A Sneak Peek at Adverbs and a New Frugal Editor

A Sneak Peek at the Ins, Outs, Ups and Downs of Adverbs

 Contributed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning

 HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

I am in an editing mode. The editor is at work editing the next edition of her The Frugal Editor and, honestly, barely thinking of anything else. When I ran into the chapter on adverbs, I thought it is (still!) one of the best chapters. Then I thought I wanted to share it with visitors and subscribers of Karen Cioffi’s WritersOnTheMove blog. But it’s too early for that.
 
Soooo…will a sneak peek do? And if I share with you now, will you come back for the real updated edition when it’s ready sometime in 2022? Or maybe offer to write a blurb. Really, anything that we authors do when we’re #SharingwithWriters or doing that #AuthorsHelpingAuthors thing? Here’s just the adverb angle on why you must come back.
 
We are often warned that adverbs can be overdone. Writers often take the warning too literally; they think they shouldn’t use any at all!
 
Of course, we wouldn't have adverbs if they didn't serve a purpose. But when we examine them—carefully (very carefully!) we often find that they duplicate a quality that the verb has already achieved for us. That makes them redundant.

Adverbs can be especially egregious when they are used too liberally as dialogue tags.
 
Or they are awkward. Or they slow down the forward movement of a sentence.
 
Authors worry when an editor takes a red pen to their adverbs. They think those edits will change their voices. Though an author can (and should) reject edits that he/she thinks aren't appropriate, these edits of adverbs rarely change a voice. Besides, voice is rarely achieved by using adverbs or most other aspects of speech we editors tackle with a vengeance. It is achieved by much subtler elements of writing. Point of view. Use of colloquialism or slang. Choice of detail.
 
For the most part, I think most writers worry way too much on having their voice changed and not enough about improving their writing skills.
 
Having said that, I worry more about editors who don’t have the training to be editors. Would an editor really remove all of a writer’s adverbs? And how would a new author know if an editor is overstepping if he/she doesn’t have lots of information on editing under his or her own little writers’ belt?
 
I do hope those of you who have been relying on an outside editor—someone you hired or a friend--will read The Frugal Editor—even in its old edition. And here is the deal. Read it now and let me know with an email to hojonews@aol.com. I will add you to a special list of authors that I will send an e-copy of the third edition so you won’t miss a thing. The best of two worlds—now when you need it and later when you’ll still need all the new stuff like what to do with the new rules for gender friendly pronouns.
 
Find the “old” second edition now at bit.ly/FrugalEditor. It includes lots on how to partner with an editor, how to save money hiring an editor, and how to hire one that is compatible with your personality and the kind of writing you do. Many good editors like Barbara McNichol (www.barbaramcnichol.com) specialize in specific genres, nonfiction vs. fictions, etc. Larry Brooks (www.storyfix.com)  helps writers of fiction specifically with structure. Good editors know that it is hard to be an expert at everything.
 
Editing is a two-way street. There's gotta be some trust and also some confidence. That’s why this offer (keep reading!) is on the honor system. But it’s also because I am avid about editing and love to share. The more an author knows about editing, the better equipped she or he is to discard or keep edits.
 
So, yep. Examine every adverby "ly" word. And then use each one to your advantage. Know the other adverbs (like “even” and “just”). There is a list in The Frugal Editor (bit.ly/FrugalEditor) Especially the ones you tend to overuse. Either discard each one or use one of the methods in The Frugal Editor to turn them into more visual writing.
 
Here is a quick sample of the kind of advice you’ll find in the old edition where I urge readers to do one last manual edit even when they think their book is ready for the big time:
 
“A Good time to check your copy for each entry on this list [of the most deadly adverbs] is early in the editing process and then again when you have finished everything but your final edit. You may ask, why not after the final edit? Remember how your mother always knew when you had been rooting around in the cookie jar? You left crumbs behind. You’ll need that final edit to pick up all your crumbs—even the ones left after you have finished this search for your overused words” ©
 
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of publishing. Learn more about her other authors' aids at https://howtodoitfrugally.com where writers find lists and other helps on the Resources for Writers page.
She blogs on editing at http://www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com and all things publishing (not just editing!) at  http://www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.
She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo

Want to Be a Writer? You’ve Got to Read

 

By Karen Cioffi

If you want to be a writer, one of the most important things you can do is READ.

