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It Felt Insurmountable
The Author’s Little Red Guide to Editing shows readers the ins and outs of publishing and editing and helps them understand the process and know what to look for. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I found I’d been posting lots of advice snippets online for new (and newish) authors. As a nine-time author who went from vanity publishing to a traditional publisher to being self-published, I wanted to bring all that I knew out in the open for other authors to benefit from. I remember what it was like to feel like there was too much to learn, and it felt insurmountable.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
To provide great examples that show that finding an editor and all things related to becoming an author needn’t be stressful or overwhelming. I also wanted to present the material in an entertaining way, so rather than employing a formal structure, I served this up with a series of easy-to-read questions and answers.
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
There wasn’t one singular experience. It was slowly realizing that I had all these exciting ideas inside me and wanting to see where my stories could take me.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from your book?
That they can find an editor they can rely on, one who has their back, and one who is responsive and will take the time and care to explain the editing process. This goes especially for after the editor has submitted the manuscript back to the author. Many times, authors don’t know how to incorporate the editor’s suggestions or even how to move forward and take things from an exercise in perfecting a story to making it a real book – the stuff a newbie’s dreams are made of. In this book, I tell people not only how to choose an editor and what to look for, but I also discuss self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, choosing your title, naming your characters, and things like book covers, uploading and formatting – about 95 tips to walk you calmly and easily through the process.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
How to communicate with your editor
What to expect during the editing process
Proofreading vs. copy editing vs. developmental (or “substantive”) editing
The synopsis vs. the blurb
Uploading your book
Where to and how to get book reviews and ratings
What to know about book covers
Choosing a book title
Writing dialogue
How to organize plot structure
“Pantsing”
Translations
Writing regionalisms
Genre expectations
Why word count is so important
Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing
Querying agents and publishers
And so much more, presented in an upbeat and anecdotal style. (Note: This book does not offer sample edited text or rules of grammar.)
The author has built her career on news writing, news editing and magazine editing, and is a full-time editor and author coach. For more information, please visit https://queenestherpublishing.com.
The Author’s Little Red Guide to Editing
The Author’s Little Red Guide to Editing is every author’s dream book. Debbie Burke compiled writing, editing, and publishing fundamentals in this short and well-written book. Every topic in every chapter has critical information that aspiring authors and editors need.
Writing is an old, beautiful art that will stay with humanity forever. If you want to stand out from your peers, you need people like Debbie Burke, who have done it and even gone further to document the experiences, challenges, tricks, tips, and good and bad aspects of writing. The Author’s Little Red Guide to Editing is an evergreen book and ideal for all who want to be the best writers and editors in their spaces.
I like that the author starts the book by sharing her experience getting edited. The author writes about her first book, her pioneer roles, the rookie mistakes she made, and the learning process, and she even includes some personal incidents. I also appreciate the author for the questions that she infused in her narration. Burke had a few questions in writing, which she comprehensively answered as she told her story. The author brilliantly responded to questions like how to tell your editor not to change your essay, how to write fantasy, how to use tenses, and more.
The first chapter in the book was my favorite, but I also had multiple other topics that I enjoyed. Throughout the book, the author tackles various literary areas. Topics range from editing to basing writing skills from how to choose an editor, writing regionalisms, proofreading, tips that can guide your writing journey, taking from other authors, different ways of publishing, and other related subjects. As a reader, you are assured that you have all the required information gently shared with you.
The Author’s Little Red Guide to Editing is the perfect companion for anyone in the literary field looking for information on publishing and editing. This handy reference guide will answer many questions and those you didn’t even think to ask.
Pages: 73 | ASIN : B09Y4TFP63
LITERARY TITAN 