National Association of Independent Writers & Editors
Facebook Instagram Linkedin

Search

SubscribeLogin

Blog

Member Benefit: Discount on Geoff Hart’s Write Faster with Your Word Processor

Post a comment

Member Benefit #30

Write faster with your word processor! Whether you’ve been using your word processor for years, or have just begun to learn a new program, it’s easy to fall into the trap of complacency and accept a basic skill level. But whether you write for pleasure or write for a living, you should be spending more time writing and less time figuring out how to use the tools. In Write Faster with Your Word Processor, Geoff will teach you how to use your software more effectively—both the tools you’ve used previously and new tools you haven’t yet tried. The skills apply equally well whether you write fiction or nonfiction. Although Geoff will use Microsoft Word 2019 to make the explanations more concrete, the same approach will work equally well with any word processor.

NAIWE members receive 21% off the print book or 33% off the e-book!

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

Days to Celebrate in August

Post a comment

August: National Wellness Month. This month focuses on self-care, managing stress, and promoting healthy routines.

August 3: National Play Outside Day. This is a day to spend a few extra minutes outside, enjoying the fresh air.

August 5: National Work Like a Dog Day. This is a day to pay attention to how hard you are working.

August 4-10: Simplify Your Life Week. This week was dedicated to be an encouragement to refocus your life and declutter. A suggestion is to eliminate things that cause stress or anxiety.

August 8: National Happiness Happens Day. Happiness is a choice. It is not a destination, but a life-long pursuit.

August 8: National Dollar Day. This day commemorates the day Congress established the U.S. monetary system in 1786.

August 9: National Book Lovers Day. A day for those who love to read to find a favorite reading place and settle in with a good book.

August 10: National Lazy Day. Nearing the end of summer, we all need a day to just kick back and do very little.

August 15: National Relaxation Day. Take this day to slow down, unwind, and relax!

August 25-31: Be Kind to Humankind Week. This is a week when we can make a difference in someone’s life by being kind to them.

August 27: National Just Because Day. This is a day to do something unexpected for another (or even for yourself) just because!

Go Further with NAIWE!

Post a comment

NAIWE members are freelancers, and freelancers are small businesses. Being associated with NAIWE gives our members buying power because our members have access to discounts on many products and services that are beneficial to those in the publishing industry.

Plus, we are always reaching out to our members to find out which products and services they would like to see added to the NAIWE Benefit Partner program!

 

April Michelle Davis, NAIWE Executive Director

April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.

She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.

Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).

April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published four books.

Book Review: Saint Bloodbath

Post a comment

2024 NAIWE Narrative Nonfiction Winner

 

Author: Frederick Douglass Reynolds

Police detectives’ cases are often entangled with drug abuse, gang violence, homelessness, and even death. One years-long homicide case that stands out for two detectives begins in California in 2008 when five people in a homeless encampment were murdered on the same night.

This account hits on areas of the victims’ lives leading to their deaths: one was sought out for his involvement in the gang culture of drugs and four were just in the wrong place that dreadful night and witnessed a murder. And then there was a sixth murder in the desert many miles away that again was connected to the gang culture of drugs with the ultimate price of death. Within the world of a jailhouse, these murders were used as bragging rights to gain status and to convict.

Written like a story, Saint Bloodbath brings the reader in the scene, allowing the reader to better understand the situations of homeless people and gang members and why they make the choices they do.

Frederick Douglass Reynolds, the author and a retired L.A. County Sheriff’s Homicide Sergeant, is a gifted writer with a vast array of personal experiences to describe with his pen. Saint Bloodbath is an excellent read based on true events that will make you question the humanity of some.

Congratulations, Frederick Douglass Reynolds’s Saint Bloodbath for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

Member Benefit: Discount on Geoff Hart’s Effective Onscreen Editing

Post a comment

Member Benefit #29

Most editors must now edit manuscripts on the screen (“onscreen editing”). Though the editing skills remain the same, transferring them into a word processor can be challenging. For editors who are already editing on the screen, the book will teach you the skills you need to greatly increase your editing speed and accuracy based on Hart’s more than 30 years of experience as an editor and as a mentor for other editors, improved by incorporating feedback from students who have taken his courses on onscreen editing. To make the editing strategies concrete, the book uses Microsoft Word 2016 for both Windows and the Macintosh to show how to implement these principles. The information is provided in small chunks, designed for easy reading and browsing. You can dip into the book to solve a specific problem, or read it a chapter at a time to increase your mastery of the art of onscreen editing.

NAIWE members receive 22% off the print book or 25% off the e-book!

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

Days to Celebrate in July

Post a comment

July 4: Independence Day. The day after the first anniversary of American independence, John Adams wrote a letter to his daughter Abigail about the celebrations that occurred in Philadelphia. Take a moment to reflect and write a letter about how your town celebrates this holiday.

July 5: National Play Outside Day. Spend a few minutes outside today enjoying the beauty and the fresh air.

July 5: National Workaholics Day. Work isn’t everything! Use this day as a reminder to have a proper work-life balance.

July 12: National Simplicity Day. Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817. Thoreau was an advocate for living a life of simplicity. In our busy lifestyles, National Simplicity Day is the time to take a step back and begin to simplify our lives. One can start by decluttering and striving for balance.

July 15: National Give Something Away Day. In the United States, giving is on the rise. What can you give to your clients or to the publishing industry?