So what exactly does that mean, to read?

Read in the Genre You Want to Write

I’ve written about this a number of times. If you want to write, especially for children, you need to read in the genre you want to write.

I did this when I first started out.

When I began writing for children, I went to my local library and got book after book after book on the genre I wanted to write in. The books were by different authors and even publishers.

I studied each book:

- How the dialogue was written and how it was punctuated.
- What type of storylines were used.
- How the conflict was constructed.
- How the text and illustrations worked together.
- The timeframe of the stories.
- How the story was resolved.
- Who the publishers were.
- And so on.

This type of studying is reading as a writer and is a writing course in itself.


But, it’s not enough.

Read About Writing

You also need to read about writing.

There are lots and lots of online sources to help you learn to write.

Read online articles on sites like:

Writer’s Digest
https://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs

Good Story Company
https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog

Word Play
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/

This site, of course: Writers on the Move

And for a much bigger list, check out:
http://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/diy/resources-for-writers/  

Along with this, you should invest in books on writing, especially books that will teach you how to write in the genre you want to write. 

Books that I have include:

Bird by Bird (Anne Lamott)
Second Sight (Cheryl B. Klein)
Story Engineering (Larry Brooks)
Writing Fiction (Gotham Writer’s Workshop)
The Modern Writer’s Workshop (Stephen Koch)
Crafting Scenes (Raymond Obstfeld)
Hooked (Les Edgerton)
Breathing Life Into Your Characters (Rachel Ballon, Ph.D.)
The Writer’s Guide to Psychology (Carolyn Kaufman, Psy. D.)
On Writing (Stephen King)
The Giblin Guide to Writing Children’s Books

Find recommended books and books in the genre you want to write. Study them carefully.

Writing Groups

Find one or two groups in the genre you want to write and join them.

These groups are usually filled with seasoned writers, along with newbies.
Many of them also have editors, publishers, and agents in them.

Read the questions asked by other members and the responses. This is another great way to get a writing education. And you'll have the opportunity to ask your own questions.

If you’re a children’s writer, I suggest Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. It’s filled with writers, marketers, and others in the writing field who know what they’re doing.

Online and Offline Classes

This is an important step.

While you can read and study, which will give you a great start, it doesn’t take the place of learning from a professional writer/author.

Invest in time, effort, and even money if necessary to learn how to write. Invest in you and your writing career. It’s the best way to become a successful writer.

This article was originally published at:
https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/2017/08/13/read-as-a-writer/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author and children’s ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach with clients worldwide. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move, and an author online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing.

Karen’s children’s books include Walking Through Walls and The Case of the Stranded Bear. She also has a DIY book, How to Write Children’s Fiction Books. You can check them out at: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/karens-books/.

If you need help with your children’s story, visit: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com.  
 
MORE ON WRITING AND MARKETING

Lexile Reading Levels for Children's Book

Why It's Called the The Slush Pile

Writers - Make Your Blog a Powerful Marketing Tool


 

Writers: The TikTok Market 101

Thistletoe Q. Packrat puppet & Friend

My main social media concentration lately on promoting my books has been a chosen few: Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. I wouldn’t have considered TikTok except that an author in my NM-SCBWI chapter—Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators—created ten videos, each in a different place in her house, and is in the process of posting them on TikTok.

