Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 162
March 9, 2011
First Thursday in Lent 2011
Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." ~ Matthew 9:14-17 (ESV)
Heavenly Father, make me a new heart, a heart filled with love for You and others, a pure heart, desiring only to love You and do Your will. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Related Posts:Scripture for the First Friday in LentScripture for the Second Friday in AdventScripture for the First Friday in AdventScripture for Tuesday in Holy WeekScripture for the First Saturday in LentPowered by Contextual Related PostsFirst Thursday in Lent 2011 was first posted on March 10, 2011 at 12:02 am.
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March 8, 2011
Ash Wednesday 2011
[image error]Last year I started the tradition of posting a Scripture and prayer for each day of Lent as part of my extra devotion during this time of penance. I hope these readings and prayers will bless you in your spiritual preparation for Resurrection Sunday.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. In previous years, I have written about the purpose and meaning of Lent:
Ash Wednesday and Lent
Ash Wednesday and Penitence
More about Ash Wednesday and Lent can be found on the website of my church, All Saints Anglican of San Antonio, including the following:
Liturgy Lesson for Ash Wednesday: Contrition before God
Lenten Challenges from Father Ed Morgan
Seasons of the Church Year: Lent
Throughout Lent, I will post a Scripture and a prayer daily. May you be blessed.
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." ~ Matthew 9:9-13 (ESV)
Lord, I like to think I am righteous, but at heart I am a sinner desperately in need of a Physician. Thank You for coming as the Great Physician to heal me and all sinners who earnestly repent. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Image © Gunnar3000 | Dreamstime.com
Related Posts:Ash Wednesday and LentScripture for the First Saturday in LentAsh Wednesday and PenitenceScripture for the Second Wednesday in LentScripture for the Third Wednesday in LentPowered by Contextual Related PostsAsh Wednesday 2011 was first posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:25 am.
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March 5, 2011
Read an E-Book Week 2011
[image error]Read an E-Book Week, which I introduced in an earlier post, is here.
To celebrate Read an E-Book Week, you can download a free PDF copy of Fern's Fancies here. Or visit Smashwords for another format of Fern's Fancies or any of the free or discounted books available there.
On the Read an E-Book Week website, you will find:
Links to a variety of Read an E-Book Week partners (authors, publishers, booksellers, and websites) offering free or discounted e-books
The 40-year history of e-books
E-book resources and information about a variety of e-book readers
The advantages of e-books
A chance to win a Nook or a Kobo e-reader
Don't forget that the following are always free here:
Romance novelette: Trapped by Love (read online here or download your favorite format at Smashwords)
Self-Editing Primer
Editing Primer
Are you an avid e-book reader? Then stock up on great books while they're free or discounted.
Have you never read an e-book? Then look for titles that appeal to you and read an e-book this week. Let me know what you think!
Related Posts:Read An E-Book Week March 6-12, 2011Free E-Books for Read an E-Book WeekRead an E-Book Week Coming to an EndReminder: Read an E-Book WeekSmashwords Summer/Winter SalePowered by Contextual Related PostsRead an E-Book Week 2011 was first posted on March 6, 2011 at 12:41 am.
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March 4, 2011
National March into Literacy Month
March is a busy month for book lovers. Next week is Read an E-Book Week, and the entire month is National March into Literacy Month. Theoretically, it is also National Small Press Month, which I would happily celebrate as I am a big fan of small presses. However, the information on the website is for 2010, so it looks like Small Press Month isn't being observed this year.
[image error] Just about everyone knows about the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which gives toys to needy kids at Christmas. A lesser-known program of the foundation is the literacy program.
The program's website shows the following shocking statistics:
It is estimated that the cost of illiteracy to business and taxpayers is $20 billion per year. (United Way, "Illiteracy: A National Crisis")
In low-income neighborhoods, the ratio of books per child is one age-appropriate book for every 300 children. (Included in the "Handbook of Early Literacy Research", Vol. 2 edited by Susan Neuman and David Dickinson)
The site describes the program this way:
After supporting Toys for Tots since 2005 and raising $1.3 million to help brighten the lives of thousands of children nationwide, The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. network launched the Toys for Tots Literacy Program, a year-round initiative, in March 2008 to expand upon its existing partnership.
