National Association of Independent Writers & Editors
December: National Write a Business Plan Month. As a freelancer, you are a business owner, so consider writing a business plan this month!
December 26: National Thank-you Note Day. It is a day to get some note cards, paper, pen, envelopes, and stamps to write special thank yous.
December 31: No Interruptions Day. This is a day set aside for getting organized for the new year by cleaning up your workspace without interruptions.
We encourage everyone in the publishing industry to belong to two professional organizations. The first is a large, general, career-building association such as NAIWE, and the second is a smaller craft- or genre-focused association that will help develop additional skills in the minutiae of your craft.
Here at NAIWE, we are serious about helping you succeed. Countless experts list joining a professional association as one of the first things you need to do when you commit to a career, and we want NAIWE to be your career-building association.
Let us know how we can help you further develop your career!
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.
Member Benefit #36
ProWritingAid is the only platform that offers world-class grammar and style checking combined with more in-depth reports to help you strengthen your writing. The unique combination of suggestions, articles, videos, and quizzes makes writing fun and interactive.
There’s a free trial available. NAIWE members receive 25% off subscriptions!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Yateendra Joshi (NAIWE’s Research Paper Expert) better, so last month we sat down with him. Here are some thoughts he shared with us.
Everyone wants to communicate a message; how can design clarify and reinforce the message?
A well-chosen typeface can complement the message; an effective layout can clarify it; and the overall design can entice readers to begin reading a document — before the writer’s prose has had a chance to make an impact on the readers.
What are some ways to make layout more appealing to the eye and be effective across platforms?
By establishing a clear hierarchy of headings that reveals the underlying structure of the document, by choosing the right typeface, and by keeping the design simple.
Is there a rule on how many font sizes can be on a page?
More than two are too many: you can always use other cues such as weight (normal or bold), posture (normal or italics), and color.
——————
Research and academic papers – the mainstay of journals – rarely make easy reading, given the typically dense subject matter, rigid conventions imposed by academic writing, and, let’s face it, unappealing layout and design. Also, the layout and design must work across different platforms and devices: traditional print, HTML (with different browsers), PDF, desktops, laptops, tabs, smartphones. . . .
The design must also take into account how research papers are accessed because rarely are they read from the beginning to the end at a sitting. Readers skim the titles; if any is interesting, the next stop is the abstract, after a glance at the names of authors and their affiliations; if the abstract is promising, then maybe a quick scan of the results — and thus the process continues. A research paper has layers of information, and it is the job of typography and design to make those layers distinct and easy to access.
This webinar touches upon legibility and readability of type, choice and use of fonts, layout of different layers, design of tables, typesetting of references, and so on, illustrated with examples taken from a range of journals.
If you are involved in any way in text-heavy documents, this webinar will be of interest to you. More specifically, this webinar will help you to
You can join in this conversation on November 18, at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on typography and scientific journals. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
November: Family Stories Month. Record or listen to stories from relatives of all ages.
November: National Family Literacy Month. Enjoy some family readings.
November: National Life Writing Month. Write about yourself and your life as you have experienced it thus far.
November: National Novel Writing Month. Use this month to write the first draft of your novel.
November 1: National Author’s Day. Celebrate your favorite authors and the books they have written.
November 1: National Family Literacy Day. Read a book with your family today.
November 2: National Stress Awareness Day. Develop a routine to help you manage your stress.
November 7: Job Action Day. Get the tools and resources to master a new job search and land the career of your dreams!
November 14-18: National Young Readers Week. The focus of the week demonstrates to youth the importance of reading.
November 25: You’re Welcomegiving Day. Share a “You’re welcome” with at least one client today.
November 26: Small Business Saturday. Support your local small businesses.
November 29: Electronic Greetings Day. Send an electronic greeting to each of the clients you haven’t heard from in a while.
November 29: National Day of Giving. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
November 30: Computer Security Day. Help secure your computer by installing and running antivirus software.
The holidays are almost here! Have you thought about how you can package your books in gift sets?
For those who have written a series, that is already a gift set, but how can an author create a gift set if they have published only one book?
A gift set can be created with fellow authors from the same genre. I have seen these done among three or four authors, and the bundles have sold very well!
An author can also create a gift set with items that would be of interest to your reader. For example, a children’s book gift set could include coloring pages, a romance book gift set could include a candle, or a science fiction gift set could include a sketch of the main character.
These gift sets can be used for the upcoming holidays, but they can also be used as special promotional pieces or giveaways.
What are some other creative ways you have found to market your books as gift sets?
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.
Author: Carolyn Haley
Love and romance aren’t for everyone. Linny Eagan thought she had found the love of her life, until she lost him, along with her job and her dream—all in one day.
