Rob Bignell's Blog, page 213

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story...

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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How to Market Your Book: 7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Yo...

How to Market Your Book: 7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book shows how to develop a strategy that will get articles about your self-published book in newspapers, magazines, on radio and television programs, posted on blogs, and linked to on websites, while landing you book signings and readings, all at virtually no cost.



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Indie authors should use cash basis accounting

The two main methods of business accounting are cash basis and accrual.

In cash basis accounting, revenues are matched up to expenses when the payment is processed. So, if you provide a press release writing service as part of your indie author business, you would record the money due from your client only when the payment actually is received. Small businesses, especially sole proprietors operating out of their home, primarily use cash accounting, as it gives the most accurate picture of the actual amount of cash they have on hand.

Accrual accounting records the revenue when the transaction is agreed upon, even though no payment has been received for delivery of services. Likewise, once you receive a bill, it immediately is listed as an expense even though you may not have paid it. Corporations primarily use this method; in fact, in the United States, any corporation making more than $5 million a year has to use it. This method is preferred for corporations because it gives a current and accurate picture of a company���s financial condition. It���s also the only way some corporations can operate; for example, if you sell a product on credit, cash basis accounting provides no way to record future payments from a customer but accrual accounting does.

As an indie author with limited expenses and a small amount of revenue that isn���t garnered through credit, you want to use simple, straightforward cash basis accounting. Once you expand from solely writing to offering services or products that can be paid for in installments, you���ll want to switch to accrual accounting.

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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A symbolic problem: Literally vs. Figuratively

The difference between these two words is one of apples and oranges, figuratively speaking that is.

Literally means ���actually��� and ���without exaggeration.��� To wit: When I told him to go fly a kite, I didn���t mean for him to literally do it.

Literally is overused these days, primarily because it���s become an intensifier, as in I was literally on fire. Arguably, it���s also misused, for literally as an intensifier virtually means the opposite of ���actually��� and ���without exaggeration.���

When literally is used as an intensifier, the speaker probably should have used figuratively.

Figuratively means something is ���metaphorical,��� as in The wildfire figuratively cast a shadow over the holidays.

So remember ��� when using these two words don���t literally mix up your apples and oranges!

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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11 Must-Have Elements of Your Story���s Opening

As you write and edit your story���s opening lines, make sure they achieve the following:

Use a Great Opening Hook
Establish both conflict and mood in the very first sentence; focusing on conflict usually gives your opening lines more energy.

Introduce the Protagonist
This ���greeting��� should provide just enough information that the reader feels the protagonist is interesting to follow.

Start in the Middle
Rather than give background information about how the story���s main conflict came to be, instead drop the reader right into the hornet���s nest.

Establish the Setting
Give concrete details showing the place and time in which the plot unfolds; this helps anchor the story.

Introduce the Central Problem
The central problem is the broad or central conflict that the main character must resolve before the story is over; it sets the story in motion.

Hint at Protagonist's Internal Motivations
Give personal reasons why the protagonist would want to resolve the central problem.

Hint at Protagonist's Intentions
Suggest the step your main character plans to take to deal with the story���s central problem.

Deliver Some Mysterious Element
Rather than write humdrum information about a character or a setting, give the reader a situation that is out of the ordinary or that is fraught with conflict; that is, hint at some mysterious element.

Establish Point of View
Every story has an angle or perspective ��� aka point of view ��� from which it is told. Which point of view you select deeply affects the way the story can be told.

Hint at Theme
A proposition that is argued or an aspect of human experience that is examined is your story���s theme; include underlying values that allow your theme to be revealed.

Set Tone for Story
Each story expresses an emotional climate or tone; creating tone involves a complex array of techniques such as diction, pacing and color.

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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How to Write a Bestselling Novel: In 7 Minutes a Day to ...

How to Write a Bestselling Novel: In 7 Minutes a Day to Your Bestseller, writers receive expert advice on topics like motivating yourself to write, starting your story with exciting opening lines, creating intriguing characters, mastering the craft of writing to elevate your style, and pitching your story to potential publishers.

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5 Great Quotations for Aspiring Authors

���Mere literary talent is common; what is rare is endurance, the continuing desire to work hard at writing.��� - Donald Hall

���By writing at the instant the very heartbeat of life is caught.��� - Walt Whitman

���But the ultimate lesson is just sit down and write. That���s all.��� - Wole Soyinka

���Beware of advice ��� even this.��� - Carl Sandburg

���If you wish to be a writer, write.��� - Epictetus

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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Every success story begins with a dream. If you dream of...

Every success story begins with a dream. If you dream of being a professional, published author, that success story requires believing in yourself and in knowing that your efforts will lead to triumph. Read the motivational blog entry this quotation came from by clicking on the quote card.

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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Editing clients publish book on cancer fight

Recent editing clients Dave and Barbie Renfroe have published their first book, ���Plunge into Darkness.��� When an emergency room visit turns into a cancer diagnosis that gives Barbie mere months to live, she and her husband Dave find their lives turned upside down. But neither is willing to give up without a fight. Three surgeries and hundreds of hours of chemo later, Barbie has defied the odds. ���Plunge into Darkness��� takes readers on Dave and Barbie's journey through their battle against cancer and relates how they found family, friends, community and the teachings of Jesus Christ powerful bulwarks against depression and the sense of hopelessness that threatens every person who suffers from cancer. Their story is inspiring, and they hope it will give families and those battling cancer the strength to carry on their own fight. It is available online as a paperback, Kindle ebook, or as ebook for iBook/Nook/Kobo.

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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Keep budget to guide your self-publishing efforts

Indie authors should create a budget to manage their money for writing. You don���t want to lose track of your spending and profits. In addition, a budget ensures you think hard before purchasing a service, preventing you from wasting money. A budget also helps you get the best return on investment for your dollar.

Begin by researching prices for the services you need to purchase; list them and their estimated costs on paper or a word processing document. Those are your anticipated expenses. Next, determine how much money you���ve earned from book sales. That is your revenue.

Of course, you haven���t earned any money yet if you���re just starting out. Self-publishing always requires a small capital investment on your part. You may need to make this investment a line item on your household budget and every month add so many dollars to your writing budget. Or you may need to wait for a bonus check or take a seasonal job to cover the expenses.

The challenge to all indie authors is to initially spend as close to nothing on services so that you have very low expenses. That maximizes the amount of revenue from your book sales.

Usually what busts a budget are unanticipated expenses. In indie publishing, this usually comes after a visit to a store���s stationery aisle. Perhaps you bought pens, notebooks, a printer cartridge, Post-it notes, and other writing-oriented do-dads. Before buying anything, though, you have two choices: Spend money from your household budget or don���t buy them. I advocate the latter, at least when you���re starting out. This prevents you from mixing your household and business budgets. It also forces you to adopt an entrepreneur mentality of always asking, ���Do I really need this to succeed?��� The answer in most cases is you probably don���t. For the above purchases, you instead can write on your computer, use a free note-taking app, and edit by reading the manuscript on your screen.

Lastly, remember that a budget, like your writing outline, is a flexible document. You can only spend what you have available, and sometimes that���s less than you want, so you will need to cut expenses. On good days, though, the revenue is more than you expected, so you can potentially spend more than you wanted.

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



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