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What Authors Need in Today’s Publishing World 

Posted by Christi McGuire

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.”

Hands Free Mama: An Editor’s Review

Posted by Christi McGuire

Three words are going to change, shape, and define 2014.

HANDS FREE MAMA

If you don’t already know and love Rachel Macy Stafford (“Hands Free Mama”), you most definitely will this year.

Literary agent Steve Laube predicted that in 2014 “There will be at least one surprise breakout Christian book.” [To read the entire article of 2014 publishing predictions, click here: http://www.authormedia.com/2014-publishing-predictions .]

Friends, this is that book.

Rachel started blogging about her daily struggles and her desire to live a less distracted life. Her blog, Hands Free Mama, boasts 1 million hits a month, and her Facebook page, The Hands Free Revolution, has over 100,000 fans and friends. Her much anticipated debut book, Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters, was released on January 7 by Zondervan.

Her endorsers include well-known names such as Glennon Doyle Melton, author of the New York Times bestseller Carry On, Warrior, and founder of Momastery.com, and Arianna Huffington, chair, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group and author of thirteen books.

Rachel is a featured columnist for the Huffington Post and is leading a six-week workshop for HuffPost Parents readers. [Check it out here: “Stress-Less Parenting Workshop.”]

I could go on and on, listing Rachel’s credentials and the rave reviews and overwhelming accolades she’s received for Hands Free Mama, but I want to tell a slightly different tale from my perspective of editor and friend.

In August 2011, I received an email one Saturday from a stranger who had happened upon my website. She wrote:

Hello there! It has been a pleasure to “get to know” you through your blog and through your comments on my blog! I so appreciate all of your encouraging and positive words. I truly feel your entrance into my life has been divine intervention. I think you might be able to give me some advice/wisdom that I need to make a decision.

Indeed, our blossoming relationship—both personally and professionally—did seem like a divine intervention! We started “chatting” on email, getting to know each other. Ironically, she used to live in my small town, just a few miles from me. Her two girls even took swim lessons from the same instructor as my two girls. I began to feel a kindred connection with this woman I had never met but who I could tell had talent, passion, and authenticity, and I knew—just knew in my heart—that she was destined for greatness.

Rachel and I continued working together over the next year-and-a-half. Editing for her was divine. I’d get lost in her words, forgetting that I was supposed to be proofing and critiquing and finding mistakes (which were always few). Typically, writers are talented for their thoughts and words, not necessarily for their correct grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, verb usage, etc. However, Rachel is gifted in all things writing—sentence structure, grammar, showing not telling, unique voice, flow, attention-grabbing titles and headlines (I could go on and on …).

Rachel is a dream client.

Then we actually got to meet in person. Ahh! We were both excited! But I was worried—would she be the person I had gotten to know online?

Indeed, she was.

It instantly felt like we were sorority sisters, kindred spirits, good friends.

Others often ask me: “What is Hands Free Mama like?”

One word: AUTHENTIC.

Rachel is authentic, sincere, humble, kind—REAL.

These characteristics are why she’s so loved by her fans.

Rachel’s authenticity has led to the phenomenon of being Hands Free—of showing millions how to open their hearts and hands to each God-given moment.

Leave the laundry until tomorrow. Learn to dance with your kids in the rain. Love each moment your kids call your name. Live in the present. Join Rachel and live authenticity.

*Hands Free Mama is now on the New York Times Best-Sellers List. Her book is available at HandsFreeMama.com or on Amazon.

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**Win a copy of Hands Free Mama personally signed by the author, Rachel Macy Stafford!**

To enter to win:

1. Share this on Twitter: “Win a signed copy of HANDS FREE MAMA via @ChristiMcGuire: http://wp.me/p3cLRA-14Y”

2. Like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ChristiMcGuireWriter. Share this post http://wp.me/p3cLRA-14Y on your FB page and tag me.

3. Follow me on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/christimcguire. Go to my pin at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/4151824630580300/and pin it on your boards!

A winner will be chosen at random and notified on February 10, 2014.

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If you have publishing dreams like Rachel, I can help you through the process.
Visit my Services page for more info on my editing and consulting services.