While the Toys for Tots Literacy Program maintains the Toys for Tots mission of delivering hope, it extends the organization's reach and impact in a meaningful way by providing children in need with the gift of a book. Since 2008, the program has delivered more than 1 million books to hundreds of thousands of less fortunate children. This program not only brings the joy of reading to these children, but also serves as an important tool in breaking the cycle of poverty.
All donations go directly to purchasing books for needy children, libraries, schools, or literacy programs. You can donate cash at the Toys for Tots site or donate cash or new books at participating UPS Stores and Mailboxes, Etc. locations.
If you agree with me that books and literacy are essential to breaking the cycle of poverty, I hope you will join me in making a donation to put books into the hands of disadvantaged children—through this program or any organization that is fighting illiteracy.
Related Posts:National Family Literacy DayInternational Literacy DayInternational Literacy Day 2010Books for LiteracyShadow Forest AuthorsPowered by Contextual Related PostsNational March into Literacy Month was first posted on March 4, 2011 at 3:44 am.
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March 2, 2011
Read Across America on Dr. Seuss's Birthday
[image error]Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday and to celebrate Random House and the National Education Association are sponsoring Read Across America.
Schools and libraries are participating in special reading events, but one of the best ways to observe the day is for parents to read to children, grandparents to read to grandchildren, big brothers and sisters to read to little brothers and sisters, and friends and neighbors to read to kids they know and care about.
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February 28, 2011
Why Give a Sample Edit?
[image error]In a comment on a post about freelance rates, Chad asked, "Can you recommend an alternative to providing samples to prospective clients? Would a resume be a good substitute?"
In my reply to Chad's comment, I explained why I think a sample edit is good for both the freelance editor and the potential client for several reasons.
First, it's how I determine how much to charge. All editing jobs are not created equal. Some writers are much better than others, and some writers require extensive editing. I never charge by the page or the word because the good writer overpays and the bad writer underpays (and I'm the one who doesn't get the money I should!). I ask the prospective client to send me an excerpt from the manuscript for me to edit. The time I spend on the sample guides me in determining the time I estimate for the entire project. My quote includes the proviso that the price is based on the assumption that the entire manuscript is self-edited to the same degree as the sample. The fee will be adjusted if the excerpt submitted for the sample edit has been polished, but the rest of the manuscript submitted for editing is very rough.
Editing a sample also helps me to feel comfortable that I'm a good fit to the manuscript. I don't edit erotica or stories with extreme levels of violence, and I simply am not familiar enough with the conventions of some genres to do them justice. I also have to find the story intriguing—it would be an injustice to edit something that I don't completely believe in. There's no better way to determine that I will enjoy editing the manuscript than actually doing it.
The sample also gives me an understanding of what the client wants—writers have different expectations. Some just want an editor to tell them their words are golden. It's much better to spend a few minutes doing a sample and find out they don't like your work than to take on the job and have an unhappy client.
Years ago, I was listed as a freelance editor on the website of the one of the "self-publishing" companies. Since then the companies all started offering in-house editing, but in the beginning, this company provided a list of approved editors rather than offering the service in-house. I never did any work for authors publishing with that company because they all wanted to do it their way. Now, having control over the finished product is one of the great benefits of self-publishing, but a serious writer will take advice from other professionals. I don't expect clients to accept every suggestion I make, but I expect them to consider my ideas and use some, even most, of them. If the client is going to tell you it's her story and she wants a spy being recruited in public at a random meeting in a bar and it doesn't matter if that's realistic or not because it's fiction … I don't want to edit that book.
A free sample also gives the prospective client a level of comfort that you can handle the job and that you will be easy to work with, always a good start to a working relationship. I am currently talking with a writer from another part of the world. He told me that he had quotes from two other editors that were considerably less than the price I quoted. However, I was the only editor who gave him a sample edit, and what he saw gave him confidence that the work would be done to his satisfaction. Although the other editors would charge less, he wasn't confident that he would be happy with their work. In fact, they may do an excellent job, but he feels that he is taking a risk because he hasn't seen anything to show him what he would get.
I always give a fair amount of detail on my suggestions in the sample edit, as you can see in the screen shot above of a few lines of an actual sample edit (blurred for privacy). Whether the writer agrees with my recommendations or not, he will understand my rationale. The writer can also tell me he doesn't want me to change something—for example, I may point out that Chicago Manual of Style (usually used for books) calls for serial commas. However, if the writer says he prefers not to use serial commas, I will respect that and edit for no serial commas.