I had been operating on the assumption that TikTok viewers weren’t my market—just young kids fooling around. Wrong! My friend the enterprising author told me that TikTok attracts viewers of all ages. According to Brian Dean’s Jan. 5, 2022 article (among others), TikTok has 1 billion active monthly global users. Out of 4.48 billion active social media users, 22.32% use TikTok on a regular basis. How many Americans use TikTok? Dean: “eMarketer estimates suggest that TikTok has 73.7 million monthly active users in the U.S.”

I decided to jump in.

How Does TikTok Work?

First, I needed to understand what TikTok is and learn how it works. Basically, “TikTok is a social app used to create and share videos.” (Maggie Tillman, “Pocket-lint” article, Aug. 9, 2021) TikTok users can film videos of themselves doing any number of things, such as in our case, creating a 15-30 second introduction to our books. For more information, Tillman’s article offers a good rundown of the “how-to” of creating a video, or go to the TikTok site, open an account, and explore your options. 

TikTok Influencers

There is a way to narrow down your audience by locating them on TikTok “influencers.” Oh my. Since I write books for young children, my basic market, mainly moms, is in the 20-49 age range. According to Dean’s article, that accounts for over 50% of TikTok viewers. In the U.S., female users outnumber males 2:1.

TikTok Influencers, therefore, bear considerable exploration. More information on TikTok Influencers can be found by studying information provided by Neal Schaffer.

How to Get Started

At Staples, I purchased a Halo-Light Pro kit for about $50. The kit includes a 10” LED ring light, and a tripod, phone mount and microphone, with a flexible stand that extends to 5 ft. The ring light has 12-Watt output, 10 brightness levels, and 3 light modes: white, natural, and warm. My reasoning for this choice is to ease into the market. Later, more sophisticated equipment might be necessary.

So far, I’ve practiced creating videos with my kit. I’m glad I took the time to do this before “air time.” There were a few things to learn about myself. I wrote a simple script on a 3x5 card for each book and held the book up while talking. Yikes! I found that I wasn’t smiling the whole time. Smiling made my presentation lighter and more fun to watch. I have this bad habit of looking up to the right and to the left at different times if I’m thinking about what to say next! Good to know!

Where to hold the book turned out to be the biggest challenge. Should I hold it in front of my face while telling what the book is about? No. Hold it to the side. Fine, but care needed to be taken to show the entire page, not just part of it.

One of my 30-second (timed on my phone) scripts goes something like this:

"Hi, my name is Linda Wilson. I write books for young children. I’d like to introduce you to my picture book, Tall Boots.

Tall Boots is about a young girl who loves to ride horses, but she has to wear her old red galoshes for riding lessons. Her dream is to wear tall, shiny black boots: real riding boots. How does she earn her tall boots? Find out by scrolling to “Books” on Amazon and writing in Tall Boots by Linda Wilson. See you there!"

What else Can You Do with Your Ring-Light Kit?

Another way I’m putting my ring-light kit to use is by creating videos of puppet shows. The Moriarity school system, about 40 minutes from Albuquerque where I live, requested interested authors from my SCBWI chapter to read our books on Google Meets. The schools were celebrating the recent 2022 World Read-Aloud Day, on February 2nd. We would be assigned a class. I practiced the puppet play for my picture book, A Packrat’s Holiday: Thistletoe’s Gift, using puppets, props, and the book. Alas, a snowstorm that day closed the Moriarity schools. Not to worry. I now have prepared materials to present this puppet play and other puppet plays on videos with my ring-light kit and in person to schools and libraries. The practice was a big help.

The biggest surprise is how much fun I’m having! I think the effort to create videos will be worth it, not only for TikTok of course, but for my website and all other social media.

Many of you reading this post are most likely experts at what I’m just now discovering. If you have tips to share about TikTok and creating videos, please leave a comment. We at Writers on the Move would love to hear from you.

Sources: 

https://support.tiktok.com/en/getting-started/creating-an-account 

https://backlinko.com/tiktok-users, “TikTok User Statics (2022),” by Brian Dean.

https://www.pocket-lint.com/apps/news/146960-what-is-tiktok-the-musical-ly-successor-explained

Linda Wilson writes stories for young children. Visit Linda at https://www.lindawilsonauthor.com. Sign up for Linda’s quarterly giveaways. Choose your prize! 

