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Scott Carbonara 1/2/25 Scott Carbonara 1/2/25

Don’t Wait to Write Right to Start Writing!

One resolution I hear often from people when they learn I’m a ghostwriter is something like: “I’ve always wanted to write a book! Maybe that should be my New Year’s resolution!”

Yes, maybe it should. If that’s your resolve, let me tell you how to make it happen. Resolutions that come with an action plan are more likely to remain intact and come to fruition.-goes-here

Jocelyn Carbonara 12/26/24 Jocelyn Carbonara 12/26/24

Seven Down-and-Dirty Tips to Transform Your Writing

As a book editor, I spend much of my time in “heavy lifting” work—assessing a manuscript for overall flow, shoring up gaps, and ensuring clarity and consistency. But the rest of my effort goes toward sentence-level changes that will impact the reader’s understanding and experience. A few are so easily accessible that anyone can apply them. I’ll share seven of those with you now. Applying them can elevate your writing, and even help you make better use of the time and money you spend on editing.

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.