book publishing | Write Now Editing

How I Write: Susan K. Stewart

March 7, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Don’t adjust your screen. You are seeing a picture of today’s featured author (and editor) Susan K. Stewart and her donkeys. Why? Because they play an important role in her most recent release!

You can learn more about that at the end of the post, but until you get there, Susan’s going to give us a peek at her writing life and how she’s made a career in the book publishing industry.

Thank you so much for being here! Let’s start with what you write: wow/why did you pick your genre?

I write nonfiction primarily expository writing. Most of my books and articles tend to give instructions or guide the reader. Although I do write devotions and essays also.

My goal had been journalism. My dream was to be Lois Lane. I love chasing the story, uncovering the facts. News writing and raising a family wasn’t compatible for me. So, I moved to magazine articles, then onto books.

How long does it take you to: write the book? Edit it? Finalize it?

I recently pulled a manuscript out of the drawer that I started about fifteen years ago. Will I finally finish and submit it? I’m not sure, but God has led me to take another look.

It doesn’t take me fifteen years to write most books, though. When research and editing time are factored in, two years is not unusual for me to have something ready for publication. One book took less than a year because I used previously published articles and blog posts for the foundation. The research was completed. I need to update some of the information, put it in order, then start the editing process.

If you’ve written multiple books, which was harder: the first book or the following books?

Each book seems to get harder because I’m harder on myself. I look back at that fifteen-year-old manuscript and think, “What terrible writing?” I drive to continue to learn and improve.

What’s your favorite book on writing? What do you like about it?

One? I have to pick one? If I were telling a budding writer who can only have one writing book, it would be Struck and White’s Element of Style. Yes, some of the style has changed in the years since it was written, but the basics of good writing are wrapped up in that tiny volume. If that same person can get two books, the other would be Getting the Words Right: How to Revise, Edit & Rewrite by Theodore A Rees Cheney. It’s a great companion to Elements of Style. I could spend the rest of the interview on all the other books I’ve read and re-read.

What’s your writing day like?

My day begins between 3 and 4 a.m. I homeschooled, so my children were still sleeping, and I could have some quiet. I also found people don’t make phone calls at that early hour. I continue the same practice now.

I start with a cup of coffee and warm up my brain by reading. I do devotional/Bible study reading as well as reading professional books. Then I dive right into writing with my second cup of coffee in hand. After a couple hours at the keyboard, I’m ready to join the rest of the world—have breakfast, read email, and maybe scan the news. My business day is ended by 11 a.m. or noon.

Oh, my! I thought my 6 a.m. start time was good. I’m happy to know that you’re done by noon. 😊 Otherwise, that would be a long day!

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

I’m a bit of both. Having started out writing for a newspaper, I learned to find the facts and write from there. Then go back to verify and edit. I usually start with a skeleton outline. As I research, the outline becomes more detailed. Sometimes I start writing within the outline. This helps guide my research because it’s easy to go off on unrelated trails.

If you’re self-published, why did you decide to go that route? If you’re traditionally published, why did you decide to go that route?

I’ve published both ways. My self-published books are niche. Although they fill a need, the need isn’t big enough for most traditional publishers. My latest book, Donkey Devos: Listen When God Speaks, has been published by a traditional publishing company. The advantage for me is not having to do all the backend work—cover design, formatting, sending to distributors, etc.

If you’ve ever worked with a freelance editor, how did you find that editor? How would you describe the experience?

I wouldn’t publish a book without a professional editor. As a managing editor for a publishing company, I know the value of having a freelance editor before submission. I’ve become friends with my editor, but she’s still tough on me. I think the Christian Editor Connection is the best place to find a good editor.

Susan K. Stewart, Managing Editor with Elk Lake Publishing, teaches, writes, and edits nonfiction. Susan’s passion is to inspire readers with practical, real-world solutions. Her books include Science in the Kitchen, Preschool: At What Cost?, Harried Homeschoolers Handbook, and the award-winning Formatting e-Books for Writers. Her latest book, Donkey Devos: Listen When God Speaks, was released in July 2021. You can learn more at her website www.susankstewart.com.

Click here for a free 2022 Donkey Devos Lent Guide.

