective (as a publisher would do) and then come up with a concrete schedule of content that helps you meet those objectives. However, you can graciously explain why a change cannot be made but keep an open mind in case the suggested change is a good change. Is your call to action clear and focused? That’s why you see questions on social media, “Would you read a book about flying saucers in the Carribean?” The author is trying to get feedback on their idea. In thinking like an editor, ask yourself what the shot that comes before and after the one you are about to capture will look like. Look at the publication’s past issues before pitching ideas. That’s exactly what thinking like an editor is all about, and chances are, you’ll never be without a writing project or a published book available on your favorite bookstore shelf. If an author can meet deadlines, make clear edits, work with the publisher’s marketing team, and do their part in getting the book into readers’ hands, then that’s the author an agent or editor wants to work with. Aden's website: https://adenpriestphotography.co.uk/ The following are … Jul 28, 2014 - If you're scared to write, you're not alone. With that said, I think it’s time that I say what all the editors want to say. Although they aren't always acknowledged as writers in their own right, editors spend as much time toying with phrases and molding language to fit their will. They think like magazine editors but act like content marketers. Is the point of view clear in my story? She’s also a contest judge for Writer’s Digest. If you have to re-read a passage to understand it, so will your reader. Nothing enrages an editor more. What are some other ways you can think like an editor? Editors are team players, often working with writers, publishers, designers, artists and other editors to reach a common goal. 1. Set the Tone, Then Take Things Up a Notch. Hooks like “A woman struggles to sell her house but can’t because there’s a hippie living in her basement who refuses to move out” might work. Editors think for a living. This book felt like a bad date, like I wanted to wash my hair after reading it. But for now, please join in the discussion! Critical features of the writing process seem daunting and scary and intimidating, but the... Their careers and often the experience you have will be easier to find grammar. 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