Find Linda’s books at https://www.amazon.com/author/lindawilsonchildrensauthor.

Connect with Linda: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

Tweetable: @LinWilsonauthor

Blogging for Business: Six Tips to Help You Start (and Keep) Blogging on a Regular Basis

by Suzanne Lieurance

By now, everyone knows the power of blogging for business.

Yet, many entrepreneurs and other business professionals have trouble blogging on a regular basis.

Does this sound like you?

To develop a readership for your blog, you need to post at least 3 to 5 times a week.

People won't want to come back to your blog regularly if they can't expect to find new content there all the time.

Here are six tips to help you keep up with your blog and post on a regular basis:

1.      Decide from the start WHO you want to attract to your blog.  

            That is, decide who you want your readers to be. 

  The reason this will help you post regularly to your blog is because you'll always       

  have it clear in your mind WHO you are writing for. 

  And that will make it easier to focus on the content you need for your blog.

2.      Decide from the start HOW you will serve your intended readers. 

            Many beginning bloggers set up a blog with no real purpose or intended readership 

            in mind.

            It's no wonder they find blogging difficult or they just don't keep up with it.

 Their blog posts tend to be rambles, or daily accounts of their business activities, 

 which don't serve readers in any way (unless these accounts are particularly 

 humorous, or also offer something for the reader to consider regarding his or her 

 own life).

Develop a purpose for your blog.

What will you post each day that will be of use to your intended readers?

3.      Develop a regular weekly schedule for posting.

            It's much easier to keep up with your blog if you decide right away that you will 

            post only 3 days a week, for example, and those 3 days will be Mondays, 

           Wednesdays, and Fridays.

           You won't have to feel guilty the other 4 days of the week when you aren't blogging   

            either.

4.     Develop categories for your regular blog posts.

           If you know you're going to post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, set up 

           categories for each of those days.

           For example, you might blog about new products or special offers on Mondays.

           On Wednesdays you could post tips that would be of interest to the people who use 

           your types of products and/or services.

           On Fridays you could post answers to questions you receive from customers or   

           clients.

5.      Plan ahead whenever possible.

            Once you have established a regular blogging schedule and developed categories 

            for your posts, you'll find it easier to plan ahead.

            You can even enter your articles ahead of time and have them scheduled to post on 

             the days you want.

             When you do this, it makes it much easier to keep up with your blog as well as 

              your other business activities.

              You can post your articles to your blog over the weekend, then not have to worry 

               about blogging again until the next weekend.

6.      You don't have to write every single post for your blog yourself.

             Your blog should be a resource to serve your readers.

   However, that doesn't mean you need to write every bit of the material posted at 

    your blog yourself.

    As long as you provide helpful, accurate information, your readers won't care who 

    wrote that information.

    So, try to feature the work of guest bloggers periodically.

    Invite another business professional who writes about your topic of interest to 

    supply a post for your blog

    If this person can post a link to his/her site within the post, he/she will probably 

    be more than happy to provide you with content for a day.

Try these tips and see if they don't help you keep up with your blog on a regular basis!

And, for more writing tips, be sure to visit writebythesea.com and get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge. 

Once you're a subscriber, you'll also have access to a Private Resource Library for Writers.

Suzanne Lieurance is the author of over 40 published books, a freelance writer, and a writing coach. 

 

 

 

Do You Know Your Competition?

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin 

Over decades, I’ve reviewed thousands of book submissions (no exaggeration). Many proposals are missing the competition section. It’s common for them to write, “This topic is unique and has no competition.” When editors and agents see such a statement, many of them will stop reading and reject the project. Others will roll their eyes in a look that says, “Not again.”

