Trying to edit today asbestos I can.
Editors Can’t Help Editing
Lest you should think book editors do nothing but read all day and wield their red pen, I want you to know that we do think of other things. I, for one, play with my dogs, study Ayurveda, practice ASL, and make fun of contestants on the Bachelor. But, editing is a calling, and editors can’t help editing.
Truth be told, I do edit … a lot. And I’m not just talking about manuscripts, articles, and websites. My eye starts twitching when a menu says General Tsos Chicken. I cringe when nearly everyone on television (even scripted TV) misuses personal pronouns: “I’m hoping this will be fun for him and I.”
But for the record, we are not all secretly correcting your grammar. Well, we are, but most of us are nice enough not to tell you. Sorry, I think editors are just born with a certain gene that induces spasms when someone says, “There are less people here than I expected,” or “He reverted back to his old ways.” (If you can tell me what these sentences should say, you’ll make me proud.)
So, I try to consider it a cute quirk, one that I get paid to indulge.
Writers’ Deadlines
Thomas Jefferson once said: “The sun has not caught me in bed in fifty years.” Okay, so there’s clearly no chance I am related to him in any way. I am often snoozing when the sun rises. But the one time I am hyper aware of the day and time is when I have a looming deadline, whether as a writer or editor. Writers’ deadlines can be challenging. I used to freelance for a company that had deadlines ranging from 90 minutes to seven days. Here’s how to handle them worry-free.
After you calm down from the high of receiving an article assignment, make sure you take note of the deadline. Even if you think you’ll have plenty of time to write your piece, pretend that you don’t. When I have an article due, or when I have an editing project due, I put it on my whiteboard in big, black letters with a due date at least one week earlier than the actual due date. This tricks me into thinking I have more time than I do to write or edit. Nothing pleases editors more than handing in a piece on time, or better yet, early. The same goes for my editing clients. I enjoy surprising them with a fully edited manuscript well before the due date.
Get It Done Early
Magazine editors are thinking about fact-checking, editing. copyediting, proofreading, and production. If anything gets held up during one of these stages, but you’ve handed in your article on time, or early, you will earn tremendous favor with that editor, and that can mean another assignment.
So, do your research early. Set up those interviews early. Write your first draft early. And note the publication’s time zone, in case you are getting it in just in time. If you’re in Los Angeles and the magazine you’re writing for is in New York, and your deadline is midnight, that’s 9 p.m. to you.
Make a Timeline
Many writers find it helpful to make a timeline or outline for their project. This might include ideas, resources, interview subjects, sidebars, photos, and links. Knowing in advance what you’ll need to produce a great article can help you approach your deadline with a sense of calm.
Keep Your Editor Informed
If an emergency prevents you from meeting your deadline, let your editor know as soon as possible. Life happens, they get it. Let them know how much you’ve already written (if any); any research you’ve conducted; sources you’ve gathered (including names, emails, and phone numbers, in case they need to reassign the project); photos you might have collected; and when (or if) you think you will be able to complete the writing assignment. The editor will appreciate your professionalism.
If you prepare well for your writers’ deadline, the writing will be what it should be … fun!
Writer Tweets
Am I really pathetic if I’m excited that I have 27 new followers on Twitter? Never mind, I know the answer. Maybe I’m becoming a Tweet Geek. Or is it Twitter Geek? Whatever you call yourself, writers must tweet to stay relevant. As an editor, I tweet things that I feel writers, authors, and poets will be interested in. Often, it’s something fun, entertaining, or newsworthy going on in the publishing world. But you, my dear readers, should be offering writer tweets.
- One trend that’s gaining momentum is to link to a snippet of your latest book. Who doesn’t love something free? Get those readers interested, and they’ll buy the book in its entirety.
- Tweet a free giveaway for the ebook or hardbound copy.
- Got a YouTube channel? Create a cool video post and tie in a tweet to it.
- Tweet about someone else’s book that you loved! Make sure to toot other writers’ horns.
- Have you read a recent article of interest to writers? Tweet about it!
- Did you just come across someone else’s tweet and wish you had tweeted it first? Retweet it!
- Here are a few things to avoid in the tweetosphere:
- Senseless tweets. Think: “I just made the best veggie ravioli! My mother would be proud.”
- Negative tweets: “I just read ‘Novel Nick’s’ new book. It’s awful. You’ve been warned.”
- Boastful tweets: “I just wrote the best short story ever written. If Tin House doesn’t grab this, their loss!”
- Over-tweeting: As a rule, don’t tweet more than once or twice per day. You want your readers look forward to your tweets, not dread them.
The bottom line is, writer tweets should contain anything of interest to writers, readers, agents, and publishers. Think about the people you want to attract most, and craft your tweets around them. Looking for readers to buy your new book? Tease them with a link to a chapter. Tweet to groups specific to the subject of your book. Looking for agent representation? Tweet an engaging question to them (not one that can easily be answered on a Google search). Tweet to other writers to congratulate them on a recent accomplishment, and they might just follow you and do the same for you.
Adobe X Pro for Mac: Software Insanity
I’m considering buying Adobe X Pro for Mac. Here’s my interpretation of the small print involved (and just to make it realistic, I’ll put it in small print for you.)
This free trial is not available for Mac; however, you can download the entire series as a trial for Mac. This software package is 10.3G and will take 94 hours to download on a high-speed connection. If you choose to purchase it after the trial, it will cost $1,899 and there is no guarantee you will not need to purchase an upgrade for $199 within 1 month of purchasing. Are you sure you want this?