Visit Susan and her donkeys at:
Donkey Devo Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DonkeyDevo
Practical Inspirations Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/practicalinspirations
Donkey Whispers Newsletter https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r6s4i5
Pinterest-Donkey Whispers https://www.pinterest.com/susankstewart/donkey-whispers/
Twitter https://twitter.com/susan_stewart
Practical Inspirations https://www.susankstewart.com/

How I Write: Nancy I. Sanders

January 17, 2022 by Karin Beery 2 Comments

Are you still waiting to finish your manuscript before you submit it? Author Nancy I. Sanders has a different approach you might want to take. With more than 100+ published books, you can trust her advice–been there, done that, and now she’s sharing her secrets with us. (Thank you!)

What do you write? How/why did you pick your genre?

I write for children. With over 100 books published, some I write because the topics interest me. Others I write because a publisher is interested in that topic. And others I write because they seem like a good fit in the current market which means there’s a strong possibility a publisher will offer me a contract. That’s why I wrote my newest book, the gold-medal winning Bedtime With Mommy because I felt it was a good fit in the current market. A publisher picked it up just a month after I finished writing it! And it already won a gold medal!

Wow—congratulations! How long does it take you to write the book?

Before I write it, I like to brainstorm ideas for a potential manuscript. Bedtime With Mommy took me about 6 months to brainstorm the idea after reading tons of baby board books and studying publisher’s catalogs for a unique idea to a universal topic. It then took me about a month to write and edit it.

When I wrote The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1,000 Amazing Facts and Photos, it was an assignment so I just had two months of intense research, writing, editing to write the manuscript for that deadline. Plus, I had to recommend all those images, too!

When I wrote my nonfiction biography for middle grade and young adult, Jane Austen for Kids, it took me one day to brainstorm for it. (The idea hit me while reading a Jane Austen novel and I instantly knew it would be a perfect fit for my publisher I already had several titles with.) The editor requested the proposal in one day after receiving my pitch. And then it took me about two and a half years to research and write it. That included traveling to Paris and England and attending a Jane Austen convention in Huntington Beach, CA and taking my own photos for the book. Once it was with the publisher, it took several months of back-and-forth editing before sending it off to the printer.

That sounds like a lot of fun. 😊 How do you combat writer’s block?

The short answer: I create an environment for my brain to enjoy playing with words. The long answer: I teach an entire audio class on this (with lots of handouts!) that’s called GETTING IN THE WRITER’S ZONE. It’s available for just $29 at The Serious Writer Academy.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different?

I’ve learned to plot the entire book from beginning to end even before I start. (I’ve had to do this with numerous publishers who require a proposal with a page-by-page synopsis for a picture book or chapter-by-chapter synopsis for a longer book before the book is written. That’s because like many career writers, I often sign a contract to write the book before the book is written.) But then whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction, picture books or chapter books, I allow myself to take detours as the characters and events demand while they’re coming to life in the first draft. So I do both.

If you’re self-published, why did you decide to go that route?

I’ve self-published my two books on how to write children’s books because I wanted total control of the books including how long they stay in print. Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career is an insider’s peek at the strategies I’ve used to build a successful career as a children’s writer. Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books gives the nuts and bolts of writing for young readers.

If you’re traditionally published, why did you decide to go that route?

I’ve had 100+ books published by traditional publishers because as a career writer, that’s where I earn my solid income through both work-for-hire contracts and royalty contracts.

What’s surprised you the most about the publishing process? That many career writers land a contract before they write their book. It’s not mentioned at writer’s conferences, where they usually just talk about sending in your completed manuscript to try to get a contract for it.

What advice do you have for new authors?

Learn to get published frequently and often by writing for the no-pay/low-pay market such as Sunday School take home papers and children’s magazines. It’s like taking a college course on writing…for free! Also, learn to earn income while you’re writing by signing contracts before you write the book. (I tell how to do this in my first how-to book.) And then always also be working on writing manuscripts that are near and dear to your heart. In other words, always be working on three different manuscripts for three different goals.

What does your revision process look like?

I’m a list person. I make lists of words that support my topic. I make lists of universal themes that tug on every child’s heart. I make lists of funny stuff that makes kids laugh. I make lists of sensory details that fit the background of my story. The list goes on! So after I get my first handwritten draft finished of a paragraph, stanza, scene, or chapter, I type it into the computer. Then I pull out my lists and the fun begins! I plug in a certain number of funny stuff if it’s a humorous book. I plug in a certain number of words that support my topic. I plug in a certain number of sensory details, etc.

