WatchWord Editing

06/07/2017

I'm pleased that Chuck Davis's book Jonah and Me: on Mission with God will be released on June 30th.

01/27/2017

If you are writing a book--or thinking about writing one, you likely have considered self-publishing. Join us as we hear from a number of self-published writers as they share their experiences.

The publishing market has experienced great changes in the past decade. Independent publishing, including self-pub, hybrid publishing, and small press publishing, accounts for nearly half of all bo…

12/07/2016

Wondering about what sets a hybrid publisher apart from vanity publishers? Here are some things to look out for.

Defining a "hybrid publisher" is difficult; you will hear different descriptions depending on who you ask. Here's what you need to know to evaluate one.

11/16/2016

Some of you are deep in NaNoWriMo right now. Others are marching to the tune of their own drummer. Either way is fine. But either way you will need to come to the next step in the process. This blog post has some great things to think about. One of my favorite points is the little-talked about question of when to do your book launch, but there's much more here. I recommend you check it out.

When the writing is done, do you close the file in your computer or stuff the writing in a drawer? Or, do you seriously start to plan the “what’s next”?

07/18/2016

These are great tips for how to grow as a writer. The only one I haven't tackled yet is to attend a writers conference. What about you? Which ones have you done so far? Which one will you tackle next?

I used to think that to be a writer, all you had to do was learn to write well. But that’s just not true. There’s a lot more to writing than that.

06/22/2016

Some important things to consider when submitting to a writing contest--and some are relevant for good writing in general.

I just wrapped up serving as one of the judges in the Hemingway Shorts contest sponsored by the Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, and I thought I'd share some of the insights I came away with:

06/13/2016

Who knew such a small gift would give the world so much.

On this day in History, Anne Frank receives a diary on Jun 12, 1942. Learn more about what happened today on History.

06/07/2016

Are you thinking your life has a story to tell? If you are working on a memoir or considering doing so, pick up a copy of Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer. There is so much great information here: types of autobiography/memoir; choosing a focus for the story; adding a plot to your memories, to make them more interesting to readers, and much more.

05/17/2016

As writers we're encouraged to blog--but are we missing the mark with our blog posts? Here's something to consider.

Assuming you want to increase your blog traffic, there are certain mistakes you must avoid to be successful. If you commit these mistakes, your traffic will never gain momentum. Worse, it may slow or begin to die. These are my top ten traffic-killers.

05/06/2016

The June 2016 issue of The Writer Magazine has a brief article laying out seven stages of revision. It's called "Good Grief." Check it out. Some of you may recognize some of these stages and others may be inspired to dig deeper as they revise. Hopefully, all will be encouraged: You mean it's not just me?

05/02/2016

If you are writing a memoir--or thinking about writing a memoir--you might benefit from this upcoming telesummit by the National Association of Memoir Writers. It's coming up quickly--May 6--and it's free. More information here: http://namw.org/spring-2016-telesummit/

Memoir writers have a tough mandate: to dig deep and tell their own personal truths, and write a story that will offer a universal message to others. We aren’t supposed to make things up, and we are warned not to air the dirty laundry—who will want to read it anyway—says those critical voices, both…

04/18/2016

Great teachings at the UW Madison Writers Institute this past weekend. I'll have to join them next year.

Fresh from another successful UW Madison Writers’ Institute, my head is spinning! I try to take it easy the first day back. Four days of information, socializing, and trying to sleep in a bed…