Double Spaces—It’s Not 1989 Anymore

Posted by Christi McGuire

1989 called.

It wants its AquaNet back.

And its double spaces.

People often ask me what’s the first thing I do when I receive a client’s manuscript. Good question! The answer is: remove the double spaces between sentences.

Most writers (unless they are a lot younger than I am) grew up learning to type on a typewriter. We were taught to place two spaces between sentences, right? Even when I upgraded to an electric typewriter in high school (I thought I was so cool!), the rule was two spaces after a period.

But guess what?

It’s not the 80s. Or even the 90s anymore.

Now we use computers with word processing programs, which have proportional fonts. Two spaces between sentences aren’t necessary for better readability anymore like they were with the non-proportional fonts of a typewriter. The font of a typewriter is monospaced, meaning all the letters take up the same amount of space. An “i” takes up the same space as a “w” or “m.” So the double spaces helped the document look neater and our eyes read better.

The single space after a period is the widely-accepted style for:

The Chicago Manual of Style
The AP Stylebook
The Modern Language Association

(It is not, however, the accepted style of my 91-year-old grandmother who still types our addresses on the envelopes when she sends us cards!)

What if you can’t break the bad habit of hitting your space bar twice? Editors and designers will take out the extra spaces (while cursing under their breath!).

But it is so easy to take out the double spaces yourself.

Hit “CTRL” + “F” to bring up the “Find and Replace” box. Click on the “Replace” tab. In the first box (“Find what”), hit the space bar two times. In the second box (“Replace with”), hit the space bar one time. Click “Replace All” to instantly replace all the double spaces with single spaces.

Here’s the trick—keep hitting “Replace All” until it says it has made “0” replacements. Then you know you have them all! Sometimes it takes hitting the “Replace All” button two or three times to get ALL the double spaces replaced.

See? I don’t lie—it’s that easy!

Can you break the habit? Come on, I know you can.

(But if you can’t, I promise I won’t curse under my breath when I have to fix your manuscript!)

Now you may have replaced all the double spaces between sentences, but what about that automatic space that Word places between paragraphs? Yes, Word has an evil little monkey living in it. No matter how many times you backspace, it puts extra spacing after your paragraph!

How do you get rid of THAT?

Visit “Witty Words: Wisdom for Writers” next week to find out!

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Are you looking for a professional editor for your manuscript or book proposal? Check out the SERVICES I offer for editing, proofreading, and consulting!

I Wish Life Were Like Candy Crush

Posted by Christi McGuire

Should I do this?

It’s going to seem silly. Corny. Ridiculous.

But I’m going to do it.

Here I go …

Yes, I’m going to compare LIFE to the uber-popular and addicting game of CANDY CRUSH.

Have you heard of it?

Oh, you have?

Are you addicted?

Oh, you are?

ME TOO!

I didn’t know what the hype was all about. I thought FB games were stupid. A waste of time. But … I was curious. What was this game all my friends were playing? It couldn’t be that fun, could it?

So I checked it out—not on Facebook. Noooo. Secretly, I downloaded the app.

Oh, this IS fun! So simple, yet so fun. And look! I passed a level. And another. And another. I gotta pass this level! Gotta pass. One more chance! One more try! It’s 3 a.m.? Ahh! I just have to try one more time!

I become … you guessed it … addicted. With a capital “A.” But it was summertime, and I was on vacation. So who cares, right? Then I got to level 135.

I.COULDN’T.PASS.IT.

Impossible! It’s just not possible, right? (I know it really is because my sister is in the 300s!)

Suddenly, vacation was over. No more “free” time to crush candy, collect stripes, and squeal like a child when I got a sprinkled donut.

But just one more game before I “quit.” Just one more …

I still couldn’t pass level 135, so I went back to the beginning, back to level numero uno. It was a breeze! I played the levels I wanted to. It was much easier the first time around! And much more enjoyable—I wasn’t stressed about passing the level before my lives ran out. It didn’t cause me anxiety when I didn’t score well.