Nancy I. Sanders is the bestselling and award-winning children’s author of more than 100 books including the gold-medal winning board book Bedtime with Mommy. Her book The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1000 Amazing Facts and Photos (Zonderkidz, 2017) was co-winner of ECPA’s 2018 Young People’s Literature Award. Jane Austen for Kids (Chicago Review Press, 2019) explores the daily life, faith, and writings of one of the most beloved authors in literature. For more information about Nancy, visit her website at

Website: http://nancyisanders.com
Blogzone (for writers): https://nancyisanders.wordpress.com
Christian Children’s Authors group blog: https://christianchildrensauthors.com/
Write2Ignite group blog: https://write2ignite.com/blog/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancyisanders
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyisanders
Facebook Author’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/NancyI.SandersAuthorPage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyISanders
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancyisanders/
Amazon Author’s Page: www.amazon.com/author/nancysanders
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teacher-Plus-Writer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/95924.Nancy_I_Sanders
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyisanders/

Evaluating Subsidy Publishers by Linda Harris

October 14, 2019 by Karin Beery 2 Comments

When you’re looking to publish a book without a traditional publisher, what’s the best way to go? The answer is that it depends. Are you looking for the least expensive alternative, or are you willing to pay more to get services you would rather not handle yourself?

In the true sense of the word, self-publishing means that the author does all the work. However, not all authors want to go that route. Some need the guidance of a subsidy or hybrid publisher.

Not all subsidy and hybrid publishers are the same, just as not all traditional publishers are the same. Both types of publishers often have different packages authors can purchase. The higher the price, the more you will get. Subsidy publishers usually require a substantial outlay of money at the beginning of the process. Basically, you’re paying them to publish your book for you.

Hybrid publishers often have a combination of services and royalty payments (thus the label “hybrid”). In my experience, subsidy publishers are more expensive than hybrid publishers.

How can you determine which publishers are best? Here are some questions I ask:

How much support do they supply to their authors? How much work do they expect you to do, such as all your own marketing?
Are they selective about what books they accept? Or will they publish anything? Do they require professional editing, either through their company or an independent editor? Those who will publish anything are often called vanity publishers and are happy to take your money without supplying any guidance or support. Avoid these publishers.
Are they listed in The Christian Writer’s Market Guide? While the market guide cautions authors to be careful, I’m sure they avoid listing any publisher that has a bad reputation. The introduction to that section says that, for every author who has a bad experience with a particular publisher, there are others who are satisfied.
Are the books they publish available on Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, and other online book sellers?
Do their books look professional? Telltale signs of unprofessional books are larger type than usual, odd spacing and formatting, and unattractive covers.
Are the costs in line with what other subsidy and hybrid publishers charge? I don’t look at the price as much as the other things. But it can be a factor.

Evaluating these questions can help you choose the right avenue of publishing for you and your book. When you find some publishers that look like they might work for you, contact them and start a conversation about what they can do for you.

Owner of Perfect Word Editing, Linda Harris has been a freelance editor and writer for over 35 years:

Gold member of The Christian PEN (Proofreaders and Editors Network).
Member of The Christian Editor Connection, which requires rigorous testing to qualify.
Instructor for Editing Children’s Books 101 for The PEN Institute.
Certificates in several courses from The PEN Institute, including editing fiction.
Published in Moody Monthly, Guideposts, Psychology for Living, Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse and other publications.
An article published in Home Life, a Southern Baptist magazine, was included in the book How to Write for Christian Magazines, published by Broadman Press (now B&H).
Placed twice in the top 100 of the Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition.
Editor for ten years of The Helping Hand, a Seventh Day Baptist publication, writing and editing over 500 church-school lessons. As part of that position, she worked with the Committee on Uniform Series, both as a member and as a consultant; CUS is the organization that develops the International Bible Lessons for Christian Teaching, used by various denominations and church-school publishers (such as David C. Cook).
Assistant editor for two years at The Kansas Christian newspaper in Topeka, Kansas.
Editorial Director for two years for Springs Writers, a ministry designed to reach writers of all levels in the Colorado Springs area.

Self-Publisher Beware! by Susan K. Stewart

July 22, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Publishing scams have been around as long as publishing. Before the advent of print-on-demand (POD) publishing and electronic publishing, vanity publishers abounded. The term comes from the idea that these companies play on the vanity of the writer who is willing to do anything to “publish” a book. Most vanity presses don’t consider quality and rarely do more than print a large number of books to sell to the author.

