editors Archives - Speakipedia https://speakipedia.com/tag/editors/ The Presentation & Storytelling Encyclopedia by Dave Bricker Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:41:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://speakipedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cropped-puzzle-globe-60x60.jpg editors Archives - Speakipedia https://speakipedia.com/tag/editors/ 32 32 Publishing Straight Talk https://speakipedia.com/publishing-straight-talk/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:20 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=611998 There are plenty of good reasons to self-publish, but not all are profit-oriented or even rational. Before you invest in your book, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself some serious questions. Why did I write my book? … More ☛

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]]> Verbs: Spice Up Your Writing with Verbs that Rock https://speakipedia.com/verbs/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:19 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=611652 Verbs are the engines that move your writing and your readers, but many authors don’t spend enough time choosing the right ones. If your writing was an electric guitar, your verbs would be the volume, tone, and distortion controls that … More ☛

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]]> Publishing Advice – Practices & Principles https://speakipedia.com/publishing-advice/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:17 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=292615 The following publishing advice is based on my own experiences and those of my clients. I hope you find it valuable and encouraging, even if it changes your expectations. I’ve written and published 12 books. I’ve guided many remarkable people … More ☛

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]]> Want a Traditional Publishing Contract? Do Your Homework https://speakipedia.com/traditional-publishing/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:17 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=611549 This article discusses the pros and cons of traditional publishing. Abandon your biases, study the business of publishing, and choose the publishing method that best suits you and your book. Perhaps the biggest myth in publishing is that as a … More ☛

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]]> Book Design Basics: Quotation Marks and Primes https://speakipedia.com/quotation-marks/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:16 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=4753 Writers often ask about the difference between “straight” or “dumb” quotation marks and traditional printers’ quotes, commonly referred to as “smart quotes” or “curly quotes.” Add in the need to distinguish between left single quotes and apostrophes, and the primes … More ☛

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]]> Track Changes – The Essential Tool for Writers and Editors https://speakipedia.com/track-changes/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:15 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=4522 If you’re not using your Word Processor’s Track Changes function, you’re missing out on one of the best writing tools of the digital age. The good news: it’s quick and easy to learn. This video tutorial will show you how. … More ☛

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]]> The Perfect Book Sales Page https://speakipedia.com/perfect-book-sales-page/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:15 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=4531 Tom Morkes published The Perfect Book sales Page on his blog. I’m usually the first person to reject formulaic approaches to book marketing. Many well-written books are horrible products. But what I like about Tom’s template is that it forces … More ☛

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]]> Publishing Scams and How they Work https://speakipedia.com/self-publishing-scams/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:14 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=3193 Many self-publishers start their book projects with unrealistic expectations and misunderstandings about how publishing works. A huge industry has arisen to prey on writers who are unsure of the path. This article explains the basics of how publishing scams work … More ☛

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]]> Self-Publishing Scams: Keep the “Self” in Self-Publishing https://speakipedia.com/self-publishing-scams-2/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:13 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=4497 Here’s an addendum to Publishing Scams and How they Work. I wonder why so many authors, after spending thousands of hours working on a book, fail to conduct a few critical hours of research that will save them thousands of … More ☛

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]]> English Pet Peeves https://speakipedia.com/english-pet-peeves/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:11 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=4051 Discussions of English Language pet peeves provide an entertaining forum for the expression of ire. In fact, if a “pet” is something we cherish, and a “peeve” is something that annoys us, “pet peeves” are what we love to hate. … More ☛

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]]> Commatose: the Oxford Comma, or Serial Comma https://speakipedia.com/oxford-comma-serial-comma/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:11 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=4068 The Oxford comma, or serial comma is a subject of constant debate among writers. Do we need that comma before the last item on a list? Even without a list, the comma is an important determiner of meaning. Time to … More ☛

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]]> Not Selling Books? Did you do the Math? https://speakipedia.com/selling-books/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:08 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=3363 You threw a grand party but nobody came. Your novel is so good but you’re not selling books. What happened? You were supposed to appear on Oprah’s show. Terry Gross isn’t calling you for an interview. You may be an … More ☛

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]]> Writing is Design: Shy Away from Timid and Passive Writing https://speakipedia.com/passive-writing-timid-writing/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:07 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=3133 “Passive writing” refers to a specific set of grammatical circumstances where emphasis switches from subject to object. The money was stolen by Jill. instead of Jill stole the money. This is confusing if you’re writing about Jill but perfectly acceptable … More ☛

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]]> Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by its Cover – Part 2 https://speakipedia.com/judging-book-cover-design-2/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:05 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2893 Part 1 of Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by its Cover critiqued “professional” covers taken from Amazon’s Editor’s choice list. Read that article first as it provides background for this one. The article looked at design elements that worked … More ☛

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]]> What’s a Professional Editor Worth? https://speakipedia.com/whats-editor-worth/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:03 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2729 What do you think a professional editor’s pay scale should be? Assume that a proofreader would be at the bottom of the scale and a developmental/line editor would be at the top. An examination of the work editors perform sheds … More ☛

