Posts Categorized: Query Letter

What Authors Need in Today’s Publishing World


Posted by Christi McGuire

More Than an Editor

Today I’m starting a new series, “More Than an Editor.”
If you are an editor (or an author), follow this series based on classes I have developed and teach for freelance editors. 

The publishing world has vastly changed in the last decade. Authors no longer get to just write. They have to develop, plan, and grow a platform. They have to be social media experts. They are like business people executing business plans. They must be knowledge in how to promote, market, and sell their books. They are required to develop their “brand” and make their name recognizable. They must know well-known endorsers, connect with bloggers, and develop reader newsletters, Facebook groups, and fan forums.

To say authors are overwhelmed at the publishing process would be an understatement, I believe.

As the publishing industry changes how authors write, it is also changing how editors edit. Since authors must be more than authors—they must be social media experts, business people, marketers, promoters, brand developers—editors have to be more than editors. We have to develop skills that are beyond those of developmental editing, substantive editing, and copyediting. We must know everything that an author must know in order to best serve our author clients. That means we have to know all about publishing—both the writing side and the editing side.

As I work with book authors, I discover that the entire scope of what an author is expected to know and do is overwhelming for them. All of my clients have sought not only feedback on how to make their manuscripts better but also advice on how to navigate through the publishing process.

When do I send a query letter?

How do I write a proposal?

What does “competitive analysis” mean?

How is a proposal formatted? 

These are all questions and concerns that authors have. Yes, they can find blogs and websites and resources to answer all of these questions. They can study and learn how to do it all themselves. But if you have the answers, if you can format their queries and proposals, if you can consult them through the publishing process, then you have not only extended the paid gig with a client, but you also have likely secured a life-long relationship with this author. One that will keep the client coming back to you for her second book proposal, third book proposal, etc.

I have found that the most satisfying thing for me as an editor is developing relationships with authors and journeying with them through the entire publishing process. It is priceless to know you did such a good job consulting them that they can’t wait for you to help edit and format their next book proposal and give your expert advice on how to navigate the next journey of their career. Even after landing contracts with publishing houses and working with the in-house publishing editors, I’ve had clients come back to ask me my advice about book cover design or social media blasts. It’s not only been an honor for me to do so, but it is also amazing to see the entire life of a book, from manuscript to publication and beyond, not just the edits on a page.

Bottom line: I truly think editors need to develop skills that extend beyond editing in order to service the whole scope of an author’s publishing journey.

Stay tuned for next week’s article: “How to be Coach and Cheerleader as an Editor.”

 You Might Need an Editor If …

Posted by Christi McGuire

Trying to get published without the help of experts in the publishing industry is like trying to sell your house without a realtor. Can it be done? Sure. But will you face more obstacles along the way without guidance of someone who knows the market? Yes. Are there tips and tricks and industry pointers that experts know that you don’t? You betcha. Is the paperwork more daunting? Yep. Would you be taken more seriously and find better success if you hired a professional?

Definitely.

The same is true in the world of publishing. Professional editors and consultants know what the “biz” is all about—and they can help you navigate your way to success.

