First Issue

Tomorrow is I Love To Write Day. Yay for people who love to write! But guess what? Some very successful authors don’t like writing. Or find writing difficult. Or write veeeery, veeeery slowly.

But whether you love writing or find it painful, soon or later you will face that accursed foe: writer’s block. You have things to write. You know you should write. But somehow you can’t make it happen.

Many successful writers will tell you that the key to unblocking is discipline. Force yourself to write for a certain amount of time each day, whether you feel like it or not. Write junk or write a masterpiece, just write.

Cue Write or Die from the Dr. Wicked Writing Lab.

Wrote or Die is a simple (dare I say wickedly simple?) online application that helps you set a goal and get it written. You choose either the number of words you want to complete or a time limit. Set your grace period to Forgiving, Strict or Evil, and then set your punishment mode: Gentle, Normal, or Kamikaze. With Gentle, you get a nice little pop-up window if you stop for too long. On the Kamikaze setting, your words start to erase themselves. Talk about incentive!

The tool is a great boost for just letting loose with ideas, getting words on the screen, and gaining momentum. Later you can go back to edit and refine.

I used the tool myself to write this post, and the idea that I’d be buzzed if I didn’t keep going provided just enough push to keep my fingers flying. It was kind of fun, actually.

The tool has a secondary benefit as well: it helps you identify the habits that might be slowing you down. I couldn’t believe how much I was trying to erase and re-write things I had started, and how often I stopped to re-read what I’d just written. Fighting those urges will help me be more a productive writer.

I can see Write or Die becoming a tremendous tool for authors. Set yourself a goal of a page or a chapter and see how far you can get with just letting the ideas flow. It’s always easier to edit than to create, and a session with Dr. Wicked gives you the raw material you need for getting started.

When you’re done, you get a gratifying note that tells you how many words you wrote in what amount of time. I was a bit surprised to learn that I had written this whole post in 8 minutes. And surprisingly, it took less editing than I thought to make it ready for publishing.

It can be a hard battle to earn placement for your book in a bricks-and-mortar store. Not even established publishers get orders from the big chains on every book they publish; the chances for a self-publisher — especially a first-timer — can be downright slim.

Before you start railing about the unfairness of it all, it’s worthwhile to understand the economics of the bookstores’ decision. They have a limited number of stores that can each hold a limited amount of inventory, and they have a limited budget for purchasing that inventory. Even the biggest of book superstores can only hope to carry perhaps 10% of available books.

As Andrew Wheeler, marketing manager at John Wiley & Sons, points out:

Generally, for a hardcover or trade paperback that’s not being pitched for something promotional…you’re talking about whether the order is for one, two, or maybe three copies per store. Or, possibly [less], if the book is only going to the top stores for that category.

Wheeler goes on to discuss buying budgets:

…chainstore buyers have budgets; they don’t have an infinite amount of money to play with. They have to buy books for all of the stores in the chain, in their category, given the money they have available — this is called “open to buy,” and varies depending on recent sales, returns, and what else is publishing that month. Like any other budget, I’m sure buyers start with the most important things — the big books that month — and work their way down the list. If the money runs out before they hit the bottom, that’s it.

The good news for self-published authors is that there are definitely options. Amazon carries everything. There’s never any problem getting your book into Amazon. The websites of the book chains can carry much more inventory than their brick-and-mortar stores — so it’s easy to get in there as well. As a self-publisher, you have the freedom to negotiate bulk sales to groups and associations that other authors don’t have. Take advantage of it.

Certainly it’s nice to be in the chains. For many self-published authors, seeing their book on the shelves of their local Indigo or Borders store feels like acceptance, like a nod to the legitimacy and professionalism of their publishing efforts. But if you’re getting frustrated with low book orders from the chains, don’t despair. They are not the only path to strong book sales. And it’s nothing personal.

With the launch of a new website called Authonomy, HarperCollins UK is calling on the power of the crowd.