Most of us have common errors that we make repeatedly. Newer writers frequently haven't discovered their common errors—possibly because they don't even know what they are doing is wrong. For example, some of the writers I work with don't know how to punctuate and paragraph dialogue, so every bit of dialogue in the manuscript has to be corrected. I point this out in the sample edit and often suggest that the writer make those corrections before submitting the manuscript to me for editing. That will cut down my editing time and their cost, and it will also help the writer hone his skill. Even if the writer ultimately chooses another editor, I hope that he learns something from the sample edit.
Of course, a sample edit isn't appropriate for a very small project. But for a book-length manuscript from a first-time client, I insist on doing a sample edit—for my benefit and the benefit of the prospective client.
Related Posts:Building Long-Term Client Relationships – Part 2: Getting StartedWorking with a Professional Editor: Part 1 – Finding the Right EditorWriting versus EditingBuilding Long-Term Client Relationships – Part 4: Example – The BeginningEditing: Part 2 – What are the different kinds of editing?Powered by Contextual Related PostsWhy Give a Sample Edit? was first posted on February 28, 2011 at 3:40 am.
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February 22, 2011
Thanks to January 2011 Commenters
Thank you to the 129 commenters who left 218 comments in January. Your comments extended the conversation and added value and interest, and I enjoyed replying to every one of them.Every month when I post thanks to commenters, I get questions about how I compile this list. I have explained my system in detail in Compiling Thanks to Commenters.
Top Contributor (10 comments)
Dominique
4 Walls and a View
Major Contributors (7-9 comments)
Dawn Colclasure
Dawn Colclasure Blog
Kat
n/a
Brooke
The Bluestocking Guide
Deb Sistrunk
Media by Sistrunk
Terry
Barber-osophy
Outstanding Contributors (4-5 comments)
Aggie Villanueva
Promotion a la Carte
Christopher Roberts
Christopher Roberts' Technology Blog
Matt Keegan
Word Journey
Shailender
India Darshan
Aslam
Aslam Raza
John Kohl
Checks and Balances TV
Mia
SBP
Significant Contributors (2-3 comments)
Alexia Oliveria
Learn French Easy
Christopher Roberts
Christopher Roberts
Dave
Charles Stewart, MD, Cosmetic Surgery
Ivin
Authopublisher
Kylie
EQA Office Furniture
Banxts
My Own Ways
Chad M.
n/a
Christopher Roberts
Christopher Roberts' Philosophy Blog
Claire
Starapplet.com
Dave
Megadyne
Jane
Recovering Deleted Files
Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Jonathan
Raleigh: Get Out There
lion
Knowledge
Important Contributors
Adrian
LG LZ9700 Reviewed
AJ
AJ's Successful Ebook Publishing
Albert
Cellulite Remedies
Amira
HostGator Coupons
Andrew
We Do Your Essay
Andrew Heaton
Good Honest Dollar
Andy
Euro Direct Rentals
Angel
Sean Donahoe Video Marketing Goldmine
Arianna
Hemocode
Ben
Affiliate Marketing for Dummies
Bill Tillman
n/a
Bram
ABC Carpet Care
Cherie
Smart Start Puppies
Cherry
Dr. Mercola Products
Chris
West Terrace Homes
Chrissy Delano
Mark G Agresti, MD
cobb
Carz Trader
Daniel
Relationship Life
darren
Tec-Idiomes
David
Watch Tele Online
Dorothy
Winchester Lady
Eddie
n/a
Eddie
Deep Chinese
Eleazar
Entrepinoy Bank
elina
Royal Banquet Hall
Elliot
Seaspray Pools
Else Myers
IVF Babys
Fred Klien
Storage Sheds
Genna
Genna Huffman Design
Girish Ranabhat
Mallu
Grant Draper
Online Writing Services
Guy M. Lewis
Garmin Watches
Haide
Accurate Electrical Services
James Ryan
Tarot Gratis
Jamie
Find Financial Advisors
Jacob
Yorkie Puppies
Jane
Ado Tube
Jason
Payday Advance Plus
Jenny
Katie Beyer Photography
Jeff
praxismicro
Jeremy
RNA Locksmith
Jim
Falcon Ridge
Joan
Email Reach
John
Cosmetic Surgery Sydney
John
Shop GPS
John Kohl
Get YouTube Views
Juan
Prime Choice
June
Vi at Highlands Ranch
Karen Swim
Karen Swim
Karn
SEO Business Boxx
Kasper
L4U Media
Kathleen
Class Auto Center
Kevin
Billigast Smslan
Kyle
Finally Fast PC
Lawrence
Pangea Real Estate
Luis Lazo
Learn Guitar Songs Today
Lyra
Marre Design Group
Margaret
Sweetheart Diapers
Mark Derby
Echo Advertising
Matt
Fan's Edge
Max
Bizzba
Micaela
OC Car Dealers
Nabil
Bra Webbhotell
Natalie
Yark Subaru
Olivia
Quick Neoprene Products
OneMom
OneMom
Pablo
Texas Power Plumbing
Paw Hellegaard
Dot SEO
Peter
Wiglinton & Wenks
Philip
Alarm Clocks for Heavy Sleepers
R. Lee
First Credit
Ray
Octopus Wedding
Regie
Body Vibrodynamic
Rob
5 Insurance Rates
Rob
Online Palm Readings
robert
The Condos at Mill River
Robert F. Filcsik
Robert F. Filcsik Photography
Roger
Cheap Rolling Luggage
Ron
Håravfall suger.
Ronald
n/a
Rhys
How To Preach
Ryan
CashNet USA
Ryan
Nanny Services
Ryan
Top College Scholarships for Women
Sam
Build a Website
Sam
Dodge Neon SRT-4
Sameer
MBA Crystal Ball Blog
Sean
Double Jogging Strollers
Shaun Pikes
Watch MLB Live
Stan
RNA Locksmith
Steve
ACAAI
steve
Grayling Estates
Susci
Powers & McCartan, PLLC
Tanya
n/a
Tanya
Cabinet Solutions
Tony Simpson
Find Temp Agencies in Maryland
Tracy
My Alarm Care
Vinish Parikh
Let's Learn Finance
Vladimir
What Is Criminal Law
Wesley
Overstock.com Living Room Furniture
Wu
Microscope Net
Related Posts:Thanks to November 2010 CommentersThanks to December 2010 CommentersThanks to October 2010 CommentersIf only this quiz represented my complete knowledge of the BibleAlzheimer's Do's and Don'tsPowered by Contextual Related PostsThanks to January 2011 Commenters was first posted on February 22, 2011 at 3:18 am.
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February 17, 2011
Read An E-Book Week March 6-12, 2011
[image error]Read an E-Book Week has been celebrated every March since 2004. The purpose of the week-long event is to educate readers about e-books and promote electronic reading.
This year, Read an E-Book Week is celebrating the 40th anniversary of e-books. You can read about Michael Hart creating the first "e-book"—a copy of the Declaration of the Independence—in 1971, the beginning of Project Gutenberg, which gives away e-books in the public domain.
You can probably tell just from looking around my website that I'm a big fan of e-books. My first novel, Stroke of Luck, was published an as e-book in 1999, and it is still available as an e-book (albeit from a different publisher). Now, all of my books are available as e-books at Smashwords.
In the early days, when I told people my novel was an e-book, the most common response was,"What's that?" After I explained what an e-book was, the most common response was, "Oh, I want to read a real book."
I gave talks to local writers groups and published an article in the newsletter of the San Antonio Romance Authors entitled "Is an E-Book a Real Book?" You won't be surprised to hear that my answer is a resounding "yes."
During Read an E-Book Week, you can download a free copy of my contemporary romance novel Fern's Fancies. You can download the PDF file here on my website; if you prefer other formats, you can download from Smashwords using a discount code I will provide.
I offer the following free e-books all the time:
Trapped by Love (contemporary romance novelette)
Self-Publishing Primer
Editing Primer
Many publishers, authors, and companies are participating in Read an E-Book Week. Each will offer something of value during the week, so be sure to check them out and stock up on great e-books for free!
Related Posts:Free E-Books for Read an E-Book WeekReminder: Read an E-Book WeekRead an E-Book Week Coming to an EndRead an E-Book Week Next WeekSmashwords Summer/Winter SalePowered by Contextual Related PostsRead An E-Book Week March 6-12, 2011 was first posted on February 18, 2011 at 1:48 am.
