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Blog

House Style Guide 101

June 19, 2023 1 Comment

The house style guide is a house’s preferred style and is unique to each publishing house. In other words, it is where a house shows its deviation from the style manual of choice, i.e., though a house may follow CMS, the house may not use some particular suggestions within it.

They are important because the guidelines in the house style guide overrule the style manual. Therefore, to properly edit a piece in the style desired by the house, the house style guide is necessary.

The publishing house may supply you with the house style guide when sending you the editing project, or you will need to request it from the publisher.

When you gain a new client, what do you always look up in a house style guide?

 

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 three books.

 

Categories: Style Manuals

Book Review: To Kingdom Come

June 16, 2023 1 Comment

To Kingdom Come

Author: Claudia Riess

Amateur sleuths, Erika Shawn-Wheatley and Harrison Wheatley, are at it again! Erika, an art magazine editor, and Harrison, an art history professor, are in a Zoom meeting of individuals whose goal is to return African art looted during the colonial era. Olivia Chatham, a math instructor at London University, is speaking about a journal penned by her great-granduncle, Andrew Barrett, an active member of the Royal Army Medical Service during England’s 1897 “punitive expedition” launched against the Kingdom of Benin.

Olivia is about to disclose the task she hopes the sleuthing duo will accept when the proceedings are disrupted by unusual movement. Frozen disbelief erupts into a frenzy of calls for help as the group watches the murder of Timothy Thorpe, assistant curator of the British Museum, — witnesses to the brutal murder who can do nothing because they are on the other end of a worldwide conversation.

The opening pages are well written, with the scenes moving along vividly. The Zoom call was described with great detail, and the conversation among the guests flowed well. Then, the murder. It happened so quickly and within the same seamlessness without any buildup, leading to that paragraph needing to be read again.

While this is book fourth in the series, it is not necessary to have read the other books first. (The previous books in the series reveal how the couple grows and develops in their relationship.) Erika and Harrison are now married with an infant son. The interactions between the couple can be felt — they still act like newlyweds. The love scenes are vivid enough to show their love for one another without being too graphic. And in the scenes with their infant son, Erika’s love changes to that of motherly love. The author does an excellent job at describing both types of love.

Even as the couple begins to study the Barrett journal, the reader can feel the couple’s interest in going on another adventure. To bring some lightheartedness into the scene, Jake, Harrison and Erika’s chocolate Lab, requests a belly rub before resigning himself to the desk’s knee hole.

The author does well introducing more about Andrew Barrett through three journal entries, and separating the entries with conversations and note-taking by Erika and Harrison. The prologue was a scene from 1897 with Andrew Barrett discovering his first Benin treasure, and the first journal entry shows him having a handful of the treasures. Claudia Riess did an excellent job of intertwining the prologue with the information in the journal entries so that the reader can get to know Andrew Barrett better, as the second journal entry shows Andrew being infatuated with the barrister’s daughter.

This book is extremely well written, with scenes being created vividly and interactions occurring effortlessly. This author is gifted in storytelling. It was difficult to put this book down.

Categories: Book Reviews, Member Benefits

Member Benefit: Newsletters

June 9, 2023 Post a comment

Member Benefit #4

The Member’s Edge is a monthly newsletter for NAIWE members that equips them to take advantage of their member benefits. It features NAIWE experts and grammar articles. From the Expert is a monthly newsletter for NAIWE members that educates them on a specific Board of Expert member’s expertise.

 

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

Categories: Member Benefits

Laura Pennington Briggs, NAIWE’s Business of Writing Expert

June 2, 2023 Post a comment

We wanted to get to know Laura Pennington Briggs (NAIWE’s Business of Writing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.

Why spend our valuable time on marketing in the good times?

Too many freelancers live in feast-or-famine mode. They wrap up a big project or series of jobs and realize they have nothing on the books. This causes unnecessary stress. There are marketing tasks you can do that take very little energy and time, and they will keep your name out there to help prevent the feast-or-famine mode so you’re not continually starting from scratch.

 

Do you have a unique suggestion of a marketing tip?

Never underestimate the power of past clients. Sometimes people forget their good experience with us or forget our names and just need a good reminder we’re out there. I always start by reaching out to past clients when I need to drum up business quickly.

 

What macros do you have set up to make marketing easier and more efficient?

I use template pitches with links to my work focused on each aspect of my business. For example, I have separate digital marketing, project management, editing, and content writing pitches and work links to make it easy to send what I need when I need it.

——————

Marketing is often overwhelming and ignored by freelancers until they finish a big project or lose a client and realize they have nothing lined up. In this webinar, freelancers will learn the importance of the statement “always be marketing” and how to make it an easy, consistent lift for your freelance brand. Discover how to find your highest-value marketing activities, schedule them, and consistently build a warm pipeline of work.

