What can an Author’s Assistants do for the writer and author? Here are 24 critical tasks an Author’s Assistant can do to help every writer and author:

• Inventory and organize the author’s source documents
  

• Do target reader research
  

• Fact check and research for the book
  

• Obtain permissions to use quotes and interviews
  

• Coordinate the peer and audience reviews/testimonials
  

• Research potential publishers
  

• Do a competitive analysis
  

• Prepare the manuscript to submit to a publisher
  

• Coordinate the self-publishing process
  

• Get the ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
  

• Get the library cataloguing information (the LCCN in the US, the CIP elsewhere)
  

• Get the bar code for the back cover
  

• Create an account with the printer
  

• Review the printer’s proof
  

• Get the book listed in Bowker’s Books in Print
  

• Get the copyright registered
  

• Coordinate promotional activities
  

• Send out copies for early review
  

• Get book listed on Amazon
  

• Help create and maintain the author’s web site and media kit
  

• Enter a book in book awards competitions
  

• Create a virtual book launch and book tour
  

• Organize a live book event
  

• Launch an Amazon bestseller campaign

2009 Jan B. King, Founder, The Publishing Store

As an editor by trade and a writer by passion, I know how hard it can be to get your thoughts on paper. Your inner editor constantly detours your writing flow by criticizing your grammar, word choice, and punctuation. You can stop your inner editor by putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and letting the words flow. Even if you consciously know you should be more specific or know you’ve added extra words, forgive yourself and move on. Nobody ever writes a perfect first draft. Once your work is on the computer, run it through the grammar and spell check, and then use these 7 tips to help make your writing better.

1) Persuade and motivate your reader. It’s your #1 goal when writing. Provide your readers with smartly expressed thoughts by choosing words that drive your sentences from one to the next and create a seamless reading experience. Think of the horse-before-the-cart analogy. That cart’s not going anywhere until the horse pulls it into action.

2) Paint a picture. Would you rather eat a chocolate dessert or a creamy, chocolate layer cake? A piece of fruit or a crisp, juicy apple? Drive a car or drive a luxury Jaguar with soft, leather seats and new-car aroma? Your readers won’t see what you’re talking about unless you paint a vivid picture.

3) Clear the clutter. Words like “that, so, very, and much.” Look at your sentences closely—how many times do you use these words in your writing?  Are they necessary? If extra words are not adding to the sentence, leave them out.

4) Pick a style—and stick with it. Whether you prefer formal or informal writing, use the same tone throughout your piece to create fluidity and keep your readers focused. Formal writing is used in professional writing, technical writing, and most business writing. Informal writing creates a more casual tone and uses contractions liberally (i.e., you’re vs. you are; won’t vs. would not, and so on).

5) Walk away. Put your draft down and walk away for an hour, a day or a week. After a short break, you’ll view your draft in a different light and be able to pick up what you missed earlier. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective.

6) Get another set of eyes. Don’t be embarrassed (or too proud) to let someone read your work. Step back from your writing and let an objective set of eyes view your work from a reader’s point of view. Remember: feedback is your friend.

7) Edit, edit, edit. Editing and proofreading will make the difference between mediocre and magnificent. It’s important to rework your writing, but it’s even better to hand your work over to a professional editor. An editor’s job is not to criticize, judge or take away your voice; their job is to make your writing better.

Web Content That Works!

Statistics show you have only 6 seconds to hook a visitor into staying at your Web site or clicking away.

You may think all the flash and bells and whistles are captivating your visitors; and that may be true, but by the time they’ve looked at all your cool stuff, 4 or 5 seconds have been wasted.

If you haven’t lost them already, and most likely you have, they may take one more second to actually start reading your content. You’re now at the critical 6-second mark.

Your Web site is your company’s online brochure. Your content has to be engaging. You have to show your reader how they can benefit from your products or services right now or they’re gone!

Here are 8 tips guaranteed to make your web content sizzle and have your visitors wanting more:

Start with a question - Take a look at any successful ad campaign. (Got Milk?) Most of them start with a question.  That’s because a question compels your reader to read on.  You’ve set an action to continue because you’ve asked a question and now your reader feels compelled to answer.

