manuscript Archives - Speakipedia

Speech Annotator (Demo)

Dave Bricker — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:49:02 +0000

Load a demo and view the generated results. By Dave Bricker Great words fail without great delivery, yet so many speechwriters deliver a manuscript and leave the performance up to the (often-inexperienced) speaker. Paste your speech into the box below … More ☛

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Speakipedia Podcast # 9:David H. Lawrence the XVII

juan — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 19:18:52 +0000

Transcript Dave Bricker (00:01) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakypedia Media brought to you by Speakypedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛

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David H. Lawrence the XVII appeared first on Speakipedia.

Publishing Straight Talk

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:20 +0000

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Writing is Design: Avoid Writing Clichés for Better Prose

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:20 +0000

Since time immemorial, clichés have sneaked in the door when we least expect them to. They’re low-hanging fruit for writers who abscond with them quickly instead of striving for excellence. But to the trained eye, writing clichés stick out like … More ☛

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Rethinking Book Cover Design

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:18 +0000

Book cover design tells the story of the story. It must convey the spirit and intentions of the author authentically, and it also has a few practical chores to perform. If a book cover design is to accomplish these things … More ☛

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Want a Traditional Publishing Contract? Do Your Homework

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:17 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:16 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:15 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:15 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:14 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:13 +0000

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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How to Produce Audiobooks with Amazon ACX

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:13 +0000

This article explains how to produce and market a professional quality audiobook using Amazon ACX. Through ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange), I was able to audition voiceover talent, choose a professional producer, review the work in progress, and make my audiobook … More ☛

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Tabs, Indents, and Margins: How to use the Tab Ruler

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:12 +0000

This article explains the tab ruler found on every word processor and typesetting application. Understanding the simple and elegant split ruler and tab functions opens up a world of formatting opportunities. Digital typesetting and word processing inherited a number of … More ☛

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Encouragement for Those On The Path to Better Writing

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:10 +0000

So many writers get discouraged. This stinks. I quit. Others are overconfident. They’ve always had “a gift for words” so they fail to submit their prose to an editor’s scrutiny. I recently shared an email exchange with an editing client … More ☛

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A Manuscript is Not a Book: Ten Tips for Manuscript Preparation

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:09 +0000

In my work with writers, I come across many common technical problems with manuscripts. These usually spring from the best of intentions as the writer attempts to create the feel of the finished book within the manuscript. Though they’re trying … More ☛

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Not Selling Books? Did you do the Math?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:08 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:07 +0000

“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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Writing is Design: Avoid Bland Pronouns and Boring Verbs

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:06 +0000

As a graphic designer, I see numerous parallels between the values that create engaging imagery and the values that create engaging prose. So many designs fail because the designer arranged elements on a page without questioning their purpose, hierarchy, or … More ☛

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Writing is Design: Eliminate THAT Fat From Your Writing

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:06 +0000

The word “that” is often abused. “That” is a perfectly useful pronoun but it’s often the useless fat that slows down an otherwise good sentence. I think that you and I need to talk. I told my readers that I … More ☛

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Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by its Cover – Part 2

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:05 +0000

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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How Many Spaces After a Period? Ending the Debate

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:03 +0000

Few subjects arouse more passion among writers and designers than the debate over how many spaces should follow a period. If you adhere to a style manual, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t specify a single-space. Chicago and … More ☛

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What’s a Professional Editor Worth?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:03 +0000

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?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:02 +0000

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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Reality Checklist for Self-Publishers

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:00 +0000

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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Self-Publishing & Vanity Publishing: Confuse Them and Pay the Price

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:00 +0000

What is true self-publishing? What is the difference between self-publishing and “vanity publishing” or “subsidy publishing?” How do these differ from “traditional publishing?” Don’t publish until you understand these terms; that knowledge can make or break your book. Learn about … More ☛

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Proposed Standards for Book Typography

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:59 +0000

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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Why You Need a Professional Editor

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:59 +0000

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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Gatekeepers and Self-Publishing

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:58 +0000

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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Straight Talk About Book Reviews

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:58 +0000

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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Indie Publishers, Bookstores and Readers – the Indie Ecosystem

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:55 +0000

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

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:53 +0000

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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Self-Publishing IS Real Publishing-The Difference is up to You

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:52 +0000

The notion of real publishing as opposed to self-publishing and the stigma surrounding it is obsolete. I have no objections to traditional publishers but every one of them started off as a “self-publisher” with a first book. I have pretty … More ☛

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Book Design Basics Part 2: Optical Margins, Indents and Periods

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:50 +0000

Part 2 of Fundamentals of Book Design explores optical margins, paragraph formatting and spaces. Read about margins, layout and leading in Part 1. The self-publishing revolution is (aside from the Internet) the greatest thing ever to happen to freedom of … More ☛

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Self-Publishers Should Not Be Self-Editors

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:49 +0000

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)!

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:48 +0000

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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Many Unhappy Returns – Think Outside the Bookstore

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:47 +0000

If you’re hoping to have mainstream bookstore distribution, using a Vanity Press may present some obstacles. Book buyers will likely tell you, “your book may be excellent, but you’re using a Vanity Publisher and the vast majority of their books … More ☛

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Speakipedia Podcast #7: Kelly Swanson

Dave Bricker — Tue, 28 May 2024 12:00:35 +0000

Transcript Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛

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Kelly Swanson appeared first on Speakipedia.

Jazz and the Dangerous Magic of Creative Flow

Dave Bricker — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:01:49 +0000

Perhaps you’ve experienced flow writing. You sit down, watch your fingers tap away at the keyboard, and wonder, Where did that come from? Did I write that? That’s really good! Sometimes the experience of flow can be as simple and … More ☛

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