Unlike hybrid publishers, which offer services such as design and editing, vanity publishers require a large investment up front but no quality control. In the end, the author has boxes of books in the garage and no place to sell them.

Vanity presses aren’t the only scam self-publishers need to be on the watch for.

The Editor Scam

Editors, and I use this term loosely here, advertise a new method to get your book on Amazon or bookstores quickly. No upfront fee is charged. A couple days after you send you manuscript, your book is published on Amazon under the scammers name. It’s up to you to prove it’s your manuscript.

Agents

Fake agents prey on the desire to have our books on the front shelves of a bookstore. If you’ve self-published and an agent contacts you, proceed with caution—if you proceed at all. Beware of upfront fees: reading fees, editing fees, paper clip fees. These agents are getting paid without providing representation for you. Reputable agents will rarely contact you. They work on commission and get paid when you get paid.

Fees for Services

In addition to editor and agent scams, novice self-publishers fall victim to a provider who claims to handle some of the pesky details for hefty fees. Sometimes these fees can be in the thousands of dollars. ISBN, copyright registration, Library of Congress catalog number, upload to specific platforms can all be easily handled by the author. One ISBN is $125, copyright registration is $35, Library of Congress catalog number is free, upload to most platforms is free. If you are asked to pay a large fee, shove your wallet in your pocket, and move on.

The Everyone Wins Writing Contest

All writers want to be recognized for our effort. Writing awards not only give us a boost we need to continue, but also lets the public know our book is worth buying. With this in mind, some organizations offer awards for a price.

The unscrupulous contests are often monthly awards in which all entries get a trophy, in some cases a literal trophy. These contests require large entry fees and, when the winners are announced, the chosen are asked to pay for the certificate, plaque, or trophy, in addition to the initial contest fee. In other words, the unsuspecting author is buying a writing award.

Many reputable award programs require a small fee, often less than $50 to cover expenses. Most recognized awards are given annually, not monthly. Many are connected with an award ceremony at a conference or other event. For more information about dubious contest http://bit.ly/2wrejnL

How to Avoid A Scam

Can it be said too often, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is”? A little research and thought will help you avoid losing money and possibly your book.

Internet Search. This may be the first line of defense. Look for the company or individual’s website. Is it well-maintained and up-to-date? Are the details of services and cost listed clearly?
Bookstore Search. Look for books published by the company in question. A vanity press will rarely have anything on the market, even Amazon.
Unsolicited Offer. You’re scanning your email and in bold letters it opens with “We love your writing and want to publish your book.” Delete, delete as fast as you can. If you haven’t queried a publishing company, agent, or editor, this is probably a scheme to sell you thousands of your own book.
Track Record. What is the track record of the company? If you’re working with a hybrid company, buy a couple of the books they have published. Look at the details as mentioned in in part two of this series.
Ask the Authors. Contact authors who have worked with the service provider you are considering. If none are listed on the company’s website, ask for referrals.
Check with Fellow Writers. Through Facebook and other forums ask about the company you are considering. Writers Beware, sponsored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SWFA), is one of the oldest websites with information about publishing scams. https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/.

Buyer Beware

It’s a trite but true saying. We all love to hear from someone in the publishing business tell us our manuscript is wonderful, what great writers we are. It’s all too easy, even for a more experienced writer to succumb to the praise. Most scams can be avoided by taking time to consider the offer (remember, “If it’s too good to be true …) and do even a little research. Don’t let someone take your dream or your money.

Susan K. Stewart is a teacher, writer, and speaker known for practical solutions to real-world situations. Her books include Harried Homeschooler’s Handbook: Finding Hope in the Havoc, Preschool: At What Cost?, Science in the Kitchen: Fearless Science at Home for All Ages, the award-winning Formatting e-Books for Writers. She brings her inspiring and encouraging messages to online and in-person conferences about families, writing, and editing. The Stewarts live in Central Texas with their three dogs, three cats, nine chickens, and a couple of donkeys. They have three children and six grandchildren. You can read more of Susan’s practical solutions at www.practicalinspirations.com.

Telltale Signs of a Novice Self-Publisher by Susan K. Stewart

July 15, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

One reason some writers won’t consider self-publication is the number of poor-quality books produced. It can be seen in everything from no editing to unprofessional formatting. Knowing what makes a book look amateurish will help avoid this obstacle.

