Kathy Ide's Blog, page 29

Writing Process Blog Tour

My colleague Bethany Kaczmarek is conducting a blog tour with writers and editors. Each one answers the same four questions:

            1. What am I working on? 

            2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

            3. Why do I write what I do?

            4. How does my writing process work? 

After posting their responses on their own blogs, each of these writers/editors nominates three colleagues to answer the same questions about their work. Here’s Bethany’s website for the blog tour: http://alittleredinc.blogspot.com/2014/05/ello-loves-were-next-stop-on-writing.html. And here are my answers to the questions:

1. What am I working on? 

At any given time, I’m always working on about a dozen things at once! I have lots of editing work for terrific authors—I love helping writers polish their manuscripts and learn professional writing techniques. I’m doing some promotion for my new book that came out in January, Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors, and working on putting together the next book in the series, Editing Secrets of Best-Selling Authors. I’m also preparing for two writers’ conferences I’ll be teaching at this summer. In late June I’ve got the West Coast Writers’ Conference in Los Angeles, and in July I’ll be presenting a continuing morning session at the Montrose Christian Writers’ Conference in Pennsylvania.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

There are lots of books out there about proofreading, editing, grammar, etc. Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors is unique in that it contains tips from actual multi-published authors on how to proofread for typos, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies, followed by easy-to-understand explanations of the industry-standard rules for punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling based on the style guides used by US book publishers. I don’t know of anything that’s quite like it.

The rest of the books in this series will also contain tips from best-selling authors on topics like editing, publishing, marketing, even keyboarding (in ways that will help writers avoid repetitive-strain injuries). Through teaching at writers’ conferences across the country for several years, I have developed wonderful relationships with multi-published authors, many of whom have graciously agreed to share their expertise with me so I can share it with readers of my books. I love the spirit of cooperation that permeates the Christian publishing industry!

3. Why do I write what I do?

When I started my editing business, I came up with a tagline: “Writing is my passion. Helping others improve their writing is my delight.” That is still true. I have expanded that to helping other editors create and maintain successful businesses. The Secrets of Best-Selling Authors series is my way of helping writers and editors achieve whatever God-given dreams they have and being successful in whatever ways He has in mind for them.

4. How does my writing process work? 

Since editing is how I make my living (and I absolutely love it), I often find it difficult to carve out time to work on my own projects. When I do get really involved in my own work (whether it’s writing, rewriting, polishing, proofreading, editing/proofreading other authors’ submissions for my compilations, or marketing), I tend to get behind on my editing work. I don’t like that … and neither do my clients! So it’s always a bit of a juggling act to find the right balance.

I’ve tried several schedules, some of which have worked to varying degrees at different points in my life. My most recent idea was to set aside Fridays to focus on my own projects. And allow myself until 10 a.m. the rest of the weekdays to catch up on e-mails, but start editing promptly at 10:00. That worked … until I had to drop almost everything else to get my book cover designed, then get the interior designed/typeset, then proofread the galleys very carefully and thoroughly, then do pre-launch and post-launch promotional stuff. About a month after my book’s release, I had three major events almost back to back: the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference (which I’m on staff for), The Christian PEN’s editor convention (I’m the founder and director of the sponsoring organization), and the Orange County Christian Writers’ Conference (I was on the board and on the faculty). I spent the month of May working like crazy to get caught up with my editing work!

But I can’t complain about my crazy life. I totally love what I do, and I thank God every day of my life that I get to do something so awesome and fun for a living. God is in charge of my business, so I spend a block of time every morning having a meeting with “the Boss.” I ask Him to let me know what He wants me to do that day, and I ask Him to do it through me. That way, at the end of the day, I can feel confident that I did whatever He had in mind for me … no matter what happened (or didn’t happen) that might have been on my agenda.

Paid in Full

I asked the winner of my Promising Beginnings contest, Rebecca Bruner to share her thoughts about winning the contest. “Part One” of her report can be found here. This is “Part Two” about some of her experiences at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, for which she won a full scholarship. 

The Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference was phenomenal. I attended the non-fiction mentor track. As someone with a bachelor’s degree in English and several years’ experience in freelance writing, I thought I knew what I was doing. Under the expert tutelage of Karen O’Connor I discovered that you never know what you don’t know. Her insightful critique of my work was challenging, yet constructive. I came away from the week with a clear idea of how to make my writing more engaging for readers by striving for a tone that is “invitational” rather than “instructional.”

I had numerous opportunities to network with established writers and publishing professionals, and received invitations from three different editors to submit manuscript proposals to their publishing houses. I also had many opportunities to connect with writers who, like me, are passionate about their message and are striving to find the best route to make their voices heard. I discovered kingdom allies from other parts of the country who are burdened by the same issues that God has laid upon my heart. One of the most encouraging aspects of the conference was the confirmation I received from so many regarding my book idea. I shared my elevator pitch at virtually every meal, and everyone seemed enthusiastic, especially the younger Christian wives who make up my target audience.Rebecca Bruner and Kathy Ide

I had the opportunity to go to the daily Prayer and Praise time, led by Karen Ball. This was a great way to begin each day by focusing on the Lord and offering Him the worship He deserves. It helped bring everything else into proper perspective.

Kim Bangs revolutionized my idea of platform in her workshop on that topic. She gave us the picture that as writers, we actually are the platform on which Jesus Christ is lifted up. We seek to expand our sphere of influence in order to make His name great and spread His message to a wider audience.

The keynote speaker, Glenna Salsbury, was funny and engaging. Listening to someone so overflowing with the joy of the Lord lifted my heart. She left us all with many things to think about like the truth that because the Lord directs our steps, there are no accidents. Every disappointment, rejection, and season of waiting has its purpose in His perfect, sovereign plan.

One of the very best moments for me actually came before the conference when I received my final bill from Mount Hermon. It read “Balance Owed: $0.00.” My heart skipped a beat. Gratitude welled up inside me. I was so thankful to Kathy Ide for her generosity in providing me with the Promising Beginnings scholarship.

That experience reminded me of the even greater debt that I once owed to God because of my sin. Jesus wrote “Paid in Full” on that bill with His own blood. Because of His unfathomably generous sacrifice, I have been washed clean and adopted into His family. One day, He will gather all His children for the grand family reunion around His throne. For me, Mount Hermon was a little foretaste of what that great day will be like, as I joined with my brothers and sisters to rejoice in the love of our Savior and the gifts and talents He has entrusted to us to bring glory to His name.