R. Frederick Riddle's Blog, page 22

Ron’s Lit Tip Slow Down the Writing

09 24 2020

Welcome to Ron’s Lit Tip. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will share a tip with you.

Have you rushed your story?

Perhaps you had a story bursting to be told. You sat down and started writing. You wrote and wrote. It seemed to flow from your brain to your fingers. Your imagination was on fire! And you continued to write.

Finally, it was done, and you felt ready to be published. Perhaps you asked a friend to proofread it, not for mistakes but accolades. Or perhaps you decided to read it through anticipating another surge of pleasure. Alas, that’s not how it went.

Instead your friend tried to be gentle, but she had to point out the errors, lots of errors. Over a hundred errors! Or your own reading revealed the multitude of errors. In either case you are flabbergasted, shocked beyond belief!

On top of all that your masterpiece looked disorganized, and just plain crummy.

Devastated you pick up the typed manuscript and rip it to shreds before dumping the remains into your wastebasket.

What went wrong?

You’ve made 3 Key Mistakes

1 – You rushed it! There is nothing wrong with working hard on your story, but the truth is there is preparation before you start writing. If you start writing first, just remember that chances are you will have extra work later on.

The better approach is to start asking questions about the story you want to write. Basically, they are the Who, What, When, and Where questions with a How included. Some writers do that first, some while they write, but in either case it needs to be done. Some experts suggest breaking the process into time schedules. Whatever works for you. I don’t have a time schedule like that. Years of writing have developed habits that involve both the writing and the necessary research and editing.

2- First Draft. This is where the 2nd mistake takes place. You’ve finished the book or thought you had done so, and you seek to get it published. But the truth is this is your first draft and first drafts are rarely ready to be published. You need to review, edit, and repeat. Some writers hold off until the end before reviewing and editing. I often do it more frequently, perhaps every chapter and with a final review and edit at the conclusion.

This seems time-consuming, but for me it breaks the process up and sometimes leads to a reevaluation of the entire story. Whether fiction or non-fiction you will need to have some kind of review and edit.

3 – You Quit. This is the third and worst mistake. It stems from the first two mistakes where you rushed it and got discouraged by the results. Instead of quitting you want to respond with more energy and determination to finish the story. Take a look at the first draft and identify the good parts, the fixable parts, and the wastebasket parts. Wastebasket parts are those parts that don’t have a place in your book.

When I wrote the nonfiction book Trump an Outsider’s View, I realized from the start I had to go slow. I was going to be covering a lot of material and needed to get it right the first time. So, I was forced from the beginning to do diligent research. As mentioned above, I performed the review and edit tasks as I was writing the story. So, the completed draft was not just my first draft, but my second and third drafts. But I still needed to review it.

It was hard work, under time pressure because it needed to be published before the election, and frustrating. But I believed in the project and pressed on so that by October 1st the book was already out and being marketed.

Tip: Slow down, edit, and never quit.

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For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Ron’s Lit Tip: Bible as a Resource

09 23 2020

Welcome to Ron’s Lit Tip. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will share a tip with you.

Have You Considered Writing a Bible Based Novel?

Bible based novels do very well. When I owned a bookstore on the internet Bible based novels were one of my best-selling items. The Bible is filled with characters to be explored.

Isn’t that hard to do?”

Perhaps, but it is worth it. My most successful series has been The World That Was which covers from Creation through Jacob. I am currently working on the World of Joseph.

Bible stories come with the same advantages and disadvantages of writing historical fiction. You start out with facts. That means your primary characters will be taken from the Bible and therefore cannot be altered. Same with the basic story itself. You are dealing with facts and your novel must operate within those facts.

I referred to Historical novels above. That is a good comparison because the Bible is among other things a historical book. Where it writes of historical events and people these are hard facts and provide a would-be writer with a ready cast of characters and events.

I thought the Bible was just a myth.

No, it is not. It is actual history. While often challenged it has been proven correct repeatedly. Sometimes archaeology disputes the Bible, such as the existence of a Hittite empire, but in time the Bible is proven correct. In the case of the Biblical Flood versus the Gilgamesh Flood it is easy to see that the Biblical Flood account is a first person account written by Noah and his sons while Gilgamesh was written well after the Flood, in fact after the Confusion of Tongues at Babel. Accuracy and the ability to recreate things such as the Ark also point to the Bible as a reliable history source.

So, How would I Start?