Who’s your target audience - Treat each reader as your only reader and talk directly to them.  Break down your target audience by age, income, business and location.  Then write out a detailed description of just one person in that audience.  When writing your content, speak only to that person.

In web content, “white space” is good - Cut down your content for clarity and brevity.  People are busy.  Don’t make them click all over the place to find what they want.  Use shorter words when possible.  Instead of “corresponded with” use “wrote.”  And keep your paragraphs short.  Three to four sentences per paragraph are enough.  You want to create a clean, uncluttered look.

Choose action words over passive words - The passive verb is blah.  It’s true; a passive verb makes for a weak, roundabout way of saying something.  Great writing consists of using more action verbs than adjectives. Instead of, “I have been working for 15 years…” say, “I worked 15 years for….”

Explain simply and clearly what you will do for them - A long explanation of facts is boring.  On a separate sheet of paper, write down what you can offer in five words.  Now take those five words and put them into benefit-oriented sentences.  Use words like, I can, I will and Let me!  Be truthful though.  Don’t try to sound grandiose or guarantee what you can’t deliver.

Choose words and phrases that sell - Your #1 goal in writing web content is to persuade and motivate your customer to act.  End each sentence with a strong word persuading your reader to act or read on.  “Best of all…” “And that’s not all…” “Win” and “Free” are all persuasive words or phrases.

Tell your reader what to do - Very important.  Don’t just assume your reader will buy — tell them what to do and where to do it.  “Click Here” and “Buy it Now!” “Don’t Wait - Buy Today!” will influence your reader to take action.

Sprinkle your copy with keywords for maximum SEO (search engine optimization) - Not only is it important to put keywords in your HTML title, you’ll want to sprinkle them throughout your copy as well.  Search Engine robots not only search key words in your title, they’ll look for matching words throughout your copy, which will in turn rank your web site higher in the search engines.

Want to become a better writer? There are literally thousands of books you can buy on “how to” become a better writer or “what not” to do.

When editing fiction manuscripts, I find myself repeating the same suggestions over and over, so I thought I would share them with you. Many of these tips can also be used for non-fiction as well.

Here are my top ten writing tips to help make you a better writer:

1. Always start your story with a strong opening. You want an opening that will grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading from line to line, paragraph to paragraph, chapter to chapter. I love stories that end each chapter with a “what’s-going-to-happen-next” hanger. I must turn the page and read more.

2. Try to show as much detail in the story as possible as opposed to just telling us. Involve the reader in the details by painting a picture in their mind. What can they see, hear, smell, taste, what can they touch? Instead of telling us: “It was a sunny day,” or “The sun was shining.” Show us by writing: “The glare from the midday sun bounced off the hot asphalt.”

3. Keep your writing in the present tense. Narration is good, but any time you use [ed] at the end of a word, you are taking your reader to the past. Especially when the [ed] word is surrounded by a had or have been, or was. Your story should be happening now and your writing should reflect that. It doesn’t matter if your story is set in 2008, 1942, or the 16th century, talk to us as if we are there now. Pull us into the story and take us along for the ride.

4. Go easy on the ellipses [ . . . ]. The ellipsis should be used mainly when trailing off a thought or if dialogue is broken. Otherwise use a comma, semi-colon, or the em dash. Also, the ellipsis is always three dots with a space before, after, and between the words. For example: Oh . . . hey . . . what are you doing?

5. Go easy on the exclamation point!!!! A good writer uses stronger words so the exclamation point is a given. And, please, never use more than one exclamation point!! And please, please, never with a question mark?!

6. I can’t state this tip enough. Cut out the passive voice. Drop words like was, will be, were and boring verbs like walk, drove, run. You want to write with action and movement, and propel the story forward with vivid descriptions.

7. On that note, use adverbs like you would use the passive voice. In other words, don’t. Adverbs, you’ll remember, modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They usually end in [ly]. If you cut out the passive voice, you can cut out adverbs. Instead of: “He closed the door firmly as he left the room.” Try: “He slammed the door and stormed out.”