At Authonomy, authors can submit excerpts from their fiction or non-fiction manuscript. These excerpts are then reviewed and ranked by…well, by anyone who wants to take the time to read them. The idea is to get the public searching for and identifying the next great thing.

Once a month, the 5 books with the highest rankings are forwarded to an editorial review board at HarperColllins.

The concept works for everyone:

• HarperCollins gets free help going through its slush pile — a short list without the work
• Authors get a chance to submit their work without an agent and have a fair shot at being considered
• Armchair reviewers get a chance to offer their opinion and potential bragging rights if they help uncover the next bestseller

Authors, if you’re looking for a publishing deal, the site is worth a look.

A couple of years ago, in a Halifax used bookstore, I managed to nab a first edition copy of Adventures of a Columnist. First published in 1960, the book is a collection and commentary from Pierre Berton, who at that time was a daily columnist with the Toronto Star.

The book sat on my shelf for a while but just recently I picked it up again to start reading.
In between reading sessions, it’s been sitting on my kitchen table, desk, and coffee table, and every time I walk by it, I’m arrested by the design.

The copyright page reveals that the book was designed by Frank Newfeld. Of course! Newfeld has been a top designer in book design and illustration for the last five decades. He’s designed hundreds of covers for many of the big publishing houses, and has illustrated some of the best known books in Canadian children’s publishing. (Any 30-something Canadian will be familiar with the drawings in Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee — all of them Newfeld’s marvellous work.)

With Adventures, the first thing that grabs you is the front cover.

There’s something intensely compelling about Pierre’s last name in that huge typewriter font. The book title set in a handwritten script — and sharply picked out in red — is a nice contrast and keeps the cover from being too cool.

The banded design of black and white above the main section of the jacket is echoed in the case design. And look at that elegant addition of Pierre’s scribbled signature, again in red to echo the title treatment.

Finally, take a look at the double-spread title page; it simply commands your attention.

Trends in design come and go, but Frank Newfeld’s work proves that great design is great design, no matter what decade it comes from.

Today is National Punctuation Day. In honor of editors everywhere, let’s take a look at the proper use of ellipses, those humble sets of three dots so often misused and abused in a manuscript.

An ellipsis takes the place of words that have been removed from a sentence. For example, here is a full sentence:

His artwork is so striking and so beautiful that it belongs in a museum.

This is the same sentence with some of the words taken out and an ellipsis inserted:

His artwork is so striking … that it belongs in a museum.

Notice that there is a space on either side of the dots.

An ellipsis can also be used to indicate a thought that has trailed off, most commonly when writing dialogue.

Adam scratched his head and said, “I wonder …”

When in doubt about how and where to use an ellipsis (or any of 12 other punctuation marks), Jeff Rubin, the brain behind National Punctuation Day, has an excellent primer on his website.

Even brilliant writers can benefit from having an editor look at their writing with fresh eyes. You shouldn’t be trying to edit your own work. Neither should you pass the task to your niece because she did well in Grade 12 English. Editing is a critical component of crafting a book and deserves the attention of a professional.

When evaluating and hiring a professional editor, it helps to be clear about what you need and what you can expect.

To start, you should know what kind of editing you are looking for. There are many different levels and varieties of editing. Probably the three you will encounter the most are substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

Substantive editing
Sometimes called developmental editing, substantive editing looks at both the content and structure of a manuscript as a cohesive whole. Does the story or argument flow logically? Are there obvious gaps in a certain area? Too much information someplace else? Substantive editing can involve re-ordering large chunks of text, removing text, adding text, and even rewriting.

Copyediting
Probably the most misused of all the terms, copyediting is often used as a catchall phrase for any and all kinds of editing. Strictly speaking, however, copyediting checks for errors in grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation and other mechanics of style, internal consistency, cross-referencing, labelling, and so on.

