What is an Alpha or Beta Reader?

Writers often pass their work on to people they trust for feedback and suggestions.  Stephen King and other experienced novelists have developed a system for revising and gaining feedback that works for them.  Each writer must develop his or her own process. While each writer or author will define the terms for themselves, here are some generally accepted definitions.

An alpha reader is frequently the first person to read your work.  It might be a spouse, friend, advisor, family member, or fellow writer.  Some writers turn their daily pages over to their alpha reader as they are written.  Others might wait until they complete a rough draft, or choose any point in between.  Alpha readers are not required, and some writers and authors don’t use them at all.  I had an alpha reader for the novel I wrote in November, 2008.  As the pages were completed, I handed them over.  If I got stuck, I’d ask if it was going okay so far.  If she had a question or comment, she would ask, but her job was mostly to help me determine if the story was progressing, getting lost, or any good.

If you use an alpha reader, select someone you trust and be clear about what you need from them.  If you need character or plot comments, say so.  If you need to be held accountable in meeting your writing goals, ask.  If you need only to receive encouragement, that’s okay, too.

A beta reader is someone who reads your work after you have completed the best draft you feel you can do at the time.  Quite a few writers use a small group of beta readers rather than a single person.  This method of gathering feedback can be as formal or informal as you like.  You can send a questionnaire with your draft, welcome all comments, specify what you are looking for, or even ask that some feedback not be given (which might also depend on the beta readers you are working with.  I love some of my friends, but they aren’t that great with grammar, so I ask them for other types of feedback).

You can send your work to your selected beta readers with a time limit or leave things open ended.  Before you do, it is important that you understand this process.  If your readers don’t feel they can be honest with you or worry about how you might take criticism and suggestion, they won’t be very helpful.  If you can listen to everything you receive with an open mind, you might find insights and identify problems that could help you to make your novel or project shine.

Selecting beta readers you trust to be honest with you is just as important.  Lets face it.  Our moms are usually going to like what we do, right?  Choose objective people you know will level with you and who won’t be offended or upset if you don’t take every bit of their advice and make every change they suggest.

Though there is no requirement to gain feedback through readers, most of us find it invaluable in the process of polishing our work.  I am too close to my own work to see it the way a stranger or audience would.  I rely on my readers to give me the feedback I can’t give myself.

If you don’t feel there is anyone you can ask, find a supportive writing group in which you can share your work.  Don’t show your projects to any person or group that has a reputation for tearing people and projects down or for being over-the-top nitpicky.  You want feedback, not an ulcer, right?

Writing groups don’t have to be face to face.  You can also develop a group of readers from your online circle of friends.  Make sure you know them well enough to trust your work to them, but don’t worry too much about copyright or theft.  The minute you put your work out in written or electronic form for anyone to see, you are covered by copyright.

Alpha and beta readers are a valuable source of information about your writing project.  Remain open to what they have to say and honest about what you need.  Assess the feedback against your vision for your project and your knowledge of your characters or subject.  Use what makes your writing stronger and discard the rest.

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Details: How Much Do You Know?

Historical writing requires research if you wish to maintain some level of accuracy.  Fantasy writing often takes place in a setting similar to medieval Europe, and the research you do can enhance the tidbits you give your readers.  Writing a piece set in any age in the past might require a little research.  Writing a piece set in the future is more open to the imagination, though it is entirely possible to use historical research, modified by your imagination, to describe details in the future.  Consider steam punk, classic medieval fantasy, cultures on other planets, mythological characters, speculative fiction and urban fantasy.

Weapons were an integral part of most historical societies.  Do you know the difference between a bastard sword, a broad sword, and a cutlass?  What is the difference between a dirk and a dagger?  Keep in mind these answers shift depending on the century you use for the basis of your story.  Still, one would not expect a slip of a girl to adequately wield a pole arm, or a young lad to be big enough to swing a hand-and-a-half with much force.  Daggers were often as long as a short sword in some time periods, and small enough to conceal in a boot for others.  Weapons don’t need a lot of description, unless they are a character in their own right, but have an idea how someone might handle one.