The same way you would with any history. First go to the source, the Bible, and copy or summarize the facts. You want to know Who, What, When, and Why. Once you have a basis understanding of the facts, hopefully saved in a document you’ve created, you can then work on the plot.

As in historical novels you already have a plot built. But you may have a story within the story which is the real plot of your book. Whichever one you choose you start developing it. You may have added fictional characters to go along with the historical characters. One strength you have is the ability to research the real characters (average height, weight, skin color, education, religion, and more) that can be used to develop the fictional characters.

Do I include God in the Book?

If God appears in the Bible story, then it is a definite yes. If not, then it is optional. But if you do, be sure that the God of your book is true to the God of the Bible. One method I have used is to research all of God’s statements and actions in the Bible, not just in the story itself. That allows me, the author, the opportunity to broaden the behind the scenes spiritual activities.

What about conflicts between Bible accounts and historical accounts?

It is always wise to remember that historical accounts are the views of men and they may and do change. The Bible accounts were written by men of God writing under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Always view history through the lens of the Bible to get the most accurate information.

Tip: Consider writing novels based on Bible stories, but remember it requires diligence on your part.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Ron’s Lit Tip Building Characters

09 22 2020

Welcome to Ron’s Lit Tip. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will share a tip with you.

When writing a story, when do I create characters?

Good question. The short answer is whenever you want. But let’s look at this in more depth.

Importance of Character

Some characters are more important than others. I would suggest you have at least a general idea of who and what the most important characters are before you start writing. The reason is that the primary character(s) will exert influence right from the beginning. Know how your character fits in with the story and having a concept of how things will end for the character will help you in developing your story.

First Occurrence of Primary Character

In most novels the primary character shows up in the first chapter and often on the first page. This is an excellent time to introduce your characters best (or worst) characteristics to the reader. It will shape their opinion of that character from that point onward.

I suggest height, build, hair style and color, skin color, or speech be revealed up front. Skin color tells the reader a great deal, so if you want a little mystery there you would wait to reveal that fact. It is really up to you and depends on how you want your character revealed.

I would suggest you emphasize the primary characteristic. Perhaps the character has a temper, show it. Or perhaps the character tends to listen in on conversations other people are having. Why not show it?

First Occurrence of Other Characters

You don’t need a full biological report here, but it would be helpful if some important characteristic is introduced immediately. It could be he or she had red hair. Or maybe a prominent nose. It could be anything, and it could prove important later on.

Do I need a Record of the Character’s characteristics?

Different authors do different things. Some create a separate document and list the characters by name and what characteristics they have. Some authors do this mentally. I’ve tried both and generally prefer a separate document. Depending on your memory can lead to mistakes, while depending on a document can lead to further developments and even growth of the character(s).

What about using lisps or accents?

If you use lisps, accents, or anything else that is noticeable, then you need to be consistent. In my novel Perished: The World That Was I had the Serpent talk with a lisp. It required consistency or the reader would have noticed it. In the story, Serpent was taken over by Lucifer and the lisp was gone. It helped dramatize the moment.

In another situation I had Methuselah use an identifying phrase. It was something he said that both drew attention to him and to whatever he was emphasizing. It required diligence on my part but it worked.

So, when do I create my characters?

I would suggest you develop your primary and some of your support characters before you start your story. That doesn’t mean include them all at once, but rather to have the capability to include them whenever desired. I also believe, although I don’t always do so, that it is best if you have them in a separate document which becomes a valuable resource.

Tip: Pay attention to your Characters, make a list of their characteristics, and develop them into useful contributors to your story. And prepare them as early as possible.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Supreme Court News

09 21 2020

Welcome to The News which is published every Monday and Friday.

What’s all this noise about the Supreme Court?

With the death off Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg a major shift is in the wind for the Supreme Court. Because of this the Left and Right are squaring off. For the Democrats it represents what might be a distant prospect of changing the judicial landscape solidly to the Left. For the Republicans it represents the opportunity to finally shift the court to the right where the Constitution and rule of law outweigh social experimentation.

The current battle is whether a justice should be nominated by President Trump or by the next president (Trump or Biden).

Who’s Right?

That depends on your worldview. If you are on the left and are hoping Biden wins then you want to delay the nomination until Biden is in office. If you are on the Right, you want the nomination now for at least two reasons.

The first reason is that if the election is close, like some prognosticators think, then it could be decided by the court. In that scenario you need a full Supreme Court bench. Otherwise, you get a real mess.

The second reason is that the court would be returned to its original status, namely, a court ruled by the Constitution. Not the modernized constitution of the Liberals but the Constitution that is the foundation of American.