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]]> Co-Publishing – Alternative Path or Another Trap for Writers? https://speakipedia.com/co-publishing/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:02 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2570 I recently published a post about the difference between vanity publishing and true self-publishing. Fundamentally, the article defines a publisher as “someone who takes the risk on a book.” Vanity Presses represent themselves as publishers and accept royalties while the … More ☛

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]]> Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by Its Cover – Part 1 https://speakipedia.com/judging-book-cover-design-1/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:02 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2803 Nothing screams “amateur” like a poorly crafted book cover. The standards for book design aspired to by trade publishers are not all that high, but self-publishers routinely fall short of them. If you want your book to be taken seriously, … More ☛

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]]> Reality Checklist for Self-Publishers https://speakipedia.com/self-publisher-reality-check/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:00 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2383 One question that loops endlessly on writers’ forums is “How can I sell more books?” The question is a natural one, but for many self-publishers, it betrays a certain lack of awareness about the publishing business. Lest I sound holier … More ☛

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]]> Why You Need a Professional Editor https://speakipedia.com/why-professional-editor/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:59 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2144 After completing the final draft of a manuscript for my fifth book, I wanted a reality check. I hired a professional editor and learned something important about self-publishing. No matter how capable you are as a writer and proofreader, you … More ☛

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]]> Proposed Standards for Book Typography https://speakipedia.com/book-typography-standards/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:59 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2283 The word processor has placed new burdens on writers to understand how to use italics, big and small capitals, dashes, hyphens, initials, etc. Writers who do their own typesetting often produce mediocre results. Likewise, trade publishers sacrifice typographic aesthetics when … More ☛

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]]> Straight Talk About Book Reviews https://speakipedia.com/book-reviews-straight-talk/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:58 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2196 Book  reviews are critically important. Have you ever read a book hoping it would get better, only to find that it never did? And how do you tell if an independently published book is any good? So many are poorly … More ☛

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]]> Gatekeepers and Self-Publishing https://speakipedia.com/gatekeepers-selfpublishing/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:58 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=2256 Indie publishers complain that the mainstream publishing establishment acts as a “gatekeeper.” Many readers rely on big publishing houses to filter out low quality books—even though trade publishers regularly print celebrity crap with impunity. Indie publishers often see themselves as … More ☛

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]]> Indie Publishers, Bookstores and Readers – the Indie Ecosystem https://speakipedia.com/indie-publishers-indie-ecosystem/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:55 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=1708 Indie publishers are everywhere and so are indie bookstores, but apart from their names, the two have little in common. “Independence” is a feelgood concept, but it’s often presented without any reference to that which a publisher or bookstore is independent … More ☛

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]]> Book Design Basics – Dashes, Hyphens and Dots https://speakipedia.com/book-design-part-4/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:53 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=1281 This section on dashes, hyphens and dots goes beyond typographic aesthetics to explore how we can communicate more effectively as writers. The subtle intricacies of hyphens and dashes affect all authors whether they typeset their own books or not. Knowing … More ☛

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]]> Book Design Basics Part 1: Margins and Leading https://speakipedia.com/book-design-part-1/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:50 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=826 Book design is a lost art. Though book design discussions usually focus on covers, consider how much more time a reader spends staring at the text. An elegant book block is just as important. Decades ago, professional tradesmen practiced the … More ☛

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]]> Self-Publishers Should Not Be Self-Editors https://speakipedia.com/self-editors/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:49 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=560 Editing is one of the first hurdles you’ll encounter as an independent writer. Your fan club is your enemy. Encouraging friends who think it’s “wonderful you actually wrote a book” are not unbiased editors. A good editor will put your … More ☛

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]]> Self-Publishing? Get Real(istic)! https://speakipedia.com/self-publishing-get-real/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:48 +0000 http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/?p=310 There are plenty of good reasons to self-publish, but not all are profit-oriented or even rational. Before you invest in your book, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself some serious questions. Understand what you’re getting into and define success at its proper place on the spectrum between retail sales and artistic satisfaction. With some clarity, planning and management of expectations, even a modest publishing venture can be rewarding and satisfying.

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]]> Put a Price on Your Passion https://speakipedia.com/put-a-price-on-your-passion/ Tue, 30 Aug 2022 15:00:26 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=3468 How do you put a price on your passion? How can you charge a fair-but-high price for your services?   You’ve got a fantastic prospect on the line. The conversation is engaging. The relationship develops instantly. Your hopefully-soon-to-be client is … More ☛

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]]> Sound Advice for Writers & Publishers https://speakipedia.com/writing-publishing-advice/ https://speakipedia.com/writing-publishing-advice/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2022 15:00:26 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=3361 The following advice on writing and publishing is based on my own experiences and those of my clients. I hope you find it valuable and encouraging, even if it changes your expectations. I’ve written and published twelve books, and I’m … More ☛

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]]> https://speakipedia.com/writing-publishing-advice/feed/ 1 Potent Verbs Spice Up Your Storytelling https://speakipedia.com/verbs/ Tue, 18 Aug 2020 15:00:21 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=1113 Verbs are the engines that move your writing, your speaking, your readers, and your audiences but many authors ands presenters don’t spend enough time choosing the right ones. If your writing was an electric guitar, your verbs would be the volume, … More ☛

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