There are major differences between a hauberk and a curiass, breastplates of various ages, and still (though smaller) differences  between riveted and flattened chain mail.  Armor was worn over quilted padding, and was sweaty, heavy, and sometimes cumbersome.  The padding would become stained and stink of rust, wet metal, and human sweat.  Dress varied for men as it did for women, with multiple styles of head wear, breeches, and accessories.  The good news is that medieval and renaissance styles (and all styles since) are easily researched with numerous resources.  The bad news for me is setting a story in 685 around the Battle of Dunnichen because less is known/available on the web and what the Picts wore is even less well documented.

Ladies’ clothing varied greatly from century to century.  Corsets and the use of stays also changed dramatically. The variety of cloth available for use increased as time went on.  Why is this important?  Linen and wool were standard fabrics for the 10th century.  It would be 100 years before silk came onto the scene for most nobility,  or embroidery became common.  Prior to the 10th century, wool was about it (yes, sheep were important).  As time went on, the nobility began to wear exclusively the more desirable fabrics such as silk, velvet, and brocade.  Head wear also varied with the times, going from loosely braided hair to full coverage in just a few centuries.  Women tied on their pockets, and the household keys were a badge of office.

I am widely read enough to know if you did your homework for a historical romance set in the 10th century through late renaissance, and then again from regency forward.  If I am, I guarantee others are as well.  If your 12th century character is wearing a bliaut, or your 9th century character is wearing a velvet doublet, the reader could be lost.  Small details are the key, here, and there’s nothing wrong with using them sparingly.  The goal is to set the stage with just enough detail for the reader to fill in, and to not give details that jar the reader out of the story.

It isn’t just about character dress or armor.  Other common mistakes include the use of plates rather than trenchers in the early centuries, or describing a castle as snug (they were exceedingly drafty.  If you’ve seen Mel Gibson’s Hamlet, think about the scene in which he confronts his mother in her bedchamber.  Tapestries are on poles to be swung over the open windows and Glenn Close’s nose is authentically red from the cold.  Those romantic bed curtains were left open only on the side facing the fire and closed the rest of the night to preserve heat.

Societal rules are also important.  Elinor in Sense and Sensibility tells her mother she would be at ease if she knew that Willoughby had written to her sister.  Why?  Because unmarried people did not correspond unless engaged.  Courtship rules were more rigorous in other times, to be sure, but this was one rule Jane Austin knew her contemporaries understood.  To write that same novel today, the author might want to work that tidbit in somewhere.

The basics are true for any era, from 1000 B.C. to the decade before you were born.  Small details establish your setting and era in subtle ways, just as mannerisms help establish your character.  The head knowledge gained from historical research stays with you and can be used again and again in other ways (creating a character who is a historian, for example, or an heir who must uphold the request of an ancient ancestor).

Research can be fun!

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Settings: The Big Picture

Continuing the series of using images to provide detail for your writing, we’ll look at settings today.  As a reminder, these are absolutely not necessary, but can be helpful in keeping things straight in your mind or providing those unconscious details that enrich your prose.

Where do your characters hang out?  Do you have a good idea of their environment?   A modern story isn’t so hard since we can pull it from our everyday lives, but if a character lives in poverty and you have always been wealthy, how can you describe their home?  If you’ve always lived in the inner city, how can you describe the vistas of a Montana cattle ranch?  It’s easy.  You find images, pictures, and descriptions that tell you what you need to know.  This part of research is fun and can add a lot of depth to your settings.

Does your story take place in a small town in which citizens meet in the city park?  What features does the park have?  Benches, a fountain, a view of the courthouse?  Can you consistently describe these features in bits and pieces throughout 90k+ words?  You can with a picture.  With one such as this at the left, you can also know which businesses offer a view of meetings near the fountain, furtive or open.  You know where the bench is in relation to the street, even if it is likely someone could be surprised from behind.  With the image to refer to, the tidbits you give about this park should remain consistent.

While writing science fiction, do you know what your various races look like?  What about the planets and ships?  While the reader needs little detail to spark their imagination, images can help you remain consistent and stave off contradictory descriptions.   Descriptions of te ethereal beauty of a nebula or the fearsome light of a supernova are only an image away.  One image can be enough to set your supernova in your mind for the length of the story.  Sketches of a race can bring about intriguing little bits in  your story as well…such as a fluttering gill (nervousness?) or an appendage that goes pale (anger?)