You can join in this conversation on June 22, at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on effective marketing practices. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!

 

Laura Pennington Briggs is the founder and CEO of the Freelance Coach. A two-time TEDx speaker on how freelancing is changing the economy and the host of the weekly Advanced Freelancing podcast, Laura has helped over 15,000 freelancers start and scale their business. She’s an expert on systems, project and client management, marketing a solopreneur business, delegating to team members, retainers, and developing multiple income streams for writers of all stripes. Laura is the author of five books, including the Six Figure Freelancer and How to Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business. She’s also the founder of Operation Freelance, a national nonprofit providing free entrepreneurship training to military spouses worldwide.

Categories: Board of Experts, Events, Professional Development

Days to Celebrate in June

May 26, 2023 Post a comment

June 1: National Say Something Nice Day. Make the day pleasant for someone today by saying something nice.

June 2: National Leave the Office Early Day. This day is an incentive to many who often work more than 40 hours each week.

June 3. National Repeat Day. Take this opportunity to repeat something you needed or wanted to do again.

June 6: National Higher Education Day. Spend a moment educating or inspiring others who are interested in pursuing a similar career.

June 10: National Ballpoint Pen Day. Write a client a note today with a ballpoint pen to commemorate the patent filing on June 10, 1943.

June 11: National Making Life Beautiful Day. Celebrate those who make life beautiful through their words.

June 13: National Random Acts of Light Day. Bring light to a colleague by sharing some encouraging words.

June 21: National Selfie Day. Take some selfies that show you are balancing work-life activities.

June 30: Social Media Day. Post on all of your social media accounts today, letting potential clients know you are available for hire.

Categories: National Days

Book Review: Murder at the Zoo

May 19, 2023 1 Comment

In the cool air of autumn, the big, small town of Albuquerque is heating up! Bodies are piling up at the zoo — both inside and outside of the lion enclosure. Murder mystery lover in her spare time, and full-time zoo veterinarian, Miranda Scott finds herself in the middle of this deepening mystery. With a mobster for a godfather, and a father who has lots of secrets and gangster friends, Miranda begins to wonder if she might be the next victim. Can the voices in her head — Agatha, Raymond, and Sherlock — the handsome detective who’s smitten by her, or her mobster uncles help her solve the mystery before the animals she loves devour her?

If you love murder mysteries and animals, you’ll be captivated by Marcia Rosen’s latest book, Murder at the Zoo. Get ready to stay up late — brew a pot of coffee or open a bottle of wine — because you won’t be able to put this one down!

 

Elizabeth Belasco, PhD

Murder Mystery Lover, Animal Lover, aka the DogEaredGhostwriter!

Categories: Book Reviews, Member Benefits

NAIWE Making a Difference

May 17, 2023 Post a comment

NAIWE is always coming out with new on-demand training!

We are doing this to help you learn about new services you can offer to further expand your multiple streams of income. Whether it be fiction writing, nonfiction writing, journalism, proofreading, editing, designing, or more, we are working to expand your toolbox.

A new webinar that just became available earlier this year is Publishing Demystified, presented by NAIWE’s Fiction Expert Karin Beery.

NAIWE benefit partners have even led webinars to assist publishing professionals with new software and resources to increase member productivity and improve member skills. (And these webinars are FREE to NAIWE members!)

What on-demand training have you benefited from recently? What topic would you like to see covered in an upcoming training?

 

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 three books.

 

Categories: News

Member Benefit: Blog

May 12, 2023 1 Comment

Member Benefit #3

A feature of your NAIWE website is a blog where you can reach out to readers and potential clients with business breakthroughs, new books published, speaking engagements, articles, tips, news, resources, and more! Every time you post on your NAIWE blog, NAIWE will re-post it on its social media accounts, expanding your reach even further! You can also look at the NAIWE Member Activity Feed to see how other members are using their member blogs.

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

Categories: Member Benefits

Leslie Truex, NAIWE’s Author Representation Expert

May 5, 2023 Post a comment

We wanted to get to know Leslie Truex (NAIWE’s Author Representation Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.

What is a literary agent?

A literary agent helps authors sell their books to publishers — that’s the short answer. Literary agents usually help authors get the manuscript ready for submission (many will edit and work with the author on the manuscript before it’s sent off to publishers), review the contract to try and get the best terms, mediate between author and editor when needed, help keep the authors on track so they don’t miss deadlines or necessary work publishers need, etc. Agents stay up-to-date on what’s going on such as what editor isn’t answering email as quickly, where editors have moved to, what editors are now looking for (they change their minds a lot), and more.