July 17. World Emoji Day. Emojis are images that express, similar to emoticons (emotions + icons) that are produced from an arrangement of keyboard characters.

July 17: Get to Know Your Customers Day. When businesses get to know your customers, you also get to know more about your need to grow. Reach out to your patrons and get to know them better.

July 19: National Play Day. Summer is in full swing, and today is a great day to to unleash your inner child, spark your creativity, and learn why play is an important part of living a happy life.

July 19: National Words with Friends Day. People have always challenged each other with word puzzles and games. Honor the intellectual spirit and camaraderie that come with playing word games.

July 19: Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day. Created by author and motivational speaker Martha J. Ross-Rodgers, this day is intended for all to let go of the past and live for the present. Make a list of your business regrets and then throw it away and live for today.

July 21: National Be Someone Day. Through your business, be someone who betters a child’s life.

July 25: National System Administrator Appreciation Day. Show appreciation to your IT professional.

July 26: National All or Nothing Day. Throw caution in the wind and go for broke. What is one business challenge that you would like to overcome?

NAIWE.org! The New NAIWE Website Is Live!

Post a comment

I am so excited to tell you that our new website is now live! When you visit the site, you may not immediately notice a difference. However, our new website is NAIWE.org! We are no longer NAIWE.com.

What does this mean to you? For members, the new membership database has been designed with you in mind, making it easier to locate and update your personal information. It will also generate renewal notifications on a timely basis.

With a major move, like this, some things will change such as how members can access their NAIWE membership information. I will work on making videos to assist you with managing your NAIWE membership, and the videos will be located in the Member’s Area.

As you use the new website, I want to know about your experiences, good and bad — along with your questions or issues.

However, if you type NAIWE.com, no worries, as you will automatically be redirected to our new website. Happy surfing!

 

April Michelle Davis, NAIWE Executive Director

April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.

She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.

Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).

April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published four books.

Member Benefit: Discount on Fictionary’s An Insider’s View of Story Editing Course

Post a comment

Member Benefit #28

Thirteen professional story editors edited the same novel. Each editor worked separately in Fictionary StoryCoach. This course compares their edits and shows you what worked and what didn’t. You’ll see actual examples of edits. It will also show you a scene before and after revisions were done based on the edits. If you want to elevate your skills as a story editor, this course shows you how Fictionary Certified StoryCoach editors work. You’ll know what you need to deliver to a client to help them tell a powerful story. If you’re a writer looking to hire a professional story editor, this course shows you what you should receive from a story editor. If you want to self-edit your novel, this course shows you where to start.

NAIWE members receive 60% off the course!

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

Book Review: Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper

Post a comment

2024 NAIWE Young Adult Winner

 

Author: Gary Natoli

Elizabeth “Lizard” Larson is a 14-year-old girl who discovers she has power, which could be connected to her parents’ development of a time machine. From normal teenager to time manipulator, Lizard finds herself the target of those who want to use her time-stopping ability for sinister purposes. Lizard is forced to learn about her new power, but also about her new enemy and about how to be a more independent leader on an unexpected adventure.

Author Gary Natoli writes with time manipulation from the very beginning. Rather than beginning the novel with chapter 1, or even with a preface, he begins with chapter 0—the time before time. “I led myself to believe I had all the time in the world. Ironic…time is actually catching up with me. . . . Please don’t let history bury me.”

Natoli writes in a manner that young adults can relate to. School. Dreaded subjects. Science experiments not working. The visuals he creates with words are exquisite! Natoli uses his storytelling skills to provide enough detail for the reader to visualize the scenes, but to leave enough out so that the reader’s mind can fill in the rest. A stimulating combination!

Congratulations, Gary Natoli’s Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

Book Review: Vampire Grooms and Spectre Brides

Post a comment

Vampire Grooms and Spectre Brides

Author: Tyler Tichelaar

 

Culture can be seen through many outputs within a society. And while many once believed that culture stopped at a country’s barriers, this excellent analysis shows otherwise.

In the nineteenth century, the French and the British shared their culture through their tellings, retellings, and translations of their gothic literature. While the Gothic Golden Age began in France with three prominent authors, it led to a second Gothic Golden Age in Great Britain, and then bounced back to France, lending to an even richer time in gothic literature.

Vampire Grooms and Spectre Brides offers the context needed to better understand how some gothic literature of that time gained in notoriety, while others were lost in the shuffle and translations of the time.

Tyler Tichelaar focuses his analysis on some widely known novels and essays, but also on some stories that may only be known by a gothic-reader enthusiast. Tichelaar analyzes the popular authors and tracks how their works became famous, whether it be through an aspect of their writing or the usage of a particular gothic element. He also mentions other writers who were influenced by the authors and others who penned works using the influencer’s name or the title of the original work.

Vampire Grooms and Spectre Brides is a great analysis on the works that were written during the nineteenth century and how they affected the culture of their own, but also other, countries.

Latest Posts

Member Benefit: Discount on Geoff Hart’s Write Faster with Your Word Processor

August 8, 2025

Days to Celebrate in August

July 25, 2025

Go Further with NAIWE!

July 18, 2025

Book Review: Saint Bloodbath

July 14, 2025

Member Benefit: Discount on Geoff Hart’s Effective Onscreen Editing

July 11, 2025

Days to Celebrate in July

June 27, 2025

Contact Us

Facebook Instagram Linkedin