Can you describe the castle in your high fantasy novel?  How far from the inner bailey to the outer?  Where are the stables housed in relation to the main gates?  Where’s the weakest section of the wall?  Is it a mere tower or is there an inner ward with living quarters for the Lord and his family?  Where are the soldiers housed?  The servants?  Small details, to be sure, but the more you know your world, the more small believable details will slip into  your writing to enliven the environment for your reader.

Do you know the floor plan of the house in which most of the action occurs?  Ghost stories, family sagas, mysteries, and crime fiction all benefit from an interesting setting described in broad strokes that allow the reader to fill in the particulars.  You, as the writer, will benefit greatly from knowing the floor plan.  You might even find that the characters discover passages from one room to the next or surprise niches in which to hide.  Can character A overhear an argument in the next room from where he’s standing?  Would the duct work carry a conversation from the room overhead?  Your floor plan will let you know.

Is your novel set in a business environment?  If so, do you know the difference between government offices with their standard issue metal desks and the luxury offices of, say, a high powered conglomerate?  Would your character recognize an office setting that was ostentatious versus one built with old money?  What does the office furniture say about the business?  Do they care more for their image than their functionality?  Do the desks have damaged or broken corners and drawers or are they new and modern?  How does the dress of the workers look in light of the decor?  Is there a water cooler?  New or ancient and noisy?  Is the copier in the open or in another room?

The offices of a law firm must have a place for law books, and perhaps cubbies for clerks.  The office of a county agency likely has linoleum floors and beat up metal desks.  Academic offices will salvage all they can of serviceable pieces, and can often be a mix of old and new, metal and wood, 40s style and modern.

What about a situation room or ready room? Is it crowded, filled with half-empty paper cups and candy wrappers, or is it the domain of young techies with sleek laptops and leather binders?

Situation rooms can be  used for an ongoing investigation for the FBI, CIA, or local law enforcement.  They can also be  used by a team within a corporation assigned to a single project.  What does yours look like?  How do people move through it?  Loud or hushed?  Chaotic or orderly?  Once you know in your own mind, your characters can take over and move through that environment as they work and live out their story.

The better you know the world, the more unconscious and natural the details will seem.  Your imagination is all that is required, but should you need a little help, consider researching your setting and fixing an image in your mind or on your desktop.

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Character Art & Images

At the very beginning of character creation, things are not always the same.  Sometimes I have a very good idea of what a character looks like.  Sometimes I don’t.  Often, I have an idea of their appearance, but might not know how they move.   A sense of height, color, arresting features…as if glimpsed from the corner of my eye…is nearly always present.  To bring the character into being afterward is a matter of conversing with them, and sometimes finding images that remind me of them.  Between the character and me, we usually work out the details until I can see the character laughing (right down to the crinkles around the eyes), scowling, lost in thought, or surprised.  Does the reader need all this detail?  Of course not.  Do I require it?  Nope.  It adds a dimension to the character creation that I enjoy, however, and helps me get a handle on those that are too shy to stand out.

For one story, I had a bit of trouble getting a handle on the size differences between a warrior woman and her court enemy, a slight woman with a presence equal to that of the warrior.  I used pictures and a bit of photoshopping to put them side by side.  Suddenly, I had no trouble remembering that Elyse always got a crick in her neck when arguing with Tameth, or that Tameth tended to overwhelm her physically.  It was part of their interaction, and made the story richer.

On occasion, I’ll browse my files and the ‘net just to indulge my eye, and a character will whisper in the back of my mind “that’s me…tell my story.”  Like this guy here to the left.  Where did he get those scars and why that expression on his face?  If he wishes to speak, I’ll sit and listen, shifting through what I hear and feel until I progress to a character sketch or thank him for his time and move on.  His eyes almost make him look as if he’s been blinded, and that image stuck in my mind.

Now, here’s an embarrassing thing for me to admit.  Sometimes my characters come to me on their deathbed, ready to share secrets….and once or twice…after they are dead.  I know, gruesome and weird.  Those characters lived a life filled with high emotion…love, fear, betrayal, triumph…all the things that make for good tension in a plot.  These images are linked from one particular photostream of an artist doing a masterful job of blending elements into a surreal, ghostlike feeling and mood.  I don’t pretend all her images are comforting, but I’ll visit her photostream when I hear a character crying betrayal, and sometimes the thoughts will gel.  Sometimes these images just hit some melancholy aspect of my personality that brings forth words of description I can’t get elsewhere.

What I find interesting about these shots is the solidity of the figures and settings in their juxtaposition.  Consider the middle picture, the figure standing in a room ruined with time.   There’s something about that I almost can’t put into words, so can only draw your attention to it.  Whether it is a theme of mine of which I am unaware, or have left unexplored or something to do with my love of history and unfortunate understanding of what life must have been like for women prior to modern medicine…to lose spouses, retainers, children, and even their own lives to germs and bacteria they couldn’t even see…I have always found these images

disturbing, and also compelling.

I’ve included just three of her pieces.  For the full scope of this artist’s work, please visit her photostream through any of the image links.

Now, there is certainly no requirement of images to complete my view of a character, or even to write the character.  We all know that too much detail can kill a story; that you want to provide just enough detail to spark the reader’s imagination.  This is just a technique or method to be used in making the character real for me so I might write them better.

These images come from everywhere. ..old art books, fine art, google searches, calendar art, you name it.  Be on the look out and collect the images that speak to you into a digital or paper folder.  Make it part of your swipe file.  You just never know where it might lead.

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Publishing: Electronic Publishing

Electronic publishers (EPubs) are companies who purchase manuscripts for electronic publishing formats. EPubs accept submissions the same way traditional publishing houses do. They work with authors on edits and revisions, create cover art, produce formats for various electronic readers and software, and market their books on line. They are in the business of making money, just as the New York houses are, but generally have lower overhead and lower cover prices.

Submission guidelines are every bit as strict; some EPubs even require agents. However, the end product is digital, though several EPubs offer tree book options through PoD outsourcing. Publishing Central has a list of EPubs with links to individual sites. View the submission guidelines, and remember, a real EPub never asks the author for money. Ever. For an example of submission guidelines from an award-winning EPub, here’s the link to Ellora’s Cave Author Information Guide. (please note, although the link is a .PDF file appropriate for all ages, the site itself is not appropriate for children…this is the home of the trademarked Romantica and Exotika imprints). This publisher sells around 65,000 EBooks a month with cover costs below $6.99.

The reasons EPubs are successful are easy to identify. In a nation of instant gratification, you can browse books, read their cover copy, excerpts and blurbs, place an order, download, and be reading, all in a matter of minutes, from any place you have internet access. With a variety of formats available, you can find books for your reader easily.

The other part of this picture is cost. Ebooks at Ellora’s Cave vary in length and are priced accordingly, as mentioned above. Foremost Press, like Ellora’s Cave, frequently offers tree books in addition to EBooks. Most EBooks are $2.97-$6.97. Compare that to a newly released hard cover book at $15-$35 each. The quality is no different from the tree book counterparts, and a whole new generation of book buyers is more than open to electronic formats.

A few EPubs pay advances. Many do not. Generally, EPubs are more generous with royalties than TPubs. A popular book can potentially net the author as much or more than a typical first time author advance. Add in the PoD portion of the electronic business (for those of us addicted to holding 200 plus pages in our hands) and everyone is happy. PoD books are produced only when ordered, so there is no waste, few if any remainders, and no overhead for storage. That allows for the reduced cost over a new release hardcover or trade paperback tree book.

Several traditional publishers are following suit, making their books available electronically after going to press. This model works well for Harlequin, as they can continue to sell a ttile after it is out of print in paperback. More New York houses are releasing tree and EBooks simultaneously to garner sales to Kindle and E-Reader owners, though the formats are available to anyone with a computer.

The primary difference is that TPubs are primarily in the tree book business while EPubs are primarily in the EBook business. In order to please the majority, each must include the other format as well. At this stage, EPubs have the capability to be flexible and operate with fewer losses. It is entirely possible that EPubs could emerge unscathed if the New York houses fell down.

A viable avenue for aspiring authors, we believe electronic publishing will continue to grow and expand, especially given their ability to adapt and keep pace with advances in technology. A few things you should remember: a true publisher does not ask the author for money. As the old saying goes, money flows TO the author, not away. Do not be fooled. If a publisher is asking you for money, walk away. Another thing to watch for are the rights you are expected to give to the publisher. Ellora’s Cave expects your digital, audio, translation and secondary/subsidiary rights. An agent might be able to negotiate better terms, and the New York houses often will not require an author to give up rights that the author could sell elsewhere (subsidiary rights includes, for example, your ability to sell the movie rights). An author might expect to give up digital and print rights to an EPub. The others should be negotiable. We cannot say if they are, as the contracts are only presented upon offer. Our best recommendation is to find an agent experienced with EPubs and have them negotiate your contract.