When someone says there is no competition, they are not considering the larger sense of the book market. Every book has competition in the marketplace. It's the responsibility of the writer to understand and describe that competition in their book proposal. It is not the responsibility of your editor or literary agent to create this competition but the author’s responsibility who should intimately know their topic and area of expertise.

I often encourage authors to visualize their book inside a brick and mortar bookstore. Which section does your book appear? What other books are in tht section? Those books are your competition and competitive titles. In this section, you list the titles with a brief description and tell how your book is different. I encourage you to carefully select your words because you are not slamming or downplaying those other books. Instead you are emphasizing how your book is different.

Publishers need this information throughout the internal process within publishing houses. For one publisher, when they complete their internal paperwork to secure a book contract for an author, they are required to list the ISBNs of competitive titles.

Some of you are familiar with Book Proposals That Sell. In the final pages of this book, I include a sample of one of my book proposals which sold for a six-figure advance. This proposal is exactly what was submitted to the various publishers. The missing ingredient in my proposal (despite its success) is the lack of specific competitive titles. I wrote that proposal almost twenty years ago and in today's market it would need to have those competitive titles before it would go out into the marketplace. Hopefully I’ve learned (and continue to learn) a few things about book proposal creation over the last few years.

When I started as an acquisitions editor, the president of the company (no longer there) sat down and went through the various topic areas where I would be acquiring books. One of these areas was parenting books. I raised a question about this area since within several miles of our offices was a major marketing force in this area of parenting called Focus on the Family. “Oh yes, Terry, we will continue to publish parenting books,” he said with passion. “Marriages continue to fall apart in record numbers and children are leaving the church in droves.” With my marching orders, I continued to acquire parenting books but silently I wondered whether a book can solve those two explicit issues about the family.

Each week Publishers Weekly tackles a different area of the market. Sometimes they cover parenting books which is highly competitive with loads of successful titles in print. The article gives a rundown of several forthcoming parenting books. Here’s what is interesting to me (and hopefully for you): Notice the sub-categories for each title in the article: publisher, first printing, target audience, author's credentials, why the book is needed, and what distinguishes it from the competition. The final four categories are what every author needs to include in their book proposal when it is submitted to a literary agent or an editor.

The actual language for the competition section is tricky. The author needs to point out the competition and how their book takes a different slant on the subject or deeper or some improvement--without slamming the competitive title. Why? Because the publisher of that competitive title may be the perfect location for your book. You don’t want to offend that publisher with how you've written about their title. Like many aspects of the publishing world, when you write your competition section, it calls for education, understanding and some sense of diplomacy because the relationship will often be the distinction.

Every author needs to create a proposal for their book--even if you self-publish because this document is your business plan for your book and has important elements for every author to understand and convene to their readers.

Do you include the “my book is unique” in your proposal or do you include a competition section? Let me know in the comments below.

W. Terry Whalin is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written for over 50 magazines and more than 60 books with traditional publishers.  His latest book for writers is  Book Proposals That $ell (the revised edition) released to online and brick and mortar bookstores. Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief at Midwest Book Review wrote, “If you only have time to read one ’how to’ guide to getting published, whether it be traditional publishing or self-publishing, “Book Proposals That Sell” is that one DIY instructional book.” You can get a free Book Proposal Checklist on the site. He lives in Colorado and has over 190,000 twitter followers. 

Tweetable:

Do you know your competition? According to this prolific author and editor, every author should know their competition as a part of their business plan--even if they self-publish. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Basics & Strong Writing

 Basics Make Strong Writing by Deborah Lyn Stanley

Writing as close as we can to the way we speak, tends to lead to lively, engaging and powerful sentences. Once that’s down, we revise and polish our composition.
I find the following list of revision tips helpful.

