The Ink Tree Report
Well, if watching all those amazing Olympic athletes
hasn't inspired you to push yourself a bit harder to succeed, then I
don't know what will. The drive, the focus, the determination, the
flat-out, no-holds-barred fearlessness (I mean, seriously 130
km/hour on those bobsleds, who does that?!). I know sometimes I wish
I had more of those qualities. How about you?
Actually, I don't think it's that difficult if you
find something you love. It becomes easier to push yourself a little
harder and work a little more. The key then, it seems, is finding
that thing you truly love. Easier said than done sometimes, but true
nonetheless. My guess? You love your book. You love what you're
writing about and you believe in it. If you give it all the focus it
deserves, you're a shoe-in for that gold.
Joni Pypers, VP Marketing
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Brought to you by Ink Tree Ltd., your source of help for anything
related to self publishing and
book marketing.
Visit us at
http://www.inktreemarketing.com
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"What is success? To laugh
often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the
affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To
find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To
know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
That is to have succeeded."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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EDITING -- WHICH STYLE IS
RIGHT FOR YOU?
It comes as a surprise to many writers that they cannot edit their
own work. After all, authors may reason, they have a good grasp of
their language and they may even have some editorial skills.
However, when it comes to self editing, the brain works in
mysterious ways. You are the author, so you know what you wrote and
you know what you meant to say. Unfortunately, the reader may not
understand what you meant to say – only what you did say. Because of
your familiarity with the material, your brain fills in any missing
bits of information.
To illustrate this point, read the following excerpt from a study
conducted by Cambridge University, and you will see why you need an
objective editor:
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod
aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg The phaonmneal pweor of
the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,
it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the
rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed
it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not
raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig
huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt!
Amazing, isn’t it?
Now that we have established that you must have an editor, you may
wonder what type of editing you require. There are several levels of
editing: developmental, substantive and copy editing (sometimes
called line editing or proof reading).
Developmental editing follows the writing from beginning to end,
ensuring that the end product flows and makes sense from start to
finish. The developmental editor is similar to a coach. The
objective of developmental editing is to keep the reader in mind,
for after all, that is who will buy your book. If you are writing a
book to sell, you are not writing for yourself. Always remember
that. The developmental editor helps with content as well, ensuring
that you have developed your ideas to their full potential. The
developmental editor also helps with grammar, spelling, punctuation,
sentence structure and with fleshing out the writing so that it has
a style of its own. The writing must be in your “voice”, though,
meaning that it must sound like it is in your own words.
Substantive editing is a heavy edit. This type of editor may suggest
the reorganization of the material, such as placement of sentences,
paragraphs or even of chapters, so that the content makes sense.
What you write must have a beginning, body and a conclusion – and
they all must tie in together. The substantive editor also checks
the accuracy of footnotes, references that you make, websites that
you suggest and the legality of referencing copyrighted materials.
Your substantive editor will also help you with grammar, spelling,
punctuation and sentence structure.
Copy editing is the final phase of the editing process. When your
manuscript has completed its developmental or its substantive
editing, you may choose to use the services of a copy editor to
ensure that the style is first-rate. This editor will check for
errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and syntax. The copy editor
checks for consistency of style and for clarity – again, did you say
what you meant to say?
Your book must stand alone. Whatever you write speaks for itself so
the meaning of your words must be clear. You are not present with
each reader to explain anything, so clarity is of the utmost
importance. Do not leave room for ambiguity. Confused readers do not
recommend books to other people and word-of-mouth advertising is
your most valuable asset. When you publish a book, you sell a
product that you intend to use as a means of creating a profit. Make
your writing clear and easy to read, and you will have a product
that people want to buy.
Copyright© Ink Tree Ltd. 2009 All rights
reserved.
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Questions from Self Publishers
Q: I'm about to sign a
contract with a distributor. What are some of the questions I should
be asking to make sure it's a fair deal?