Formatting
It is possible to format a book or e-book without the help of a professional. Simple e-books without a lot of images can be formatted in Word. Print books can also be formatted with Word, but it’s trickier with page numbers, headers and footers, blank pages, and so on. A professional designer will have tools to make your book look great. Like professional editing, a professional designer goes a long way to ensuring a quality book readers will want and recommend.

The use of unusual fonts goes on the formatting list. Generally, one serif style for content (Georgia, Century Book, Times New Roman) and one sans serif for headings (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica). Some designers think Times New Roman and Arial are over-used.

It’s the Details
The little details mean the difference between a professional-looking book and a D-I-Y-look.

Print books

Take a look at books in your genre to get an idea of the correct interior design. Here are some of the elements missed by self-publishers.
Numbers on blank pages. Blank pages should be just that—blank.
Headers on blank pages. Ditto above.
All chapters start on the left-hand page. Some self-publishers try to cut cost by removing all blank pages. This screams amateur.
Not enough white space. A page with a lot of print is hard to read even with the best of eyesight. A little larger space between lines and wider margins help the reader enjoy your book.

E-books

Large sections of blank space. Incorrectly formatted files for an e-book can cause large empty spaces in the middle of a chapter. I’ve even seen it happen in the middle of paragraph.
No clickable links. E-book readers have come to expect clickable links to move around the book and access websites. Many programs that convert documents to e-book files automatically convert URLs to links to the internet. Word and other programs automatically create clickable table of contents, when formatted correctly. Links within the manuscript may need to be inserted manually.
Attempting to make the e-book like the print book. This certainly can be done. For most general audiences, though, a standard e-book format is desirable. One of the drawbacks of a duplicate of the print design is the lack of ability to change the font size.

And What Else

Front Matter Errors

Far too many self-published books have no copyright page and table of contents. Some of these also have warning labels about duplication in the footer of every page. Speaking of warning labels, often new writer/publisher insert a page with huge warnings about not violating copyright.

In the print editions, a half title page is often missing. A half title page isn’t used in an e-book, so a novice self-publisher may not know to add one to the print edition.

Other little details in the front matter are the use of “by” before the author’s name, “forward” instead of “foreword,” no publisher information, no ISBN. (I know Amazon doesn’t require it, but it screams “self-published by a newbie.”)

Poor Images

It’s important for images to be the correct size and resolution. Small images can’t always be seen. If an attempt is made to enlarge it, the image will be blurry or pixelated (look like it’s straight out of Minecraft or Legoland). Poor resolution sometimes has the same effect. What works on a website may not work in a print or e-book. (For a discussion of image resolution, read this article https://snapshop.cam/dpi/.)

While we’re speaking of images, an author photo that is not a professional headshot also screams amateur. I’ve seen author photos cropped out of a family reunion picture or with a kid sticking out a tongue in the background.

No or Poor Editing

Many of us have cringed at editing errors, even in traditionally published books. Like design, editing should be left to the professionals. It may not be necessary for a new writer to pay cash for editing (I know; I can hear the gasping). I have traded editing services for other professional services. It is possible. Mark Wayne Adams has a good editing list. https://mwa.company/2016/08/17/30-telltale-signs-of-a-self-published-book/

Bad Cover

This is usually the number one item on a list of self-publishers’ mistakes. Whether an e-book or print book, if the cover doesn’t immediately attract the browsers attention the book will not sell. Cover design is another area best left to professionals.

Here are some cover design mistakes https://www.rockingbookcovers.com/book-cover-design/book-cover-design-mistakes/

The Book Designer has a list of articles about good cover design. https://www.thebookdesigner.com/book-design/

Review. Review. Review.

Be sure to thoroughly review a proof of your book, whether print or electronic. Give it to someone else to look for the little details that mark it as self-published.

Self-publishing shouldn’t mean poor-publishing. Well crafted, both in design and content, self-published books can win major awards, such as the Christy Award. With the attention to detail, the reader may never know the difference between self-published and traditionally published.

How I Write: Susan K. Stewart

How I Write: Nancy I. Sanders

Evaluating Subsidy Publishers by Linda Harris

Self-Publisher Beware! by Susan K. Stewart

Telltale Signs of a Novice Self-Publisher by Susan K. Stewart

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