I actually enjoyed playing. No anxiety. No rush to complete the next level. No stress. I took my time. Relaxed more. I realized this second chance at playing was so much better than the first. I actually (can I say this?) treasured playing this time around.

Then I thought … I wish I approached life like I do replaying the levels on Candy Cush.

I wish I took the time to slow down and play how and when I wanted to play … not how and when and what I thought others expected of me.

I wish I wasn’t anxious, didn’t rush, didn’t stress to complete every task, check off every to-do list.

What if I took my time in life?

What if I enjoyed the little moments, the little victories, the little things that make life precious?

What if I treasured this life—the first time around?

Cause we all know we don’t get a second chance at life on this earth.

Is it worth the anxiety, busyness, stress, and competition that we live with?

What if we all slowed down, took our time, weren’t anxious, didn’t get stressed, relaxed more, enjoyed much …

What if we treasured life like … yes, you guessed it.

CANDY CRUSH!

“Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24)

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Favorite Children’s Books

Posted by Christi McGuire

My oldest daughter came home from kindergarten last week very excited because she had homework for the first time! She has been anxious to begin reading and is thrilled to be learning “sight words.” At 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, she was begging to do her homework and to read her first book!

Research shows that a love for learning is linked to a love for reading books. We started reading books to both girls when they were tiny babies, and so their love for books began early. How cute it was to see them as 2-year-olds turning pages of a book and “reading” (babbling) the words to themselves. Then our oldest would start “reading” the books she had memorized to her little sister.

Books have always been important in our family, and time spent together reading them has been a blessing. The following are the McGuire family’s top five picture and board books.

“10 Little Rubber Ducks” by Eric Carle was inspired by a true story of ducks at sea. Carle’s 10 rubber ducks fall overboard and meet creatures along their journey to shores all around the world. I’ve had to tape and re-tape almost every page, as this book was well-worn. Finally, I bought another copy and still have had to tape its pages! This has definitely been the girls’ #1 most-loved book.

“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown is a classic because children love the story and can recite almost every word. Little Rabbit saying “goodnight” to everything taught us to say “good-bye” to everything, making transitions easier when the girls were toddlers.

“Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” by Eileen Christelow is wonderful because the kids already know the song and love to pretend to be the jumpy monkeys. (Although this mommy doesn’t have to pretend to be the exhausted mama monkey—I definitely am!)

“Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney is one that melts my heart every time I read it. The beautiful illustrations and heart-warming story perfectly sum up a parent’s love: “all the way to the moon—and back!”

“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin, Jr. was Eric Carle’s first illustrator credit, sending him on his journey as writer and illustrator for many classic picture books. The rhyme and repetition in this book is loved by kids and can be repeated over and over (and over and over).

As we transition out of the picture and board books, I am excited to share some of my most favorite children’s books with my girls!

“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak brings to life a child’s imagination and wonder. The illustrations are beautiful, and I love the message that even when kids are naughty, parents still love them!

“James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl was my favorite Dahl book, but I loved them all! When James climbs inside the peach and it rolls away, I wanted to be on the journey with him and Grasshopper, Earthworm, Miss Spider, and Centipede. Dahl knew how to bring a child’s imagination to life!

“The Ramona Series” by Beverly Cleary is a true child’s classic. I love, love, love all things Beverly Cleary! I adore Ramona’s spunky character, could identify with the older sister Beezus, and wanted to live in the world of the Quimbys. Beverly Cleary is a hero in my book!

“The Chronicles of Narnia Series” by C.S. Lewis bring a magical experience with each book. You become entranced with each fabulous character and learn how good can always triumph over evil. Lewis wrote these books over 50 years ago, and children today are still falling in love with the four kids who stumble upon the wardrobe.

“Little House in the Big Woods” by Laura Ingalls Wilder is my absolute most favorite book of all time! I have read this book and the rest in the “Little House” series many, many times. I wanted to live in a log cabin, have a corn cob as my doll, help Ma make everything from scratch, and dance to the fiddle music of Pa. Probably the best history lesson I ever received, as well as a lesson in family togetherness, was found in this book!

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What Authors Need in Today’s Publishing World