What Happens if Trump’s Nominee Fails to Win in Senate?

Not much. It only delays it if Trump is re-elected. I believe he will be re-elected, but if not, then Biden would have the choice.

Doesn’t Trump trail in the Polls?

In some he still trails, but in polls based on “Likely” voters he is winning, and the margin has been increasing. There has been a shift toward Trump in the Battleground States and among the Hispanics and perhaps the Black communities.

Another factor to consider is the influence of the Internet. In the past the Democrats would use all manner of deception and confuse, even deceive, the American public. But things have changed. Americans of every age, color, and ethnicity are proficient with the Internet and know how to look up the facts. Many, if not most, understand that so-called “Fact Checkers” are unreliable and biased.

So, they look the information up and find out the truth.

So, what can we expect?

As far as the Supreme Court is concerned it is hard to tell. But despite House Speaker’s Pelosi’s claim she has something up her sleeve it is doubtful there is anything there. The real question is whether the Republicans will stand with the President. Time will tell.

As for the election, I think Trump benefits no matter which way the Senate goes. And I think he will be re-elected perhaps in a landslide.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

News Covid-19

09 18 2020

Welcome to News which is published every Monday and Friday.

Although my book Trump an Outsider’s View is already available for purchase or Pre-Order (today is last day), I continue to follow the stats. If you read the paper, you might get the picture that things are still bad and getting worse.

Not So!

But there are still new cases.

True, but the number of true cases is going down. That’s a good thing not a bad thing. But the true story lies in the death rate.

Death Rate?

Yes. I published my newest book Trump an Outsider’s View on September 11. The eBook is currently in Pre-Order and will be released tomorrow. In both versions I had the following stats:

Total cases: 6,438,739

Total deaths: 192,834

Death Rate: 2.99%

Compare those numbers to today’s (September 18, 2020):

Total cases: 6,670,496

Total deaths: 197,447

Death Rate: 2.96%

How do you determine Death Rate?

You divide the total deaths by the total cases. This gives you a running average. When viewed over a long period of time (say January to September 18) it mitigates the delay factor people talk about.

A Closer Look

When you run the numbers, you find that during that seven-day period new cases went up by a total of 231,757 and new deaths went up by 4,613. Convert that to daily, and you get an average of 33,108 new cases and 659 new deaths.

That is considerably below the numbers for the height of the pandemic.

What does that mean?

It means the pandemic is slowing down. Now that the cases are also on a downtrend, the Death Rate is no longer plunging as it was from June 1 through September 11, but it still is moving downward.

But the News Media has changed its focus.

Now the focus is on the economic damage done by the virus. But as with the death rate the media is behind on the economy. Although they state that Americans applying for jobless benefits fell last week to 860,000, the emphasis is on the historic highs that number represents.

Again, they report that jobless claims fell by 33,000 but the article emphasizes the high numbers in relation to last year. In other words, they can say they reported positive news which is true. But they wrapped it in negative news. The truth is that the economy is slowly (that is, slower than we want) ramping up.

Employment is rising and unemployment is sinking. And that is far more important news than the fact we have hit record breaking levels. Yes, we did but that primarily took place in months past. We are now seeing the American economy on an upward climb. It is slower than we want but there is no reason to believe it won’t speed up.

Speaking for myself, I expect the economy to be stronger by election day than it has been for a while now. I also expect the new cases and new deaths to be lower perhaps in the 1% Death Rate. That doesn’t change the tragedy of even one death, nor does it excuse the Democrats for first denying the Pandemic (and accusing Trump of racism) in the beginning nor their use of the pandemic to further political aims.

We will still see Democratic opportunism and negativism, but I am glad we have a President who is optimistic about America and its future.

The clouds of the pandemic are dispersing, and the sunlight is shining through. It is time to smile again!

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Ron’s Lit Tip Blogging

09 16 2020

Welcome to Ron’s Lit Tip. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will share a tip with you.

Have you considered Blogging?

Do I hear laughter? You shouldn’t laugh at the idea. Blogging is easy, it keeps your mind sharp, and depending on your perimeters it allows you to freely express your opinion on a lot of subjects.

Why do you blog?

I blog because I like helping other authors and I like commenting on the news, which means I have two different outreaches. I blog on the news on Fridays and Mondays, while I blog on writing on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

What subjects do you blog about?

On Mondays and Fridays, I blog primarily on the news, although everything is on the table. But I report the news and comment on it. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays, I blog on writing providing tips.