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February 15, 2011
Using Style Sheets
In the first and second posts in this series, I talked about style guides. Today we'll discuss style sheets. A comment from author Dawn Colclasure gave me the idea for the post.
You might call style sheets mini style guides that you prepare yourself, often as supplement to a style guide. There are always things, such as industry jargon and names, that apply to a specific manuscript that aren't covered in the style guide you're using. In some cases, there may be a reason for deviating from the style guide, such as using a spelling that is common in the industry even though it's different from your selected style guide.
The book I'm currently editing is a resource for veterans and soldiers with PTSD. In different sources, the full name of the disease is spelled Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder–and about a dozen more variations. I told the authors they had to decide which one they preferred, and I would ensure it was spelled that way throughout the book. They chose the spelling used in the American Psychiatric Association's manual of psychiatric disorders. That spelling was one of many items included in the style sheet–for my use during editing and for the use of the proofreader I had to review the manuscript.
A style sheet can be as simple or as complex as needed. In its most basic form, it should include the preferred style guide and dictionary, then list additions and deviations, such as the example excerpted below.
Style Guide: Chicago Manual of Style
Dictionary: Merriam-Webster Online
Treatment of specific words and phrases:
amygdalae
flight-or-fight response and flight-fight-freeze (hyphenated)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (per DSM-IV)
You can include formatting instructions in the style sheet. For example, in the PTSD book, the co-authors wanted their words set apart in different fonts so it would be easy for readers to recognize whether the psychotherapist or the chaplain/psychotherapist was talking. Of course, we identified the author at the beginning of the section, but since some sections extended over several pages, the different fonts provide a visual cue.
In What are style guides and why do I need them?, I talked about more extensive information guides. An information guide for a novel might include details about characters and setting as well as the spelling of names and hyphenation of words. When you write a book over months or even years, it's easy to forget what you wrote 200 pages ago.
An information guide is helpful to you as the writer, and it's also important for your editor to ensure consistency throughout the manuscript. Without a style sheet, the editor won't know if your character's name is Susanne or Suzanne or if she lives in Harveytown or Harvey Town.
Style sheets make it easier for everyone involved in producing a book, article, or other document, and the resulting consistency makes it easier for your reader to get your message without getting confused or bogged down in discrepancies.
Do you use style sheets? What advice would you give about using style sheets effectively?
Related Posts:Looking for Vets with PTSD Who Have ImprovedChanging StylesEditing: Part 4 – What are style guides and why do I need them?Should You Follow a Style Guide for Your Blog?Guest Post at Visual Arts JunctionPowered by Contextual Related Posts Previous in series Using Style Sheets was first posted on February 16, 2011 at 12:37 am.
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February 13, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day
I seldom watch TV or listen to the radio, but my husband always has the TV on in the house or the radio in the car. So I hear bits and pieces of programs—and lots of ads.
Recently, I've been hearing all kinds of advertisements for Valentine's Day gifts. They all say something like, "Give your girlfriend or wife this , and you'll have a great Valentine's Day because you're going to like the way she shows her appreciation."
Is Valentine's Day only about romantic love? Why can't we express our love to family and friends?
Even if the day is only about romantic love, why are girlfriends and wives the only ones to receive gifts on this special day about love? Shouldn't women let their boyfriends and husbands know how much they love them?
Is a gift of love supposed to be given to receive something in return? Shouldn't we give gifts to show our love without consideration for how much the recipient will appreciate the gift and show that appreciation?
I don't expect my husband to send me roses or chocolates or cuddly toys—or anything else. I don't measure love by material gifts. Just hearing "I love you" (which I do several times a day every day) is the only valentine I need.
I'll send my husband a mushy e-card and tell him privately and publicly here on my blog, "I love you!"
And I'll tell you, my readers, that I love having you as part of my blog family. I appreciate your comments, and even if you don't comment, I appreciate your reading my words. Today, I'll say, "Thank you! Happy Valentine's Day!"
photo credit: LoneGunMan
Related Posts:Happy Valentine's DayHappy Valentine's DayWhat I Learned from LoveI Love to Write DayHappy National Authors Day!Powered by Contextual Related PostsHappy Valentine's Day was first posted on February 14, 2011 at 12:14 am.
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