Write Now Editing

Meet Book Publishing Professionals in 2019

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Are you looking for an editor for your Bible study? I can help. Would you like an opinion on an early draft of your story? I can help. Is your manuscript ready for publication but you haven’t found a publisher yet? I can help!

Last year, I started several new gigs that have put me in a position to help others navigate the publishing world. In case you missed it, here are the biggest changes:

  1. Christian Editor Connection Coordinator: Whether you write novels or nonfiction, whether you need a developmental edit or proofread, the Christian Editor Connection is a free service that matches you with editors who provide the specific services you need. As Coordinator, I process the requests and test applying editors to make sure all of our editors provide the best level of service.
  2. Write Now Editing—Turning Good Manuscripts Into Great Books: My dream has always been to work in fiction, whether I’m writing or editing it. Last year, I took a step in that direction by cutting “and Copyediting Services” from my business name to focus solely on fiction. My expertise? Substantive edits and critiques.
  3. Guiding Light Women’s Fiction: Venturing onto a path I’d never considered, I started working as Managing Editor for Guiding Light Women’s Fiction, meaning I acquire books for the imprint, then work with the authors through the publication process. It’s a weighty responsibility, but one I’m happy to accept. (For regular updates on the imprint, join our Facebook group!)

All of these changes came with new responsibilities, but they also provide new opportunities. For example, this year I am already scheduled to be on faculty at four writers’ conferences across the country. Now you have the chance to ask me in person for advice on writing, editing, or publishing (and here’s a tip for free—if you want to get your novel published, you need to start attending some conferences). Here’s where you can find me this year and who I’ll be representing:

There’s the potential for at least two more conferences in late-Summer/fall, but this should keep be busy!

If you’re ready to take that next step in your writing journey, consider attending one of these conferences (at the very least, attend any conference near you). Invest in yourself and give yourself an opportunity to meet like-minded people who will support and encourage you along the way (like me!).

What do you like the most about conferences? If you’ve never been to one, what’s holding you back?

My debut novel—Summer Plans and Other Disasters—is now available on Amazon! Sign up for my monthly newsletter and you’ll receive the unpublished prologue: find out what inspired Calista Stephens to make those summer plans. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for writing tips, updates on Guiding Light, and more!

Using Past Goals to Set New Goals

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What are your New Year’s resolutions? Have you set your goals? What’s your “theme” for 2019?

How many times have you heard these questions (or something similar)? It’s pretty common to look ahead when you reach the end of the year, but what if you’re not a planner? Not everyone knows how to set goals (did you even know that there are good and bad ways to set goals?). Instead of setting goals today, let’s take a look at how you can set better goals for yourself this year.

Review your past goals. Before you set new goals, look back to see what goals you’ve set for yourself in the past. As you review them, ask yourself these questions?
a. What goals did you meet?
b. Which goals went unmet?
c. Did you reach all of your goals?
d. How many goals did you fail to achieve?

Use past goals to set new goals. After you’ve reviewed past goals, it’s time to start asking another question – why.
a. Why did you achieve certain goals?
b. Why did you fail to meet other goals?
c. Why were you able to meet all of your goals?
d. Why were you unable to meet all of your goals?

Once you’ve started asking why, it’s time to start applying that knowledge. Here’s what I mean. Suppose you set these goals last year:

  • Finish a first draft.
  • Edit first draft by October 1.
  • Launch a website.
  • Start blogging by July.

You finished your first draft in and got your website up, but you never quite finished editing your draft and you never started blogging. Maybe you don’t do well with hard deadlines. If that’s the case, give yourself more flexibility next year and avoid those specific deadlines. Maybe you reached all of your goals because you underestimated yourself (or you didn’t reach them because you used someone else’s goals without considering what you could actually accomplish).

By now, it doesn’t really matter that you failed or succeeded. The important thing is taking the time to figure out why you succeeded and failed. Once you know that, you can set better goals for yourself.

What other goal-setting tips do you use?

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My debut novel—Summer Plans and Other Disasters—is now available on Amazon! Sign up for my monthly newsletter and you’ll receive the unpublished prologue: find out what inspired Calista Stephens to make those summer plans. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for writing tips, updates on Guiding Light, and more!