8. Using dialogue in your story is a great way to bring your characters to life. Just make sure your dialogue makes sense to the story. Random conversations that have nothing to do with moving the story forward confuse your reader. And to backtrack to adverbs for a moment, it’s not necessary to write adverb-filled dialogue. For example: “Halt or I’ll shoot!” he shouted menacingly. “Try to catch me!” she yelled angrily. Okay, we get the idea. A simple: he shouted and she yelled, works better.

9. Give your reader lots of similes (or comparisons). Instead of: “We could hear the gravel hitting the undercarriage of the car.” Say: “Gravel hit the undercarriage like popcorn bursting in hot oil.” Or, “Gravel hit the undercarriage like firecrackers on the 4th of July.”

10. Buy a good thesaurus and use it until it’s worn out. Whenever you feel stuck on a word, or just can’t seem to find the right word, open your thesaurus and have fun!

As an editor for mostly self-published authors, I often give out complimentary sample edits and price quotes to those requesting my services. I think it’s a nice way to let the client know what they can expect and how much their project will cost. Most of the time, though, the author will be shocked at my quoted price. They’ll love the edits, but because most writers believe their manuscript is already perfect, they can’t believe how much it actually costs to professionally edit a book.

Now I’m going to focus on the operative word here: professionally. Sure, it’s easy to produce a book that your Aunt Sue proofread, after all, she is an English major, but to produce a high-quality, error-free book is a whole other story.

Take this recent post from the Chronicle of Higher Education blog (May 2, 2008):

“Princeton U. Press Recalls Typo-Filled Book and Says It Will Reprint
Princeton University Press has recalled all copies of one of its spring titles after discovering more than 90 spelling and grammar errors in the 245-page work. The book, Cop in the Hood: My Year Policing Baltimore’s Eastern District, by Peter Moskos, was published on Thursday in an initial press run of 4,000 copies.”
(Link to full story
http://chronicle.com/news/article/4427/princeton-u-press-recalls-typo-filled-book-and-says-it-will-reprint#comment)

Yikes! Ninety spelling and grammar errors in 245 pages! What happened here was a clear case of cutting corners and what can happen when an author (or publisher) doesn’t make the necessary financial commitment to create a book that sells. In the long run, the author and/or the publisher pays for it in the end.

I will preach and preach until I’m all preached out: Don’t skimp on one of the most important steps in producing your book–editing and proofreading!

Virtual Book Tours (VBT) also known as Virtual Author Tours (VAT) are fast becoming the best way to market your book online. Here are 10 tips to help you create a successful virtual book tour:

1.   Create a Web page

Set up a Web page specifically for the Virtual Book Tour (VBT). This is where you will send potential tour stop hosts so they can sign up to join your VBT. This site should also capture contact information and put it in your shopping cart system for future email promotions.

2.   Create a book trailer

Create a dynamic book trailer. Don’t skimp on this step. This will be one of the main reasons people sign up for the book tour. A good book trailer acts along the lines of a movie trailer. It’s your hook to draw people in, get them curious and asking for more.

3. Do your research

Spend a lot of time carefully doing Internet research to find areas that fit your target market. (Are you writing about self-help, women’s issues, business, a fantasy novel?). Search more than just blogging sites. Search for web radio, newsletters, article submissions, and social networking sites.

4. Create a killer pitch letter geared to your target market

Create a pitch letter, stating who you are, what you are doing, and add links to the Web site and the book trailer. Personalize the letter and specifically gear it to your target audience, and make sure it doesn’t sound canned or come off as a mass email.

5.   Offer more than blogging

Again, offer more than just blogging as a means for your tour stop hosts. Podcasts, Q&A sessions, live interviews, phone interviews, articles for newsletters, Internet radio interviews, all work, as well as blogs. The easier you can make it for your tour stop host, the better response you’ll receive.

6.   Create a tracking spreadsheet

Create a spreadsheet including all the sites you’ve found, the contact information, when you contacted them, what you can offer that particular contact (i.e., will you blog for them, do a Q&A session, live interview, podcast?) and make a column for responses. Then use an online calendar (Outlook, Google, Yahoo all have calendars that will work just fine) to see who’s doing what, when, and where.

7.   Follow up at least four (4) times

Once you have all these steps in place, you are ready to start contacting each person on our list along with their personal pitch letter. If you don’t get a response right away, follow up (at least four times) with a different pitch letter each time. (It’s not as necessary to personalize these follow up letters.) And, don’t waste time with those that don’t respond after the fourth try. Move on to a new group of contacts. If you’ve written a good pitch letter, most of your responses will come in after the first or second try.

8. Start your own blog

Post what’s happening with your VBT in your blog. Add each tour stop date and plug the tour stop host’s company, their Web site and their contact information.

9.   Send Goodies

Offer to send a copy of your book to your tour stop host along with other possible freebies, (i.e., a workbook, a report, an audio CD, etc.). And don’t forget a thank you note.

10. Ask for referrals

Ask your tour stop host for referrals of people they know that would benefit from your book. You’ll find that if you offer quality content and are passionate and enthusiastic about your book then others will be too.

In fiction, the writer’s job is to entertain, to draw an emotional response from the reader. The reader is often looking for suspense, action, and to go on a journey they have not been on before, one they will not easily forget.  Readers want to get drawn into and experience the story for themselves.  They want characters they can relate to and form a personal connection with.  But most importantly, they want a good book.  One that leaves them anxiously awaiting each turn of the page.  Here are three crucial elements of a good fiction book: 

Well-developed characters:  The characters in the book must be well developed and believable.  The characters should remind you of your teacher, your lawyer, your doctor, or maybe even your best friend.  Even though they are fictional, they come alive for us in the story. 
Action:   A good fiction book needs to be filled with action.  The good guys are after the bad guys, the doctor needs to find a cure.  From the beginning to the end, the reader can’t bear to stop reading because the action just keeps coming.   

Great Plot:  The writer keeps the reader guessing right to the end by using surprising, realistic plot twists.  Just when we think we know “who done it” – bam – a new twist creeps up and a story involves more.  As we near the end we wonder if there is time to solve it?  Will it have a happy ending?  Most readers long for a good ending to their story as they grow fond of the characters in the book and want to see the best happen to them.

For those looking for a good fiction book to read, one that stands out is the fiction thriller, Sledgehammer, by Paulo J. Reyes, M.D (http://www.pauloreyes.com).  This book has a well-developed story that takes place in an ER in Los Angeles.  The author, an ER Doctor himself, depicts the ER setting perfectly as patients appear and seek treatment and case after case of medical drama unfolds. The story takes you hour by hour through life in this ER until the unthinkable happens and one of the patients appears with smallpox symptoms.  What happens next is fiction at its finest and leaves you eagerly asking, “Could it happen today?” Writers write about what they know.  They can bring the sounds, colors, and images of their world to life in their story. 

Fiction is where writers get the opportunity to bring you into that world and keep you there until, “the end.” 

  **Diana Ennen is the Publisher of the fiction book, Sledgehammer, http://www.pauloreyes.com and http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com.  Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains intact.
 

Over the last few weeks, we’ve learned how to add energy, clarity, and succinctness to our sentences. I’d like to end this series with some tips on writing rhythm. What does that mean?

Writing with rhythm is how your words and sentences sound. It’s a subtle aspect of writing, that’s not normally talked about because it’s hard to teach, but that doesn’t lessen its importance.

It’s the difference between hearing an instrument play the same melody over and over again and listening to a symphony. Of course, everyone should have their own writing-rhythm style but use these four tips as a guide on how to improve your rhythm.

1. What’s the pace. Pay attention to the flow of your writing when you read it aloud. Does it roll along smoothly, without long, unbroken torrents of sound, awkward pauses, and tongue-twisting miscues? If not, tinker with the syntax to improve the pace.