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Publishing: The Indie Route

Today’s savvy self publishers are referred to as Indie Authors, or sometimes Indie Publishers (although that term is usually reserved for small or emerging independent presses). An Indie Author is not, for the purpose of this article, a writer who pays a vanity press to publish their book. The stigma of the vanity press, in which the author submits material for printing and binding, and then takes delivery of a minimum number of books) originated because these works were not vetted, edited, or often even professionally proofed. Anyone could use a vanity press if they had sufficient money. This term is slowly taking its place in the corner reserved for manuscripts ordered by the writer that may or not have merit, and has been replaced with the term Indie Author.

For us, the term Indie Author refers to quality works that are published through avenues other than a separate publishing house. The smart Indie has a platform. They have done their research and know the market. They have written something good and paid for a copy editor, perhaps line edits, and cover art. Their choice of EBook or tree book is based on their market and what they are publishing, and often the choice is combination publishing or PoD.

It is the Indie Presses and Indie Authors who are pushing the envelope and broadening publishing horizons. Their success or failure is closely watched as the large houses continue to fold back in on themselves and reduce their imprints. Younger generations are more open to this form and it is rapidly gaining ground. The advent of PoD services makes this a more viable alternative than a vanity press. The PoD service can often work in very small increments, ship the books to the purchaser, and include the book in its list of available titles for the distribution chain.

There is a lot of work involved for the Indie author in terms of making sure the manuscript is technically well done and edited thoroughly. Promotion falls squarely on the Indie’s shoulders as well. Distribution can be dealt with by choosing a printing service, such as Lightening Surge, that is well connected with those channels and able to distribute the book. There is cost involved, from editing professionals to graphic artists, to promotion and the cost of publication. All the glories rest go to the author. So do the failures.

While some proponents no longer consider this an emerging trend, many aspiring authors, agents, and editors are watching this sector carefully. Not all Indies are successful, but more of these books are hitting best seller lists, making money, and gaining valued attention for the author and future works. These writers have embraced new avenues of publishing and certainly bear watching.

In addition to full responsibility for the book, there does remain a stigma attached to any work that is self produced. As more quality books come into being, and as the older generations depart the book buying arena, that will change. The ideal Indie author is likely a niche writer with a large following and ready fan base. While this form of publishing is gaining ground in fiction genres, it is still primarily populated with non-fiction works at the successful levels.

If you think Indie publishing is for you, do your homework. Know your market and develop your platform. Be prepared to pay well for professional edits and cover art. Don’t skimp on quality. Put together a promotional plan or be prepared to hire a marketing firm, and by all means, tap into book distribution lines.

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Publishing: Traditional Publishing

The big publishing houses as well as smaller independent houses, small presses and university presses are the avenue for traditional publishing. In its essence, it means someone else purchases your work, prints it, and distributes it. You are paid an advance. Should your book earn out (earn enough to cover your advance), you will then receive royalties on future sales. These are generally paid on a quarterly basis.

This market is difficult to break into. While thousands of books are published each year, tens of thousands of manuscripts are submitted. Generally, you need to find an agent to represent your work, who then promotes it to various publishing houses for consideration. An editor who likes the work then offers to purchase it, or in some cases, bids for it.

Once the book is sold, the editor and author start revisions, bringing the manuscript in line with the editor’s vision. There are strict deadlines to be met, editorial demands that might prick your ego or emotions, and cover art you might dislike. You could be expected to change the title, character names, and even large sections of your manuscript to complete your contract. This process can take a year or more to complete.

After your work is set for release, much of the promotion could fall on your shoulders. In most cases, publishing houses are not going to arrange book tours for first time authors, or spend much in the way of promotion to the public. If you are content with the advance and have no plans to publish again, you need do nothing. If you do, you will need to promote, often at your own expense. Consider it an investment in future advances and fan base. The more copies of your book that sell, the more likely you are to earn out your advance. Should you sell well, you could be offered a bigger advance on your next book, and perhaps more of the promotional pie.

Publishing contracts vary, though a first time author can expect $2000 to $5000 from a major house. An independent press many not pay an advance at all, but give you a bigger share of royalties which you could begin earning as soon as the book comes out.

If this sounds difficult, it can be. The up side to traditional publishing, however, can be beneficial for authors who get the lucky break and are willing to work hard. There is a certain prestige to having your book published by a TPub. You become an author, which can open doors to speaking engagements, conferences, interviews, or guest spots. Once you have a relationship with an editor and agent, it might be easier to sell future manuscripts. You also gain valuable experience with the process, editing to another’s specifications, and making deadlines.

A tree book can help you gain clout amongst your fellow writers (as well as jealousy and snark in some cases). Having a book to wave under the noses of those who doubted you can be nice, too! At parties, you now have an answer to “Oh, you’re a writer? What have you published?”

Certain expenses are borne by the publisher, such as most edits and cover artwork. They have established distribution channels and sales reps to visit book stores. You also receive mention on the publisher and agent websites and help with setting up appropriate promotional events. At least for your first time out, other promotional expenses are paid by you, the author. Put your advance in the bank. You might need it for travel expenses to book signings and other activities.

From the day you complete your final polish of the manuscript to the day it arrives on the bookshelf is often measured in terms of years. You must find an agent, possibly revise your manuscript, and then your agent must find a publisher. It is a slow process for the first timer, so be prepared.

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Publishing: Introduction for Beginners

There are many options available for the writer who wishes to have their novels, short stories, poetry, non-fiction and more read by the public. This week we will explore the basics of several types of publishing, including traditional publishing, electronic publishing, Indie publishing, and other avenues.

There are practical considerations when choosing a publishing venue. Do you want to earn money? How hard are you willing to work before and after publication? Does the traditional title of author and the feather in your cap mean much to you? Do you have the means to market your work? Do you want feedback and comments? Once you have resolved such questions, you’ll be ready to look at the various options.

The publishing industry is changing. It should come as a surprise to no one, having watched similar sweeping changes first in the movie industry and then in music. Movies sequed into both big screen and VHS/DVD releases with success. Although the music industry has not settled into its new paradigm, shifts have and continue to occur in favor of electronic media. Books will be no different.

Some major publishing houses are already including electronic formats in their releases. Indie authors are finding critical and monetary success. E-Publishers are thriving. The internet has opened many doors, giving writers a chance to show their work via fiction sites, Blooks (blogged books) and individual web sites.

While there will always be a place for physical books, today’s consumers are embracing the E-Book as never before. There has been media coverage regarding the decline of book sales and talk of even large chains such as Borders going under. Gone are the days publishers could take a chance on a project simply because it had merit. Publishers are focused on buying manuscripts that will sell. Traditional publishing is tougher, but good books are still being acquired.

What does this mean for the hopefuls of today? The industry is in flux and no one is quite sure where it will settle. If it is your hope to pursue a career as a fiction author, New York is still the way to go. The instant clout and backing of both agent and editor can help you build a name and fan base. There is much work for the traditional author, however, both after the sale and before the release.

Should you be fortunate enough to have an established platform or be an expert in your field, you’d have an easier time selling to the publishers, but you also have other options, including EBook web sales or combination publishing using a Print on Demand (PoD) service.

For those who fully embrace the electronic age, E-Publishers take submissions the same way traditional publishers do, even following the electronic format with a tree book at a later date. E-Publishers are also making serious inroads with the fiction market.

If your goal is simply to share your words with the world, there are internet options, including fiction sites and setting up your own website where readers can view your work on line or download it in a variety of formats.

When it comes to the paycheck, traditional publishing is not as lucrative as you might think unless you hit the best seller lists or your publisher is backing you with solid marketing. For the expert with established platform, an E-Book is likely to earn you more in the long run than a one time advance.

One thing of which you must be aware as we explore publishing this week: Posting your work to the internet is to publish it and use the First Rights. If you hope to pursue traditional avenues, be very cautious about making that piece available to the public. Many publishers want First Rights.

Some of the terms you will see this week:

Advance: Money paid at the time a book contract is signed, sometimes split between signing and final delivery.
Agent: An author representative who pitches a manuscript to a publisher.
Author: A writer who has been paid by an outside publisher for a manuscript and subsequently published.
EBook: A book in electronic format.
Editor: The person at the publishing house responsible for preparing your manuscript for publishing.
EPub: An electronic publisher, focusing primarily or exclusively on EBooks.
First Rights: These rights are used when your work becomes available to the public, whether on paper or on the internet.
Imprint: Large publishing houses often have several different lines, called imprints, such as Harlequin Steeple Hill or Harlequin Blaze.
Indie Author: A recent term to describe someone who has self published a quality product.
Indie Publisher: Usage varies, from mom & pop presses to independent publishers of all types.
New York: Shorthand for the large publishing houses primarily based in New York City.
PoD: Print on Demand, provided by a company who prints books in very small runs or individually as they are ordered.
Royalties: Money paid to the author on sales after the advance is earned out.
Small Press: A press or publisher operating independent of the large publishing houses.
Specialty Press: Organizations, associations, and universities may operate a publishing entity.
TPub: Shorthand for Traditional Publishing House, usually large with multiple imprints.

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Revision & Getting Feedback

Once your rough draft is done, let it rest for a while. Celebrate this milestone and take a few days to thank your loved ones for the time to write it. Then, it is time to start revisions. To do a complete set of revisions, you will need feedback.

Your first revision will be to go through the manuscript (MS) yourself to catch the obvious and glaring errors. I recommend you edit on paper. You will catch more errors than you would if you edited on the screen. If you find weak areas, grammar mistakes, and continuity problems, fix them now.

1. If a character is Grandma Ethel in the first chapter, she needs to stay Grandma Ethel throughout the book, not change to Grandma Esther in chapter seven.
2. Likewise, character hair and eye color, names (yes it happens), and backstory need to be consistent.
3. Weak areas of plot need to come out. Indeed, any sentence or paragraph that does not advance the story needs to be cut. it isn’t always easy, but the cutting must happen, hence the advice to “kill your darlings.”
4. Watch for adjectives and remove them whenever possible.
5. If you are uncertain about grammar, get Shrunk & White’s The Elements of Style or any recent grammar handbook.
6. Spell check is not reliable. Edit yourself for spelling errors, homonyms, etc.

Once you think your draft is free of most errors, find a few people willing to read it for you and provide feedback. There are forums writers’ groups you can join, Critters, local writers’ groups in your area, trusted friends, and sometimes family members that you can prevail upon to provide this function. I don’t recommend asking anyone who might be hurt or insulted if you don’t take their advice. It might not be wise to enlist coworkers, either, in case they are not as trustworthy as you thought. Also, be careful of some of the online groups that like to tear each others’ work apart. Find a safe and encouraging place to share your novel.

You need to develop a thick skin if you haven’t already. You are opening your baby up to be taken apart. You need to keep the mindset that you can learn from the critique process and that you can make your story better with the feedback you get.

What you want to discover from your “beta readers” is:

1. How does the story feels overall.
2. Are there places they got lost or places they felt you gave too much extraneous detail?
3. Did you keep the story moving along or did it bog down and become boring?
4. Are your characters engaging and interesting?
5. Do your characters ever act out of character?
6. Is the conclusion satisfying? Predictable? Blindsiding?
7. Are there ways you can improve the story?
8. Was there enough tension in the plot?
9. What questions came up during and after reading the MS?

Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions of your beta readers, and don’t forget to thank them for their time.

Once you have the results, read them over. Are there similar comments? Good suggestions? Commonly noted weaknesses? Sit down and look at your piece again. Think about how you can incorporate the good suggestions and correct the weaknesses. Revise your fiction accordingly.

This draft can be sent out again to another set of readers, or you can put it on the shelf for a month or two, then read it again yourself. When you get that feeling inside that says “finished,” stop working on it.

Now that you have finished a novel, what’s next? Check the articles next week for information on publishing.

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How Important is Editing and Rewriting? And, Tips for Working with an Editor

Joyce Shafer

Enthusiasm is one reason why new writers get anything written at all. Misconception of what else is involved is what usually rattles their enthusiasm. It doesn’t have to be this way, though.

One reason I wrote the e-book, “Write, Get Published, and Promote,”** was because my clients who are new writers (most of them) believe the only thing needed is to get their piece written and have someone proofread it, then a publisher will grab it and . . . maybe you know the rest of the story. Thank goodness for such innocence because it’s what allows them to write until they’ve completed a first draft . . . a true accomplishment. Once we connect, it’s my responsibility to give them additional information and guidance. What follows is an excerpt, in the most part, from the e-book.

