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Jocelyn Carbonara 12/12/24 Jocelyn Carbonara 12/12/24

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome as an Author

Even masters of their craft deal with imposter syndrome. Poet laureate Dr. Maya Angelou once said, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”

Two of my areas of expertise as an editor are non-fiction and memoir. I think these hold a special corner on fostering imposter syndrome. Here are some tips to overcoming the imposter syndrome that may paralyze or stall you in your writing.

Scott Carbonara 12/5/24 Scott Carbonara 12/5/24

Three Warning Signs You’re Not Ready to Write Your Book

We’ve always believed that everyone has a story to tell—one that can inform, enlighten, teach, and/or inspire others. But from our years in the field, we’ve found there are times when would-be authors might want to hold off on writing. Here are three times an author coach may be the better choice than jumping into writing your book.

Jocelyn Carbonara 11/28/24 Jocelyn Carbonara 11/28/24

Seven Ways to Save You Time and Money in Book Editing

Authors often ask me how many revisions they will need by a professional editor. Each phase adds up financially, so my goal is to help streamline the process without sacrificing quality. Which leads me to answer: “It depends. Each revision will take your manuscript up at least a full letter grade.” This means you might move from a B to an A, etc.— up one level in quality with each full edit.

My goal is to help you earn an A. Sometimes this can be done with three basic rounds: developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading. But a lot depends upon what shape the manuscript is in when I get it.

To save you time and money, here are tips on how to resolve the most common issues I see in manuscripts sent to me. This will help you get the most out of your editing experience.mmary-goes-here

Jocelyn Carbonara 11/14/24 Jocelyn Carbonara 11/14/24

Writing as Therapy or Advocacy

In uncertain times, are you prone to action to channel your anger, disappointment, or desire for change? Do you join or lead causes, schedule a protest, or become vocal in online platforms? If you’ve experienced trauma by an individual, perhaps you’ve prosecuted or confronted your perpetrator. All these actions are justified and often necessary.

But many are more inclined to process their emotions internally, expressing them in ways that may seem abstract—but which can still deliver impact. And one of those methods is writing.

Scott Carbonara 11/7/24 Scott Carbonara 11/7/24

Do You Need a Ghostwriter? Six Scenarios Where a Ghostwriter Makes Sense

You might assume that only celebrities and politicians use ghostwriters. Did you know some of your favorite childhood serials like Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Goosebumps, and The Baby-Sitters Club used them? And if you’re a fan of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books or the works of Robert Ludlum, you’re already familiar with the work of ghostwriters.

Instead of outing our most cherished authors who used ghostwriters, let’s explore the scenarios where a ghostwriter makes sense, to see if ghostwriting is right for you.

Jenny Lisk 10/31/24 Jenny Lisk 10/31/24

How to Research and Evaluate a Hybrid Publisher

If you’re currently writing a book, or even have a finished manuscript in hand, you’ve probably thought about the next step: How will it be published?

Maybe you’ve struck out in the search for an agent or traditional publisher. Perhaps the prospect of self-publishing feels daunting. You may have heard about “hybrid publishing” and wondered if it’s the solution you’re looking for.