2. Look for alliteration. If your first draft sounds clumsy, see if you can rewrite sentences that repeat a key sound. Can you turn “dewdrops sat on the flower’s petals” into “dewdrops danced on the day lily’s leaves”?

3. Vary the length. Like the speaker who never varies their pitch, sentence after sentence of the same length is a guaranteed snooze fest. Mix it up by following long sentences with short ones, or create paragraph patterns with progressively shorter, or longer, sentences. And do the same thing with your paragraphs. Sometimes your paragraphs may contain a dozen sentences, sometimes they can be condensed to only one.

4. End with a bang. Like the crescendo of a musical passage, build the final sentence or paragraph of your chapter with intensity or excitement and then crash the cymbals. In other words, end with words that pack power and punch.

Reference: Hart, J. A Writer’s Coach, 2006, New York: Pantheon Books

Last week I talked about easy ways to add energy to your writing. This week, I’ll give you five easy ways to tighten your writing.

Keep in mind, anything that doesn’t contribute to a piece of writing detracts from it. To create the strongest possible prose, eliminate everything that isn’t essential.

1. Question every word. Read slowly through your draft questioning every word, phrase, and clause. Will cutting a word sacrifice the sentence’s meaning? If not, cut it. If cutting a word sacrifices only a tad of meaning unessential to your main point, cut that, too. Pay attention to the words or phrases on either side of conjunctions such as and, or, and but. Do you really need “strong” and “sturdy”?

2. Make your modifiers specific. Instead of writing that the car was “old,” say it was “dilapidated.” Drop modifiers that are already conveyed by their nouns or verbs. Do you need to write that your character “slowly ambled” down the aisle, or does “ambled” do the job?

3. Don’t crowd. Limit your sentences to one or two main ideas. Overloading your writing intimidates readers and adds unnecessary length.

4. Keep it concise. Never use two nouns when one will do. It’s not a “sales event,” it’s a “sale.” And a “crisis” is much more urgent than a “crisis situation.”

5. Heave the verb anchors. Simple action verbs can drive most writing. Auxiliary verbs bog the action down. Why write “he was skiing down the hill” when “he skied down the hill” does the job?

Reference: Hart, J. A Writer’s Coach, 2006, New York: Pantheon Books.

What do physics and writing have in common? In physics, the bigger and faster a moving object, the harder it hits. Same thing with words. The more energy they carry, the more response they get.

Do you want the world to take notice of your writing? Here are five ways to add energy:

1. Find action verbs. Describe your surroundings. Verbs such as “to be,” “looked,” “appeared,” and “felt” merely define. There’s no action.

The grass is green.
The grass looked green.
The grass felt good.

Action verbs capture movement.

The lightning bolt splintered the elm, crashing it into the house.

2. Avoid unnecessary suffixes. Word endings such as “-able,” “-tion,” and “-ance” turn action words into anchors.

Flabby: He gained entrance into the residence.
Svelte: He broke into the house.

3. Use the active voice. The voice of the verb determines the way action flows in a sentence. The strongest sentences start with the action then flow from the subject through the verb to the object.

Example:If Tom has a baseball and he hammers it into deep left field, then the active way of describing that act is:

Tom hit the ball.

The passive voice, on the other hand, begins with the object of the action, follows with the verb, and tacks the subject onto the end of the sentence.

The ball was hit by Tom.

4. Watch your expletives. An expletive is not just a curse word, but any term that merely fills a hole in a sentence without carrying any meaning. Common expletives include “there are,” “there were,” and “it is.” Expletives waste space and drain energy; eliminate them when you can.

Weak: There were six geese on the pond.
Better: Six geese paddled across the pond.
Weak: It was dawn.
Better: The sun rose.

5. Be bold. Confident writers take charge of their writing. Don’t be vague by using little qualifiers such as “somewhat,” “rather,” and “a little bit.”

The sun was somewhat hot.
The sun was rather hot.

There is no somewhat or rather. Be confident; was the sun hot or not?

Reference: Hart, J. The Writer’s Coach, 2006, New York: Pantheon Books