Plan to put in your time on anything and everything you write. If you don’t desire to do this, know that if you pay someone to do it for you, that person will have to spend the hours on it that you haven’t. They may be faster at it than you might be, but it will still take time.

It’s also okay to arrange for the person to edit/rewrite a segment (a paragraph or two) and return it to you as a sample of what may be done with your material, and their skill. In fact, I recommend this. When I got the manuscript for a client’s novel, I was surprised to learn he’d previously worked with (had paid) editors to work on it prior to our connecting. (By the way, readers call his first novel a real page-turner, can’t-put-it-down experience. How thrilled do you think he feels?) He’s not the only client, though, I’ve worked with who had one or two editors work on their piece prior to connecting with me.

Also know that one revision will not or should not be enough, at least not for a manuscript (and probably not for a short story). If you get a publish-ready novel or non-fiction book with one revision, please make sure I get your e-book on how to do it.

When I get a client’s project, the first thing I do is print out a copy and read it with pencil in hand. I have to see where the client is attempting to go, see what’s needed, and make notes along the way. Then I make the changes and re-read it. It’s a matter of getting rid of what doesn’t belong there so I can see what really is there. No stream can flow smoothly if its path is littered with debris.

Depending on our arrangement, I either make the changes or use Track Changes and insert notes to the client who makes the changes. You may find that once an editor has revised or made notes about what you’ve written, more material or plot development comes to you.

Note: It will make both an editor and writer insane to use Track Changes for major rewrites. I never use this function for such a rewrite (also known in the industry as heavy editing).

What I’ve described here is not just so you know what I do; it applies if you do the work as well. It’s better to take more time to create what you really want to present to the public than less.

Note: When you make changes, always, always, always check your changes. Always.

The way I know a client’s work is ready is when I read it and get so caught up in the content, I forget I’m supposed to be proofreading or editing. This is a good thing because it means the hiccups have been taken care of. However . . .

People self-publish books and e-books with lots of errors but valuable information. Sometimes mistakes are left in due to human error (it happens to every author, it seems, with the exception of Tom Clancy). Sometimes the writer is lazy (or tired) or doesn’t know better, and sometimes it’s deliberate.

Yes, I did say deliberate. If you ever study sales letters (copywriting) and how to write them, certain “mistakes” are intentional. And sometimes they’re deliberate so you make your content read a certain way (e-books) or for characters to speak a certain way (novels, short stories).

Motivator and best-selling author Mike Litman shares that his first book sold enormously well without ever having been proofread. He wanted to get it going and worried about tweaking it later. However, I suggest you aim for excellence, give the material all you’ve got at the time, and forget about perfection.

People tend to be more forgiving about “certain mistakes” if your non-fiction piece really does help them solve a problem. Readers will be less forgiving about fiction riddled with so many typos, punctuation problems, and plot flaws that these take their attention away from the story; though a poorly-written non-fiction won’t thrill them either.

Just be careful not to copy others’ mistakes, intentional or not, if doing so will negatively impact what you aim to accomplish or your integrity as a writer in the minds of readers.

Another option is to get a critique done. Again, find someone you feel will give you results you will actually benefit from. When clients contact me for editing, I always request a sample chapter to see what’s involved. If I see a piece that needs a great deal of work, I communicate this honestly with them and recommend a critique rather than an editing job. This serves two purposes: 1) It helps them become better writers and 2) Reduces the cost of working with an editor once their piece is closer to the mark. If someone approaches me to edit a manuscript with a budget of $200, and I know it’s going to take far more hours for me to help them create a quality read (like around 30-40 hours or more), it’s not a win-win situation.

As a writer, you don’t have to know absolutely everything, but you can always know more. Your obligation to yourself is to share your story, information, or creativity. Your obligation to your readers is to make it the best read possible.

**2-Day Special Sale: Get “Write, Get Published, and Promote” for only $5 (Reg. $10.95) – This pricing is good from Aug. 26-27 only at http://www.freewebs.com/writegetpublishedandpromote Joyce Shafer (jls1422@yahoo.com) is a Life Empowerment Coach, published writer, and offers freelance services to fellow writers. Buy the e-book at her website now or email her today to get the easy instructions.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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