With a dream of becoming an equestrian champion, but living in an unsupportive household, Linny is finally able to show off her equestrian skills to her parents. However, the day her parents come to watch a local event is the day Linny is in a life-altering accident, convincing her parents that horses are just too dangerous.
Shortly after the accident, Linny is sent off for the summer with her older sister to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to avoid horses and to heal (physically and emotionally), while searching for a new dream, preferably without animals, but definitely on the ground, according to her parents.
The sisters’ host for the summer, Connor Simon Winston, may dream of being an artist, but currently works at Galeson’s stable, taming a wild mare, while waiting to inherit a fortune, and refusing to play professional football or work in the family business.
Though Connor and Linny have opposing dreams, their hearts connect. The two must choose to allow one to sacrifice a dream for the other, go their separate ways, or create a new dream that includes them both.
As a Feathered Quill Book Award winner, Wild Heart is written in the first person through the point of view of Linny Eagan. This allows the reader to feel Linny’s gaps in memory and time. While writing in the first person can lead to a significant amount of telling in a story, the author, Carolyn Haley, has a good sense of the English language to bring the readers into the story. As a professional wordsmith, Haley quickly and easily captures the scenes through the use of the senses. Through Linny’s eyes, the reader can see the surroundings, including the beach, the corral, and even Connor’s physique. It is almost as if the reader is enveloped by Linny, as the reader can also feel Linny’s body quiver, hands shake, and knees weaken.
The author skillfully uses Linny’s injury to assist with transitions in time. For instance, the opening scene with Linny standing next to her sister and not remembering how she got there. Or Linny taking a nap in the afternoon and then sleeping until the next morning, missing dinner and the evening’s activities.
We believe this book is a good read for those with a love of horses and the equestrian life. And because this book is a good reminder of the power of love and the benefits of having both dreams and someone to share them with.
Wild Heart is a well-written book with an excellent story about life, growth, and healing.
Member Benefit #35
PerfectIt helps deliver error-free documents. It improves consistency, ensures quality, saves time, and helps to enforce style guides. PerfectIt is used by thousands of editors around the world because it lets editors control every change, giving you the assurance that documents are the best they can be.
NAIWE members receive 30% off the software, and there’s a free 14-day trial available!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
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 Claudia Riess.
Claudia Riess, a Vassar graduate, has worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston and has edited several art monographs. Her earliest recollections of word-spinning are of her father, an English professor, telling stories at bedtime—funny stories about a little girl and her daddy going on riotous adventures. These were interspersed with lively readings of Winnie the Pooh and Mary Poppins. Other times the two would sit around the kitchen table and discuss Will and Ariel Durant’s The Age of Reason.
Q: Please share a little of your professional history with our readers.
Before I began writing in earnest, I worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston, and edited a number of art history monographs. And for a brief stint, I taught at the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind. I wrote my first novel when I was in my mid-forties: Reclining Nude. I’d categorize it as a psycho-sexual odyssey. An experiment, really, to see if I could suspend my inner censor and write freely about a subject that I otherwise felt rather prudish about. The book was published by Stein and Day and subsequently by houses in the UK and Germany. It was a boost in both my joy of writing and confidence, and yet the determination and discipline required to make writing an occupation remained latent for years. When they finally awaked, I discovered that my earlier experiment had affected my writing ability more broadly than I’d expected. I found that I was able to enter a fictional character’s mind, whether it be that of a woman, a man, a cop, or a killer, without barriers or restraints.
Q: How and when did you make this business a reality?
After the debut-novel hiatus, I self-published Semblance of Guilt, a mystery, followed by Love and Other Hazards, a romance, and Stolen Light, an art suspense. Level Best Books picked up Stolen Light and re-released it in 2019, offering me a three-book contract to create an “art history mystery series.” I was off and running. Last year, I signed another three-book contract to continue the series. The fourth book, To Kingdom Come, was released May 31, 2022.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
To be true to my core values, but open to criticism—including my own! To be as objective as possible when going over a rough draft, and not be possessive of words or phrases or expository ramblings that either don’t add to the story or detract from it. (It takes some bravery to be vulnerable.) To sit down at the computer even when the ideas are not percolating. If I write a bit of dialogue, sometimes it gets the protangonists’, as well as my own, juices flowing.
Q: Are you working on any personal writing projects at this time?
Yes, book five in the series. Pivoting on Monet and his contemporaries, leading to present-day murders. As ever, amateur sleuths, Erika Shawn, art magazine editor, and Harrison Wheatley, art history professor, are in the mix. Their burgeoning romance began in book one. They have since gotten married and now have a toddler son. Although the couple’s relationship continues to evolve (I’m an incurable romantic), each book stands on its own.
Q: Are you working on any special projects you’d like to tell us about?