Book Review: Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers

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“There is no single component of the writing craft as vital to good fiction, and to developing an artistic voice, as point of view.  The term covers a great deal of ground, but basically boils down to sharing the world of your characters, starting from within.  Writing Deep Viewpoint helps establish a foundation from which a novelist can spread artistic wings and fly.  Highly recommended.” Davis Bunn, NYT bestselling author.

The Key to Great Fiction:

Why is deep viewpoint vital for hooking and holding your readers?
Who is narrating each scene of your story?
What are readers really looking for when they pick up a novel?
Where does the real action of a written story take place?
What are the two most important rules of storytelling?
When should viewpoint be established?

Deep viewpoint can convince your readers that they have become your characters. This powerful writing-craft skill set includes showing instead of telling, maintaining story flow, attributing dialogue effectively, and showing characters interact with convincing antagonists and believable settings.

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It’s as if Kathy Tyers climbed into my computer and grabbed the notes from my clients’ manuscripts, then put them into a book. I couldn’t believe how many times I said, “I tell writers that all the time!” while I read this book.

Tyers is spot-on with her observations about fiction writing today, as well as the issues that pop up most frequently in novels (even the edited ones). It’s not just that she can identify the issues, though; she’s able to explain why they don’t work, then she gives examples of how to make the writing better.

To clarify: many of the “bad” examples that she uses aren’t necessarily bad (and you’ll even see them in published books). It’s that the examples can be strengthened. As I tell my editing clients, these are the writing tips that will turn your good manuscript into a great novel that people can’t wait to pass on and read again.

I absolutely recommend this book. These are the types of practical tips that will help your writing grab the readers’ attention and pull them into the story.

End of the Year Sale — Novel Critiques!

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Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and Cyber Monday are behind us, but the holiday savings aren’t over yet — this December I’m offering 25% off all novel critiques!

What’s a critique? It’s a review of your manuscript without the line-by-line comments and edits. It includes:

  • Overall assessment of the story and writing strengths and weaknesses
  • Comments and suggestions at the end of each chapter
  • Fiction Fliers to explain various fiction-writing techniques (as needed)
  • Recommendations for the next step

When and why should you consider a critique?

  1. When you’re in a hurry. Substantive edits can take 4-6 weeks to complete depending on how much work the manuscript needs and how detailed of an edit you’ve requested. Sometimes, however, you need (or want!) input faster than that. Because a critique is an assessment (not an edit), it usually only takes 1-2 weeks. Perfect for the person who’s looking for tips NOW!
  2. When finances are tight. In an ideal world, every new author would hire a substantive editor before submitting their first manuscript to an agent or publisher. Realistically, however, that edit can cost upwards of $4,000. Not everyone can afford that. That’s where critiques can help — get a professional review, suggestions, tips, and recommendations at a fraction of the cost of a substantive edit!
  3. When you don’t know what you need. Not sure whether or not your book is ready for an edit? Are you wondering if your story is even worth pursuing? Then consider a critique. Not only will you receive comments and suggestions from an industry professional, but you can apply the cost of your critique toward a substantive, developmental, or line edit, when you’re ready.*

From now until the end of the month, anyone who schedules a novel critique for 2019 will receive 25% off the full critique — that’s just $1.50 per page! But don’t wait until that manuscript is done to contact me! Editors’ schedules fill up quickly, including mine. Reserve your spot today to make sure you get on the schedule for your novel critique.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask, and have a very merry Christmas!

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Owner of Write Now Editing, Karin Beery’s passion is fiction. As Managing Editor for Guiding Light Women’s Fiction (an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) and an instructor for the PEN Institute, her goal is the same: to help authors create engaging novels that captivate their audiences. She specializes in substantive fiction edits, helping authors with big-picture issues like characterization, plot holes, and authenticity while also honing fiction-writing techniques, such as showing, point of view, dialogue, and more.

Karin is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of American, and Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network. She is represented by literary agent Steve Hutson at WordWise Media. You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

 

*Manuscripts in which characters, setting, or plot elements are changed will not be eligible to have critique costs applied to edits.

 

 

ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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