What is the advantage of blogging?

Blogging builds name recognition. In my case I have watched my followers list grow. Do any and will any buy my books. Possibly. That is certainly a hope.

Another advantage is it is a platform that enables me to reach out and tell people about my books I’ve written. Speaking of my books, I just published Trump an Outsider’s View and it is available on our site or you can go to Pre-Order.

What should I blog about?

That is something you need to evaluate. I recommend you discover your favorite subjects you like to talk about. It should be something that you already enjoy doing. But it can also be something new.

Some people blog about their work, while others blog about their hobbies, the world around them, and their other interests. It is your choice, but the more it reflects your tastes and inclinations the more it will attract others.

Are there any negatives about blogging?

Well, like anything that is worthwhile it takes time. And it will take time to build up a following, but I believe it is worth it.

But to be honest the work involved while time consuming it broadens your knowledge and understanding of the world around you. And, as in my case, it lends itself to learning more about your craft of writing.

An example of this is news. I write about current events and news is very current. Some of the news I learned led me in my researching for Trump an Outsider’s View. At the same time, research for the book also led to some of my blogging on news.

Is the book available in Print?

This is Tuesday September 15, 2020 (I’m writing this blog for Wednesday because I won’t be available) and at this moment the Print version is still being reviewed by KDP. I am expecting the book to be live at any moment. At the same time, however, a problem with the book cover or something else could occur requiring my attention. But the eBook is available for Pre-Order and will be released September 19, 2020.

Tip: Blogging can increase your name recognition.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Ron’s Lit Tip Templates

09 15 2020

Welcome to Ron’s Lit Tip. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will share a tip with you.

What is a template and why should I use one?

That is really two questions, so let’s answer the first one first: What is a template?”

When writing a book, you have a great many little things that have to be done such as Front Matter and Back Matter. Front Matter includes the Title Page, Copyright Page, Dedication Page, Contents, and more. In Back Matter you have the About the Author Page, the Author’s Books Page, and more.

When you write your first book these are items that you had to create from scratch. A template is a barebones setup of your book. It not only can contain the pages listed above it can also have headers and footers in the primary section including the beginning of Paging.

And the Why?

The template saves you money. Since all things are not equal, you need to carefully review your book so that the information is correct. For example, the template may have information that was in a previous book. So, you need to go over it and make corrections.

How?

By going over the new book you just created and examining with care the cover, the Title Page, Copyright Page, and all the pages of your Front Matter. Since this is a new book it likely needs to be changed to reflect the new book. Key words are a good example, as is the Title. And us the same care for the Back Matter.

My Practice

I use templates often. For example, I use the same template within a Series. Saves me a ton of work, but also requires a bit of work to make sure necessary changes have been made. I learned the hard way about meta data. That little known subject is very important for your book.

What is Meta Data?

Think of it as your title, publishing date, key words, and more. Basically anything outside the story itself that is important is meta data. Get that wrong and it will hurt the sales of your book.

What if this is my first book?

Ideal time to set up a template just in case you write more books. When setting up your book you need to set up things like margins, headers, and footers. Begin by dividing your header/footers into sections.

Section One would be your Front Matter with no header or footer information (i.e., title and author name in header and paging in footer); Section Two would be your story which includes your title and author name in the header (Title on odd page, Author name on even page) and paging in the footer; and Section Three would be your Back Matter with no header or footer information.

When done setting up your new book simply copy it and rename it {name} Template. You now have the start of a template. Later you might want to update this, particularly if you have more books and you have a page displaying your books. Also, Front Matter can include the Table of Contents, a map if you want, a Notes from Author page, and more. As you grow as an author you will have additional information that you might want in the Front or Back Matter Sections.

Tip: Use of Templates can lessen your workload.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

News President Trump

09 14 2020

Welcome to News which is published every Monday and Friday.

In today’s news I am proud to announce that my latest book Trump an Outsider’s View is now available for Pre-Order of the eBook!

This book has been labor intensive as I have daily needed to research by reading newspaper, searching the internet, and whatever it took to gather information. It is a book that spells out the facts that the news media conveniently left out. Here’s a quick scan of some of it’s topics.

2016 Election from announcement to electionCharge of Collusion and its aftermathWhen and how did the economic boom startHandling of Covid-19Foreign Affairs

 These are just a few of the subjects looked. A big one that the Democrats are staking a lot of hope in is the Administration’s handling of the Covid-19 crises. I have included a timeline dating all the way back to November, 2019 that shows when and where the virus started, the U.S. government’s first response and its responses thereafter.