Back in 2008, when I was the president of Friends of the Westhampton Free Library, I started a K-12 poetry contest for the schools in the library’s community. Even though I’m mostly in Manhattan now, I still try to keep up with the continuing project.
I’m also trying to do what I can to raise awareness in a subject that sparked the idea for To Kingdom Come: the return of art and artifacts looted from African during the colonial period.
Q: What are some of the teachers, books, or authors who have influenced your professional life in a positive way?
Authors that have influenced me indirectly, by inspiring me to hone my skills to the best of my ability: Umberto Eco, with his sheer brilliance, as in The Island of the Day Before. David Mitchell, for his wildly creative and provocative ideas, as in The Bone Clocks. (BTW, a long passage in his Cloud Atlas, “The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavandish,” is the most hilarious writing I’ve ever come across.) Anita Brookner, for her ability to describe the intricacies of the human spirit and the constraints of society. (Also her ability to write three-page sentences that make perfect sense.) Philip Roth, who cuts to heart of the matter—and to the soul—with seeming effortlessness, as in Everyman. It’s not that I want in any way to emulate any of these diverse writers’ styles. It’s just that they stir my desire to write. Much like when you hear beautiful music, you want to sing.
Q: As a seasoned professional, what advice would you offer an independent writer or editor who is just beginning a career?
If you love to write or helping writers perfect their work, never be discouraged. The journey toward achievement is as valuable as its attainment, both for developing your sense of self and for the experience itself. Don’t be afraid to reach out for advice, contact a person or organization you imagine might not be forthcoming. In a word: Network!
Q: What inspires you?
Passionate creativity in all areas—writing, art, music, dance.
Heroic or simple attempts at righting wrongs.
Morality without zealotry.
Q: How has your membership in NAIWE benefited you professionally?
Camaraderie—mostly virtual during the COVID-reclusive period—has been like a shot in the arm at times (no pun intended). The members are very friendly and open, and it’s nice to know like-minded individuals are always there to exchange ideas. Publicity outlets which boost one’s on-line presence are always available, too.
We wanted to get to know Nicole Evelina (NAIWE’s Novel Writing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
What does it mean to you that “everyone has a book in them”?
It’s a common saying and I truly believe most people do have a story they’d like to tell. They just don’t know how to go about it or feel intimidated by the process of writing an entire book. The good news is, you can start small with a short story, blog post, or poem. That may be all you need. If not, your skills will develop over time or you can decide if you want to hire a professional ghostwriter.
What would be a first step to transform corporate skills into creative abilities?
The most important thing is to just start. I would say how is two-fold: 1) get in touch with your inner creative — often the best way to do this is by thinking about what you enjoyed as a child. Did you write poems, stories, read, draw pictures, paint, etc.? Try bringing that back into your life without any pressure to produce. Just do what you enjoy. And 2) study the creative process. You can read books on it, search the internet, or take classes (in person or online). You’ll find that the process itself isn’t all that different from what we do in corporate communications. The key is to remember how much imagination plays a part in any creative pursuit. Anything you can do to stretch your imagination and get it really going again will help. After that, I’d advise joining local or online writing groups. You can learn a ton from those who are actively writing.
Will this feel like a revelation, a transformation, for the newbie?
It could be both. You may realize you have talents you never thought you possessed or your felt the need to repress. When you get back in touch with these talents or discover them, you’ll begin seeing yourself as creative person, an artist, if you will. That can impact every aspect of your life. I’ll give you a personal example. When I went into college, I didn’t think I was creative enough to be a writer. This is why I shied away from creative writing classes (that and I find it hard to write fiction on demand). But I nurtured my creativity in other ways—by writing stories for myself and my friends. Some are so bad that I treasure them. The day I shared one with my English advisor and he told me he thought I had talent was my revelation. The transformation came the more I practiced the elements of good fiction writing like description, dialog, and developing plot and character arcs. The first attempts were terrible, but it didn’t matter; I was doing them just for me. Eventually I realized I had gotten better, to the point that I could sustain longer works and I started to share them with friends and family. My life gradually became more and more about writing until now, when it is about half my day job and half about my writing. As time goes on, I hope to be able to embrace my writing as a full-time career. That path isn’t for everyone, but it is one path transformation can take.
——————
They say everyone has a book in them, or maybe some short stories or poetry. As a corporate communicator, you may have the ability to write but may not feel creative enough to break out of your business-minded mold. Niki Burgdorf, a 20-year veteran of business communication and a USA Today bestselling author who writes under the pen name Nicole Evelina, will show you how to tap into ideas and talents you didn’t know you had. Whether you want to write the next great American novel or just want to learn to be more creative, she will show you how to get started.
You can join in this conversation on October 24, at 7:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on using your day job skills to increase your creativity. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