A:
1. The contract needs to state that the distributor holds your
books on consignment (if the distributor should go out of
business, you still own your books and they will not be seized
by the receiver).
2. How often does the distributor pay you? That needs to be
stated in the contract.
3. How often does the distributor report sales to you?
4. Does the distributor tell you where your books were sold?
This is good to know so that you have a way of monitoring the
effectiveness of your publicity campaign.
5. Do they tell you which stores returned books?
6. Do they have a sales force or are they only sending out
catalogs?
7. Do they pay the shipping to the bookstores?
Some distributors have many fees on top of the commission that
they charge. Be sure to compare contracts from several
distributors before you agree to sign anything."
I hope that this helps some publishers avoid a few pitfalls.
Do you have a publishing question you'd
like to see featured in our newsletter? Send it to us at
info@inktreemarketing.com
with the subject line: "Newsletter Question".
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Links and Resources for Self Publishers
The 2010 National Indie Excellence Awards are now
open for submissions.
http://www.indieexcellence.com/
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Self Publishing Articles on Our Website
Check out our FREE Articles page on our site for
articles on all areas of Self Publishing. Featured this month (click
to go straight to the article):
What Does Distribution Have to do With Publicity?
You can find our article
database here:
http://www.inktreemarketing.com/selfpublishingarticles.htm
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Mention My Book!
Don’t forget to submit YOUR book! You'll find instructions at the
end of this section.
==========================
Days of Elijah (Revised): A
True Story by Eliza Earsman
Eliza Earsman, Author
Available at:
http://www.elizaearsman.com/
POWERFUL, DISTURBING,
AUTHENTICATED NON-FICTION!Despite failed
attempts to silence this author, details emerge
of the spiritual contentions and intentions
of Britain’s Mountbatten-Windsor Royal
family, their inner circles, and other
horrifying realities behind the Scottish Ritual
Freemasons.
Their World War III agenda is exposed. This
evidence will move, shock, and sadden readers as
a story of loss, faith, love, action, and grief
unfolds.
But…remnants of joy and laughter engage
readers as the details encompass the author’s
Scottish lowland birth, background, childhood,
adulthood, and calling at the age of forty.
Sensible and multicultural readers will
benefit from insightful access to understanding
the historical content and context.
Based on integrity, goodwill, and an already
high worldwide profile, Days of Elijah
(Revised): A True Story provides an
opportunity to step into the life of one
courageous outspoken woman!
========================
The Cuban Chronicles - A True Tale
of Rascals, Rogue, and Romance
Wanda St. Hilaire, Author
Available at:
http://www.wandasthilaire.com/
In the infancy of Cuba's tourism, Wanda St.Hilaire
takes a trip to the tiny island. In spite of her love of all things
Latin, she puts herself on a travel ban to Castro's Cuba, one that
lasts twenty years.
When she is forced to cancel a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico at the last
minute, she finds herself in Cuba twice, on back-to-back trips.
Walking into the backstreets of Havana, eyes wide open, she is
pulled into a dalliance with a charismatic cubano.
Underneath the facade of Cuba's tourism lies the desperation of a
society living mostly in abject poverty. When tourists mingle with
locals, we get a glimpse of what underlies the frivolity of Cuban
entanglements. St. Hilaire speaks with an authentic voice and
doesn't mince words; she recounts her own activities, emotions and
opinions with refreshing honesty.
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***The intention of our Mention My Book section is to give free
exposure to
self published books. Every bit of publicity counts! If
you want to submit your book for mention, please send an email with
the subject line “Mention My Book!” to us at:
info@inktreemarketing.com***
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Remember to check out our BRAND NEW version
of the Ultimate Book Marketing Kit on our website.
http://www.inktreemarketing.com/BookMarketingKit.htm
To your
publishing success,
Joni Pypers
VP Marketing
Ink Tree Ltd.
For more information on Ink Tree and our
self publishing
and
book
marketing services for authors and publishers, visit us at:
http://www.inktreemarketing.com
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