I think readers are going to be surprised.

But the virus is not the only thing that will surprise people. I wish I had time to get out some of the other topics, but let me assure you of this: This book is full of facts as well as my own observations. It is a book that if read seriously will change your view of the President and how he’s handling his job. It will change the view or strengthen your view.

Trump an Outsider’s View is timely and it available in eBook plus the Print version will be available soon. Get your copy now!

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Riddle News 9/11

09/11/20

Welcome to News which is published every Monday and Friday.

September 11, 2001 is a day many of us remember. Back then I was the Financial Secretary of our church in Michigan. I handled both the church and the Christian School. This is my story.

 I had started work as usual and was busy with my tasks. I don’t recall why I went back to the School rooms, but I did. Upon entering one classroom the teacher who had his radio on informed me that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. He was letting the class listen to the reporting as part of their studies.

I left and headed back to the church offices. Since our Pastor and Associate Pastor had gone to a Christian Schools meeting in Washington D.C., I decided to go into the Pastor’s Office and turn on his television. I did so and began watching the coverage.

At first the camera was on the reporters but then it switched to the scene at the Twin Towers. You could see where the plane had struck the building. As they were showing us that view another plane was seen heading straight toward the second tower. It was at that moment that I and millions of Americans realized we were under attack!

As I was watching the second crash our Pastor and Associate Pastor were standing in line outside the White House waiting for a tour of the White House to begin. Our pastor later related that the first inkling of the attack came when they noticed the guards talking on their phones. Soon the guards announced the tour was cancelled and that everyone was to return to their hotels or homes.

But back at the church we didn’t know any of that. Somebody tried to call them but couldn’t get through (the crash and collapse of the buildings took out the communications). Needless to say, we were concerned and helpless to do anything.

It was a cowardly act of terror that killed thousands of people. Look at these stats:

Twin Towers deaths:          2,606

Pentagon deaths:                   265

Four planes                             125 (including 19 terrorists)

       TOTAL                         2,996

The attack accomplished their initial goal but the secondary goal of rendering us defenseless failed miserably. Instead it aroused a sleeping giant that within a relatively short time crippled Al Qaeda and led to the death of the mastermind.

Today, let us reflect on keeping our guard up. More importantly, let’s consider the fact that God is there for us.

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For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices

Ron’s Lit Tip 09 10 20

Today’s Issue: Proofing

Welcome to Ron’s Lit Tip. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will share a tip with you.

What is Proofing?

Google says, “a pre-publication version of your work. The purpose of a proof is so that you can check through everything before your work goes live.”

In other words, it is your last review and edit before publishing. This is a very critical step because some publishers will charge you if you want to make changes after publishing. If you use Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) that is not a problem. More on that later.

I recommend the following steps for proofing:

Proof CopyCover to CoverChapter by ChapterUploadPublishGet Published BookRead

Proof Copy

With KDP you pay for the printing costs and shipping. That means it will probably cost lest than $10. The print copy is very important because it’ll look different than what’s on screen.

Cover to Cover

This is recommended so you read the book thoroughly. You will be checking the front cover, title page, copyright, dedication, Table of Contents, Body (actual story), About the Author, Other Books by Author, and back cover, plus other pages. Some experts suggest reading the book from the back to the front, so you don’t let the story distract you.

Upload

I make periodic uploads to KDP and preview on screen. That way I see the appearance of the book with all changes. May not be necessary, but it gives me a feel for how the corrections are going.

Publish

Once you’ve finished editing and if you don’t need to reedit or ask a third party to proof the book, then it is time to publish your work. If you have followed all these steps then your work should be ready for the world.

Get Published Book

Once you are published get at least one copy for yourself. If you are using KDP you can publish your work, discover a mistake then pause the book, edit, and republish. Or you can leave the book live, edit, and republish.

If it is a major rewrite, then you might want to indicate a  new version or re-title. Some publishers may not allow this without a fee.

Read

Sit down, relax, and read it as though it was someone else’s book. If you don’t find any errors, then put it on your bookshelf. If you’re like me, you’ll eventually pick it up and read again. And you might think of new or additional scenes to add. And you can, because you are not only the author, but the publisher as well.

Conclusion

Every writer has their own ideas, but the above should help you get a strong start on your writing career.

Tip: Take Time and Thoroughly Proof Your Book

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

Subscribe to Author Alerts (click and submit signup form)

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. #Writingservices