1.    Keep the focus, the theme of the piece consistent throughout,
2.    Sentence structure is a subject—a noun or pronoun, and a predicate/verb that explains what the subject is doing,
3.    Use nouns rather than adjectives (nouns: people, places & things—the info readers want.) Remove over used adjectives such as very,
4.    Verbs are where the action is—choose strong ones and avoid adverbs that diminish the strength of the sentence.
5.    Write shorter sentences for clarity; yet long enough to express the point—rather than long ones. Then vary sentence length within the piece.
6.    Write in a professional manner but make it personal to convey the message. Also, be specific, avoiding general statements which can be less useful.
7.     Choose common words that keep the flow, rather than fancy ones that slow the pace.

Sentences build paragraphs; utilize sentence emphasis. Here are tips to consider:
1.    Sentences close with emphasis through punctuation, the period, a pause. It’s the strongest point of emphasis.
2.    Lead a sentence with a strong statement, not a preliminary intro to launch it: in order to…
3.    Not every sentence needs emphasis. Some must be subordinate, use clauses effectively for this. Although, when, if, and because are useful for subordinate clauses.
4.    Grammar checkers don’t approve BUT, sentence fragments are instrumental in making a point. (Got it? Enough said?)
5.    Your topic has a coherent flow, now consider ending with the thought you intend to develop next.

Build Stronger Writing 
Enrich Your Everyday Practice

Helpful Tools:
Melissa Donovan’s 10 Core Practices for Better Writing
https://www.writingforward.com/books/10-core-practices-for-better-writing
Mastering the Craft of Writing by Stephen Wilbers
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Craft-Writing-Clarity-Emphasis

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her My Writer’s Life website at: https://deborahlynwriter.com/   
Visit her caregiver’s website: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/

Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love is available:
https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Lyn-Stanley/
And at  https://books2read.com/b/valuestories

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Ghostwriting

 

By Mindy Lawrence
 
Many celebrities use ghostwriters to pen their biographies because they either don’t have time to do it themselves or don’t feel comfortable writing. Although the person needs his or her story out, they can’t do it themselves for some reason. This also goes for businesses that want to brand a product or service. Their solution is to hire a ghostwriter.
 
Here are the top five reason why writers use a ghostwriter.
•         Ghostwriters saves time.
•         Ghostwriters help build brand awareness quicker.
•         Ghostwriters are professional writers.
•         Ghostwriters know SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
•         Ghostwritten content Is authentic content.
 
Top ghostwriters make a good living. However, It’s not an easy line of work to break into. If you want to do this type of work, these are the areas where you need to have experience.
 
•         Become a good freelance writer.
•         Write your own book.
•         Create a network through your freelance work
•         See if old clients need work written
•         Join sites that have listings for ghostwriters
•         Work on your skills in collaboration with others
•         Maintain a good relationship with your clients
 
 
Informative Links:
 
How to Become a Ghostwriter. MasterClass staff
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-a-ghostwriter#how-to-become-a-ghostwriter
 
What is a Ghostwriter?
https://www.freelancewriting.com/ghostwriting/what-is-a-ghostwriter/
 
Ghostwriting 101:Tips from Bloggers Who’ve Done It
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/ghostwriting-tips
 
What is Ghostwriting – And What Does it Mean Today?
https://gothamghostwriters.com/what-is-ghostwriting-and-what-does-it-mean-today/
 
Top 5 Reasons you Should Hire a Ghostwriter to Write your Content, Ron Lieback
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-hire-a-ghostwriter/253219/#close
 
SEO For Beginners
https://nanos.ai/seo-for-beginners-a-guide-to-optimizing-your-website/
 
Ghostwriting Pros and Cons, Angelica Kate
https://www.authorangelicakate.com/2021/07/21/ghostwriting-pros-and-cons/
 

Mindy Lawrence is a writer, ghost blogger, and artist based in Farmington, Missouri. She worked for the State of Missouri for over 24 years and moved to Farmington in 2020.

She proofread the Sharing with Writers newsletter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and wrote “An Itty-Bitty Column on Writing” there for ten years. She has been published in Writers' Digest magazine and interviewed by NPR’s All Things Considered.