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5 Unique Gift Ideas for Writers

October 25, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

It may seem early to bring up Christmas, but it’s only two months away so this is the perfect time to start planning your shopping list.

There are some pretty standard gift for writers that never fail—Amazon gift cards, journals, pens, subscriptions to Writer’s Digest. But what if you want to buy something different?

Here are five fun options for the writer in your life:

  1. A gel seat cushion. Writers spend a lot of time sitting. Make it easier and more comfortable with a high-quality seat cushion.
  2. An ergonomic keyboard. Wrist and arm problems are actually an issue for writers. Help alleviate that with a keyboard that takes the stress off.
  3. Coffee shop card. Even the most introverted writers like to get out of the house occasionally. Make it easier on them with a gift card to their favorite coffee shop.
  4. Noise cancelling headphones. A little more expensive than the other gift ideas but well worth the investment, these will make it easier to write during those trips to the coffee shop.
  5. Membership fees. Whether your writer is a novelist or a journalist, there’s a professional organization out there whose membership will benefit your writer.

If you have any other gift ideas—or you’ve received something that really wowed you—let us know!

Are you interested in learning more? Would you like to receive tips and special offers sent directly to your inbox? Sign up for my newsletter today, and receive your FREE copy of Simple Tips for Finding the Right Editor!

Filed Under: best practices, resources Tagged With: gift ideas, resources, writing resources, writing tools

Book Review: Letters to a Young Writer by Colum McCann (submitted by Tara Ross)

February 18, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

On a trip to New York City, I located a signed copy of Letters to a Young Writer, by Colum McCann, in the craft section of Strand bookstore. I had no intention on purchasing it. I had come to this store with a short list of recommended titles for writing – many classics in their own right – but for whatever reason I decided to purchase this book instead. As I perused his introduction, I became sucked into the first essay and floated, almost unaware, to the check out.

I won’t make you read to the end to share my summative opinion. Letters to A Young Writer should be a staple for any writer – young or old. It should receive a prominent home on your desk top where it will act like an MFA writing coach for a significantly lower price tag.  But here are my cautions before you find yourself floating to the virtual checkout.  

Caution #1: Read this book slowly. Relish in each new revelation before proceeding.

Letters to a Young Writer is a collection of essays steeped in wisdom and lyrical mastery. Beautiful succinct prose is an indulgence, but when paired with practical lessons it becomes addictive. Each one of his letters could fill you with enough inspiration to last the week. If you cannot resist reading the whole compilation in that period of time be prepared for a toxic overdose of new ideas, only curtailed by illegible sticky note summaries and tissue paper bookmarks.

Caution #2: Do not make this your only craft book on writing.

This is not a how-to manual for writing novels or poetry. Practical topics, such as first and last lines, and creating memorable characters are highlighted, but in a way that challenges you to think deeper than craft. McCann pushes you to the purpose and passion behind the craft. Each letter acts as a moral check-point on why you choose to write, and reminds you through mini pep talks about why you need to write.

Caution #3: If you are heading towards a mid-life writing crisis, this is still the book for you.

It is a gift to show others that, within the chaos, there is a message. That message will not be shared unless you are passionate enough to struggle through the internal voices that say you can’t or shouldn’t.  Writers need these pep-talks to be reminded of why we want to improve- not just for ourselves, but for the one or hundreds of people who will read our words. McCann encourages – no demands – that you not give up or become stagnant in your goals.

To McCann, I want to say thank you. For igniting a fire. For pushing us past the uncertainty. For fueling a passion to express an imagined world that is yet to exist- a world that can only exist through the experiences and words we dare to create.

For young writers who are daring to jump into the fire, I challenge you to read this book. You will not regret it and may find yourself leaping ahead with renewed passion and vision. 

To learn more about Tara Ross check out her blog www.hopeprose.com, where she shares book reviews, inspired quotes, and her thoughts on how today’s youth and young at heart can stream beautiful light into a sometimes messed up world. Her debut contemporary YA novel will be published through IlluminateYA (An imprint of LPC). Sign up for her quarterly newsletters to find out more. 

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, Colum McCann, Tara Ross, writing tips, writing tools

Continuing Education: A Writer’s Best Friend

February 4, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

After more than a decade in the publishing industry—writing, editing, and now working for a publisher—I’m still learning. If you’re hoping to publish and sell your book manuscript, you need to be learning too.

Publishing a book involves more than simply writing a book, especially in our current state of the anyone-can-publish-anything-on-Amazon market. If you want to set yourself apart (e.g. if you want to sell more copies of your book), then you need to learn everything you can about every aspect of the industry. Then go back and do it again.

Right now I’m re-reading Plot Versus Character by Jeff Gerke. I recommend it to many of my clients and authors because I read it years ago and it changed my approach to characterization. But recently I wanted to reference something from it for an author and I couldn’t remember where to find it (or if it had even come from that book). That’s why I’m reading it again, and I’m learning just as much this time as I did the first. When I finish this book, I’m planning to re-read Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie Browne and Dave King.

I’m not only re-learning, though. Later this year I’ll be attending the Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference as a faculty member. My primary goal is to meet writers and take pitches for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolina’s women’s fiction, historical romance, and western imprints, but I plan on learning while I’m there. I applied for and have been accepted into the Professional Writers Track, taught by Randy Ingermanson and James Rubart. Just because I’m there to help others advance their writing careers doesn’t mean I shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to advance my own.

I realize not everyone can afford to attend a writer’s conference, and not everyone has the time to read (though you shouldn’t be writing if you aren’t reading, but that’s another topic for another time). That’s why I strive to share helpful writing and editing tips on this blog. Don’t let time or money prevent you from learning. Hone your skills one blog post at a time. Just don’t stop learning!

What’s your biggest struggle right now—plot development, attracting an agent, book sales? Leave a comment below, and we’ll get you some suggestions and recommendations to help you out!

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!

Filed Under: best practices, publishing, writing Tagged With: Jim Rubart, Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference, Randy Ingermanson, writing conferences, writing resources, writing tips, writing tools

Get it Right – Look it Up!

May 23, 2016 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

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(This post originally appeared at KarinBeery.com)

It’s the new year! If you’ve decided to start the new year with a new career and are venturing into the publishing world, welcome! This is a wonderfully challenging, rewarding, and sometimes frustrating endeavor, but if you have a passion for the written word it’s worth the effort. If you’re writing for your own pleasure, there are no rules you need to consider as you type. If, however, your goal is publication, there are a few things you may want to consider – your resources.

What most people don’t realize is that the MLA standard you used in high school and college is not the standard used by publishing professionals. Not only are there different guidelines for grammar and punctuation, these guidelines differ between the book and magazine industry. If you want to increase your chances of seeing your works published, it’s important to know industry standards.

For Books:

The Chicago Manual of Style
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

For Articles:

The AP Stylebook
Webster’s New World College Dictionary

It’s important to note that these books are constantly updated, so you’ll need to find the most recent editions. Fortunately, most of them also have online editions to which you can subscribe – for a yearly fee you can access these resources from anywhere.

While these resources blanket book and magazine publishing, there may be some publishing houses with more specific guidelines. For example, many publishers of Christian books refer to the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, and it’s not unheard of for a publisher to have its own publication-specific guidelines. That’s why it’s imperative that you check a publisher’s website for standards and guidelines before you submit anything.

Start the year – and your career – off right by making sure you have the right tools to do your job. Make sure you have these resources so you’re not simply doing your job, you’re doing it well.

Filed Under: copywriting, editing Tagged With: resources, writing tools

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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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Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

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Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

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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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Press Release Tool Kit Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to … [more]

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