Category Archives: structuring nonfiction
The Most Cost-Effective Way to Get Your Book Edited
Thinking of self-publishing? Should you choose the editing or editorial evaluation package from the self-publishing arm of a publisher, or from self-publishing houses such as Xlibris and Author Solutions? As a former in-house acquisitions editor at HarperCollins, a current ghostwriter … Continue reading
Filed under book editing, book publishing, book publishing tips, developmental editing, developmental editor, editing a self-published book, editing techniques, finding an editor, grammar, hire a freelance editor for your book, hiring a developmental editor, hiring an editor, how to write a book, rules for submitting book proposal, self-publishing, structuring nonfiction, styling your manuscript, successful book proposal, write a bestseller, writing a book, writing critiques, writing memoir, writing self-help, writing your story
Lessons for Aspiring Self-Help Book Authors: What NOT to Do to Your Brand!
As part of my research for a book proposal I’m working on, I’ve been looking at a bestselling self-help book that was recently featured on Oprah’s show. I see from the acknowledgements that I know the acquiring editor well; she … Continue reading
Filed under bestseller, bestselling author, book length, book publishing, book publishing economics, book publishing revenue models, chapters, eReader, frontlist books, grammar, headers, listen to the customer, Oprah, pricing your book, sales book, sales of books, self-help books, structuring nonfiction, write a bestseller
Hire a Ghostwriter to Write Your Book? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself
You’ve dreamed about writing a book someday. You believe you have a story inside you that will amaze and inspire people. You’ve tried to write it down, and have sketched out some ideas here and there. Maybe you have notebooks … Continue reading
Filed under book publishing, chapters, developmental editing, developmental editor, finding an editor, ghostwriter, ghostwriting, ghostwriting techniques, hiring a developmental editor, hiring a professional ghostwriter, hiring an editor, how to write a book, liability issues in a book, structuring nonfiction, writing a book
The Word on Word Count and Length
How do you determine word count and length for a book and its chapters? First, study other successful (key word: successful!) books in your genre to discover what length they are. For example, a typical self-help book is between 60,000 … Continue reading
How to Cut and Paste to Organize a Rough Chapter
I do this type of rough cut-and-paste, old-school editing when I ghostwrite or whenever I work on a chapter that’s in really rough condition. Check it out!
Do you have headers in your nonfiction manuscript?
If you’re writing a nonfiction book other than a memoir, you’ll need to break up your text with headers. Good headers are like signs on the highway that reassure you that you’re going in the right direction (“Chicago/O’Hare”), orient you … Continue reading