If you are seeking publication, you might want to consult an editor if …

    • You don’t understand what the term “industry standard” is. You didn’t realize publishing was an industry, nor do you know what its standards are.
    • You believe having your mom proofread your manuscript is good enough.
    • You think Chicago Manual of Style refers to the local fashion talk show.
    • You write “This book is going to be the next Harry Potter!” in your query letter or try to convince the literary agent that you will be the next J.K. Rowling.
    • You do not research or request writer guidelines before submitting a query letter.
    • You don’t know what writer guidelines, query letter, or proposal mean.
    • You tell the literary agent that you were “born to write” or that you are positive that “God wants you to tell this story.”
    • You pitch your ideas (not a specific manuscript) to a literary agent.
    • You pitch many book manuscripts to a literary agent (not just one).
    • Your query is addressed to “Dear Agent” or “Dear Ma’am or Sir” or “To Whom It May Concern.”
    • You write the word “very” 587 times in the first 50 pages of your manuscript.
    • You blind copy your email query to several agents.
    • You have written a first draft and have not rewritten, edited, rewritten, edited, deleted, started over, written, rewritten, edited … you get the drift, right?
    • You query an agent with a genre he/she doesn’t represent.
    • You don’t know how to format your manuscript according to industry-standard format (there’s that term again!).
    • Your only publishing credit is having your poem in 5th grade published in Mrs. Smith’s monthly newsletter.
    • You are not sure about the difference between single spacing and double spacing.
    • You love to use italics, all caps, and bold font—ALL THE TIME!
    • You write in your query that Kate Hudson or Ryan Reynolds could star in your novel-based movie script.
    • You capitalize a, an, the in your book title (and they are not the first words).
    • You lowercase the word Internet.
    • You’ve never heard of an em dash or en dash but think they might be Olympic sports.
    • You don’t know what a word count is or how to do it—but you are hoping every word does indeed count.
    • Your proposal is in Comic Sans font because it’s your favorite font—it is cute, after all!

If you are passionate enough to put your heart and soul into a manuscript to submit for publication, then take the time to consult a professional to help you along the way. The publishing industry is competitive! The Christian publishing industry is rapidly growing and becoming just as competitive as the secular industry. Agents and publishers want to know why your manuscript is different from others, how you can assure success as an author, and how you can guarantee sales.

Bottom line: the publishing industry is a business. A business’ goal is to make money. If your manuscript looks unprofessional, is filled with grammar mistakes, and has not been submitted according to industry standard, you will not stand out among the thousands of others wanting to get published, too.

Seek professional expertise—an editor is worth the investment in your publishing career!

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©2011- 2012 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

One Space or Two?

Posted by Christi McGuire

As I edit, whether it’s college English papers or marketing copy for business owners, there is one common blunder in most copy: two spaces between sentences.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Years ago, we were all hounded by our English teachers to put TWO spaces between sentences. Two spaces. Two spaces. Two spaces. But what were we using years and years ago before everybody had a personal computer (or two or three)? Yep, you guessed it—typewriters.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

I learned to type in high school in Keyboarding class on a typewriter. Seems like it must have been the Stone Age, doesn’t it? Typewriters only had one font: monospaced font. If you open Microsoft Word and use “Courier” font, you can visibly reminiscence about the days of the typewriter. Monospaced font was not proportional, meaning that each letter and character occupied the same amount of space. The typewriter, God bless its ancient soul, moved the same distance forward after each letter was typed. Because of that, typists inserted two spaces between sentences so that the page didn’t look all smashed together and very difficult to read.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Today’s word-processing programs have hundreds, if not thousands, of fonts that are proportional, where each letter or character has its own width. This allows for better readability and a more professional-looking page. Therefore, two spaces are no longer needed—at all. Nada. Nope. Never. Ever. (Ever!)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Breaking the habit of adding two spaces between sentences can be hard. But no worries! You can easily change an entire document in mere seconds with the “find/replace” function.

  • Press “Control” and “F” and the “Find and Replace” box will pop up.
  • Click on the “Replace” tab.
  • In the “Find What” row, press the space bar twice.
  • Then in the “Replace With” row, press the space bar once.
  • Now click “Replace All.”

Every single page will be adjusted immediately, and it will tell you how many replacements were made. You may want to do this several times until the program says “0” replacements. I’ve worked with some professionals (who will remain nameless) who put more than two spaces between sentences, so I’ve had to “find and replace” over and over again to make sure only one space is between each sentence.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

No matter what you write—whether emails or blogs, college papers or professional copy—stop typing two spaces between sentences, as if in the Dark Age of typewriters. Join the technologically-advanced age of ONE space between sentences! Editors will thank you!