Proofreading
Proofreading is the final review of a fully formatted and typeset manuscript. It’s meant only to catch small errors such as the odd spelling mistake or hyphenation snafu that might have been missed at the copyediting stage, or that appeared during the layout process.

The above definitions are fairly standard but there are variations. Not every editor defines editing terms in the same way. It’s therefore crucial that you discuss in detail the exact nature of the services your editor will provide.

Before hiring an editor, make sure you understand the fee arrangements. Some editors charge by the page or word, while others charge by the hour. Still others charge a flat project fee. One method of charging is not necessarily better than other. Just be sure you know what you’ll get for your money. If you are being charged by the hour, ask the editor to provide an upfront estimate of how long the project will take so there are no surprises when the final invoice arrives.

Here are a few final tips for working with an editor:

• Some editors specialize either by format, by topic, or both. For example, an editor might be a specialist in audio scripts or might focus solely on medical books. You may want to look for an editor with particular expertise in your subject matter, especially if you are writing about a highly specialized field.
• Be open-minded towards an editor’s suggestions and changes. It can be hard on the ego to see your painstakingly crafted manuscript go under the editor’s knife. But keep in mind that if an editor is making alterations, it’s because he or she thinks it will improve your work. And in the end, a good product makes you look good too.
• Establish and maintain clear lines of communication. Know what your expectations are and convey them. Ask the editor to keep you in the loop as the work progresses.

Just for fun on this sunny Wednesday, click over to someecards.com for a couple of bookish e-cards with a dry twist.

Extending its dominion yet again, Amazon has acquired Shelfari, a social networking site for booklovers that allows readers to display a virtual bookshelf and share reviews. The announcement came through the Shelfari blog last week.

Earlier in the year, Amazon had chipped in $1 million in funding for the growing site.

The acquisition presents some interesting conflicts for Amazon. Just one month ago, the e-tail giant acquired AbeBooks, a online dealer in used, rare, and out-of-print books. AbeBooks — and now Amazon — is a 40% stakeholder in LibraryThing, a bitter Shelfari rival.

Will Amazon try to buy up the remainder of LibraryThing and merge it with Shelfari? Given the public animosity between the two sites, the more likely course may be for Amazon to divest itself of its LibraryThing holdings.

Whichever way it goes, authors who haven’t been using social networking sites like Shelfari to build word of mouth for their books online should get started. With further integration between Shelfari and Amazon in the cards, more online reviews could easily equal more sales.

USA Book News is now wrapping up submissions for their Best Books 2008 awards program. The deadline to apply is September 30.

Books are judged in 140 categories, including a range of non-fiction topics. Self-published and independently published works are welcome. The only criteria are that your book have an ISBN and a copyright date of 2007 or 2008.

Visit the website for more details and an application form.

Printing books uses a lot of trees. Short of going for a fully electronic release, here are some ways you can minimize the environmental impact of your book.

Know the 3 Kinds of Material for Making Paper

1. Virgin fiber: made from fresh trees
2. Pre-consumer waste: composed of the scraps generated at the paper mills during the paper-making process
3. Post-consumer waste: the material you put in your recycling box

Choose Recycled Stocks
From an environmental perspective, the more recycled content in your paper, the better. Avoid virgin fiber if you can. If you buy virgin stock, at least make sure it is certified as having been responsibly harvested and not from old-growth forests. You save one tree for every 90 books you print on 100% post-consumer recycled stock.

Pay Attention to the Bleach
The whiter the paper stock, the more chlorine is needed to bleach it, so choose papers that are less bright. For book publishing, papers that are less bright are better anyway because they’re easier on the eyes for long periods of reading. If you do want a brighter stock, look for papers that are certified “elemental chlorine free.”

Let Readers Know
Let your readers know you support and use tree-friendly printing practices. In North America, if your chosen stock contains at least 50% recycled content, with a minimum of 10% post-consumer waste, you can display the EcoLogo. In the United States, if you print on recycled stock, you can display a recycled content logo from the American Forest and Paper Association.