 

Do most authors work with literary agents?

Today, most, but not all, traditionally published authors in the big 5 will have a literary agent. Smaller presses often take nonagented work, but the author needs to understand contracts. Some contracts are bad and an author can commit all their future work to a press if they don’t know what they’re signing (I’ve seen some bad contracts!).

Of course, indie authors don’t have agents for their manuscripts, but some use agents to sell other rights, such as audio or foreign rights to their indie works.

 

What role does a literary agent play in the submission process?

Literary agents prepare the submission based on what editors want (e.g., query, synopsis or proposal, manuscript). Before submission, agents work with the author to make sure the manuscript is its best based on what agents know editors are looking for. Agents usually submit in batches, which allow for edits if the feedback suggests it. I submit to the big five publishers first, but agents can only submit to one imprint in a big 5 at a time (so if a publisher has two imprints that would work for my book, I can only submit to one). After big 5 imprints are exhausted, if there isn’t a sale, agents send to mid-size and smaller presses. Agents submit the package to the editors and correspond with them. If they ask for the full manuscript, agents send it. If they make an offer, agents get in touch with the author and contact all other publishers that have the manuscript to let them know an offer is in and give them a deadline for responding.

If the author likes the deal, agents review the contract and talk to the author about it. Once the negotiation is done and the contract is signed, the author works with the editor directly, but agents like to stay in the loop to help the author through the process.

Advances (if any) and royalties go to the agent and are then distributed to the author.

——————

Learn how to set your book submission apart from the hundreds . . . even thousands . . . agents receive a year. In this workshop you’ll learn:

  • How to get your manuscript ready for submission
  • Additional materials you need to prepare for submission
  • Where to find and choose agents to submit to
  • Pet peeves of agents and how to avoid them
  • What to expect when working with an agent

You can join in this conversation on May 17, at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on the role of the literary agent. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!

 

Leslie Truex is a literary agent with Blue Ridge Literary Agency and an author coach. She began her writing career by accident after starting a career website in 1998 that resulted in a freelance writing career and two traditionally published nonfiction books. However, Leslie’s passion lies in writing fiction. She is the author of a dozen romance and mystery novels using a pen name. Leslie enjoys sharing her insights and experiences to help emerging authors get their books published. She also supports authors through her online community for romance writers and coaching to both fiction and nonfiction authors. Leslie has spoken and provided workshops as an author and agent at a host of events, including The Virginia Festival of the Book, Malice Domestic, Maryland Writers Association, The Virginia Writers Club, as an adjunct at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and more, and she is the former president of The Virginia Writers Club.

Categories: Board of Experts, Events, Professional Development

Member of the Month: William Butler

May 1, 2023 Post a comment

Today’s podcast episode is a Member of the Month episode, where we get to know one of our fellow NAIWE members.

Our guest today is William Butler.

William Butler, an honor student at Syracuse University, a former successful technology executive, built two BI startups and is now an author and speaker. He wrote two nonfiction Amazon #1 bestsellers: Highway to Homelessness: Road to Recovery and Navigate the Medical Maze. He was raised in Fayetteville, New York, and now resides in Westboro, Massachusetts. William Butler is a second-degree black belt, and his son is a producer in Hollywood.

 

Q: Please share a little of your professional history with our readers.

My name is William Reiley Butler, I was raised in Fayetteville, New York, and graduated from Syracuse University. I have one son, Billy, who is a producer in Hollywood. I am happy to say I had a good career selling IBM computers, built up two high-tech companies, and sold business intelligence software until retired. Four years after retirement, I began to write.

 

Q: How and when did you make this business a reality?

In 2018, I finished my first book. The business became a reality when I published my second book (Navigate the Medical Maze), which became a #1 Amazon bestseller, so I started my company Life’s Realities LLC. At that point in 2020 and 2021, the business became reality when my 3rd book (Highway to Homelessness: Road to Recovery) became a #1 Amazon bestseller.

 

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?

Some experts say that writing about your experiences in a book is the best way to start writing nonfiction, which encouraged me to do just that. Reader feedback lets me know what people had their lives around. The last two books are about real people, events, and places. Just last week, I received an email from a man named Dave, who said that in my blog an alcoholic brain can become normal along with the body features. He stopped drinking, his normal skin color returned, and spider veins disappeared. The lesson learned is that I can help individuals by letting them know that they are not alone and with better choices can improve their lives.

Categories: Member Benefits, Member of the Month, The Freelance Life Podcast

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Days to Celebrate in July

June 27, 2025

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June 20, 2025

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

June 13, 2025

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