Self-Publishing Expo Coming Soon!

Our friends shared this information with us and I thought it might be helpful to some of you.

Ever dreamed of publishing a book? The Self-Publishing Book
Expo can help turn that dream into a reality. The SPBE is an
annual conference that brings together all of the major players in
self-publishing, from authors who are realizing their dreams to the
companies helping them achieve their goals.

This year the SPBE will be held on Saturday, October 22nd at the
Sheraton NY Hotel. It will feature an impressive array of speakers
and panels designed to teach what you need to know to self-
publish your work and help you navigate the waters. Panels on
social networking, pricing, distribution, building websites, and e-
books, to name but a few, are all designed to teach you how to
successfully publish, whether you’ re still considering the idea of
self-publishing or have a book or two under your belt.

Also featured this year will be One-on-One Manuscript
Evaluations where professional editors will sit down with you to
review and assess your work, and What’s My Story, a forum where
you will have the opportunity to pitch your book idea to a stellar
list of agents, editors and publishers.

The Exhibit Hall is free and open to the public and will feature
companies promoting their services an authors exhibiting and
selling their books.

For more information on panels, ticket prices and exhibition fees,
please visit: www.selfpubbookexpo.com

Avoiding the I, Oh and You

By Carol Denbow
When new authors write non-fiction, they will often base their subject matter on personal experiences. One mistake commonly made, is the over use of the word “I” in the beginning of sentences. “I know this because I’ve been there, done that.” Or, “I did it this, or that way.” Over use of “I” can make your work sound self-absorbing; not something you should want to portray to your readers—especially if your plans include a follow-up edition. Try finding other words to begin your sentences, such as, “Having learned my self, I tried it this way, and it seemed to work.”

Another word or “phrase” really, to avoid beginning a sentence with, “Oh, by the way,…” Before you add this to your text, sit back and decide if it is really necessary to make your point. “I went to the grocery store and they don’t have beans. Oh, by the way, they didn’t have rice either.” Instead, how about, “When I went to the grocery store they didn’t have beans or rice.” Play with your sentences and try to hone in on your creativity.

“You should try fishing on the Rouge River.” Sounds a bit like your insisting I do what you ask. How about, “Fishing on the Rouge River is great.” It’s okay to address your reader in a personal manner, but overuse of the same word, such as, “you,” might begin to sound aggressive in tone; try sounding more suggestive rather than forceful.

Over use of any words makes your manuscript sound repetitive and unprofessional. The wonderful thing about this computer age (specifically Thesaurus), is that the dictionary is at our disposal at all times—use it! If you just can’t “find the words,” you certainly should be able to with the help of your writing software.

To complete and publish your own book, read A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story available through AuthorsBox.com, Amazon.com, or wherever fine books are sold.

Visiting editors and writers! Please feel free to correct me or add your own comments on this topic below through the comment link.

Professionally Edit for Better Odds of Manuscript Acceptance

Everyone has their own style of writing. Some develop their writing skills through experience. Others just write from the heart. Either way, when your script is complete, hire an experienced copyeditor to “repair the damages.”

Publishers of all kinds prefer to see a manuscript edited prior to submission. Whether you choose to self-publish, POD, or submit to a traditional publishing house, your manuscript will need to be professionally edited. It’s well worth the time and cost to present a polished manuscript upfront. A traditional publisher will want to know that there isn’t excess “clean up” involved and will not be distracted from your book’s message by bad grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax. At the time of your submission, let the publisher know that your manuscript has been professionally edited. You will stand a better chance of being considered for publishing.

You can help your editor by following some basic guidelines and avoiding some of the common mistakes listed below.

· Format your manuscript using double-spaced Courier New, with one-inch margins. This is how most copyeditors and publishers prefer receiving manuscripts.
· Use one space after periods.
· Italics, bold, and underlined words are more difficult on the readers’ eye, try to avoid overusing them. Instead use stronger words to express a point.
· Be aware of the tendency to overuse the word “that.” See how many you can eliminate without changing the meaning of the sentence.
· Watch for repetition of words and writing patterns. We tend to use the same words over and over, when there are more appropriate synonyms much of the time.
· When referencing other works including statistics, cite all applicable sources either in the text, or in footnotes or endnotes.
· And, just for fun…“Lose” is to win or lose; “loose” is the opposite of tight.

Professional editors charge between $2 and $6 per page. Some charge by the word count. That can cost between $.018 and $.060 per word. It’s possible to get your manuscript edited for a lower price or even for free. Check with local colleges and universities. There may be students willing to work with you to edit your manuscript as part of an extra credit project. Either way, have your manuscript professionally edited.

Carol Denbow is the author of three books and the editor of A Book Inside. Visit Carol’s website at http://www.freewebs.com/authorbox