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Ye Will Be Judged: Preparing for Book Design
When it comes to the editorial process, most authors inherently understand that they are expected to play a role. After all, it’s your name at the top of that document. But what about design?
The good news is that you don’t need to have a creative bone in your body to meaningfully contribute. In fact, you can impact the results even before you hire your designer. What follows are three pieces of advice to better prepare you for a productive and satisfying book design phase of your publishing journey.
An Editor’s Perspective: Developing and Preserving an Author’s Voice
If you’re writing a book, you’ve probably heard about author “voice.” One of the most common concerns I get from new authors is, “I want to make sure whatever editor I work with preserves my voice.”
That’s critical to me too. In our work as editors and ghostwriters, our goal is never to dilute or arbitrarily change your voice. Instead, we want to amplify it—to sharpen it, soften it, or work to make it as clear and impactful as possible.
But I often see confusion around author voice, so I’d like to demystify it a bit here.
Why Your Ghostwriter (or Editor) Needs to Be a “Fit”
A while ago, I contracted with “Antonio” (not his real name) to ghostwrite his highly personal memoir about a traumatic life event. When we first met, Antonio told me I was the fifth ghostwriter he’d interviewed, and he still hadn’t found his ideal writing partner. Before we finished the first meeting, we both knew we felt instant “chemistry” and would make an outstanding writing team. But I urged him to conduct his due diligence.
The ghostwriter/author (or editor/author) relationship is an intimate one. The last thing you want is to share the most personal details of your life with a ghostwriter only to discover quickly that you can’t stand the person writing your story!
What Does It Take to Be a Full-Time Writer?
Last month, an upcoming college freshman interviewed me about how to become a full-time writer. While I can’t speak for every writer, I shared the following tips with him, which I believe have contributed to my ability to work for so many years in a profession I love.
Have You “Scottified” Your Manuscript?
I’m currently ghostwriting and incorporating my client’s themes into his book. He’s an academic heavyweight with years of business experience, something I point out to explain that he’s not lacking in IQ points or business acumen. However, he reached out to us, because he knows that writing is not something he claims as his strong suit.
Early in our work together, I’d send him a draft of a chapter, and then he’d expound on his concepts where I didn’t have enough depth. (Note: When ghostwriting for a subject-matter expert, the expert will always know more than the writer.) In a recent chapter, knowing that he’d written his notes in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, he added a final comment:
“Please Scottify.”ary-goes-here
Put the Pen Down: When to Get Away
A professor in college once told my Soviet studies class, “Sometimes you have to go away to get close.” I can’t remember the reference, but the meaning behind the quote stuck to me permanently.
Writing can provide great therapy. It’s often an effective negotiation tool. It’s a means of making a living for many. For others, it’s a way to build a legacy or document a story. But there are times when putting the pen down for a while is the healthiest—and even most productive—choice. Here are a few of those times.
Explore posts by topic:
All Blog Posts
- author coaching 1
- author spotlight 6
- book editing 2
- book writing 2
- courage 1
- fear 1
- ghostwriting 1
- guest author 2
- hiring an editor 1
- hybrid publishing 1
- leadership book writing 1
- maya angelou 1
- memoir writing 2
- poetry 1
- protest 1
- self-publishing 2
- traditional publishing 1
- voice 1
- who can edit my book? 1
- writers block 1
Search all posts: