HAPPY 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO IWSG!!

I really hoped to do this at home so I wouldn't have to HTML lol. Forgot to.

Today is the first Wednesday of the month, which means writer-bloggers all across the world come together to post their deepest writing insecurities, and for the past 2 years it has been all thanks for the Ninja, the Guru, the Guitar Hero Alex J. Cavanaugh! =D

Today I thought I would share a lot of things because I had a lot on my mind about writing in regards to editing & proofreading. For instance, the editing/proofreading business I started up. It's always been very low in clientele, which is because I'm not very good at advertising. At the same time, I only started up the business because other people told me to. Do I like editing/proofreading for money? It's nice, but I like to do it more for fun. So will I continue trying to push myself to advertise? Not particularly sure. We'll see what happens.

On the other side of writing, being on the receiving end of critiques. I've always hated hearing bad stuff about my work or things that confused people, but I had to learn that most people were trying to help me make my work better. So having the pleasure of helping someone else out and seeing them make the same mistakes I made when I decided to take the step in wanting to publish, it made me both sad I didn't have anyone when I first sent my story out to contests that I had no one to look over my work but me (because honestly my family doesn't really care and Delaware is bigger on nature and contemporary stuff) and glad that having that experience, I had a chance to try to steer the person in the right direction, despite the excuses they made for why everything they wrote was necessary (That's exactly how I was).

The moral of the story is, lol, to know what you want to do when it comes to your writing goals, build on it, and do your best!

I keep forgetting to thank the co-hosts! Chemist Ken, SL Hennessy, Michelle Wallace, and Joylene Nowell Butler. Thank you!

A PSA from AQC (Chat Series)

Good evening.

I was over-zealous in posting pieces of our chats in AQC, so I'm going to start from scratch and instead of give the chat, I will just list some of the important tips when moving into the business phase of publishing.

Reality of the time frame: the average time from signing to your book debut can be between 12 and 24 months. Major houses already have a set schedule, so you will have to be fit into an open slot.

Substantive edits are edits from your editor regarding anything from grammar to character/story development. Copy editing is more on the lines of proofreading and editing. You don't have to accept all of your editors' substantive edits, but it is a joint effort.

Publicists handle unpaid publicity, otherwise, the marketing department pays. Press releases, review outlets, and advanced copies used for review fall under the publicist.

Earning out means you get royalties. Selling through means being on track for another book.

The design department handles your cover design, font, and chapter headings and dividers. You won't have much say in these, but this department has far more experience.

It is wisest to give out advanced copies to people who will actually review your book. You want to produce buzz and word of mouth. Your publisher will also give away copies. Consider fellow writers, bloggers in your genre, and giveaways, but rely more on the first two.

Be sure to keep record of good reviews and blurbs provided by fellow authors that your publisher can use later.

This week's chat was hosted by historical fiction writer Sophie Perinot, aka Litgal! We have many established authors down at Agent Query Connect, so if you need help and aren't a member yet, sign up now! Our chats are every Monday at 9pm, so hurry before Monday comes back around. ;)