I am blogging on iWriteNetwork about this very thing.
Thepost will help you see the big picture of the process of traditional publishing vs indie publishing. Go check it out here.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Indie Publishing Secrets Revealed - Copy Edits
Is there such a thing as an error free first edition?
I've never seen it.
With that being said, I can't stress how important it is to get a great copy editor. In fact, you might need two. For Protected, I'm actually using three.
Why?
Well, I'm not very good at editing-especially when I've made a thousand changes during plot editing. I get to a point where I can't see the problems. I'm too focused on the story itself.
So, after I get all my plot edits done, I give it to a couple of English geniuses to help me fix the copy errors they see. After I fix those things, I send it to a paid copy editor. Yes, it costs money, but it is worth it.
Because she finds so many errors (especially commas. I love them and use them way too often), after I fix all the mistakes she finds, I send it to another English wiz to catch anything my copy-editor missed. It's easy to miss things when there is a sea of mistakes.
I'm happy to say, that she didn't find many this go around. Yay!
Then, after it's published, I wait for my fans to tell me about errors that still remain. Yep. After all that, some mistakes still linger.
You might be thinking that I don't have a good editor. Well, it simply isn't true. In fact, there isn't one author I've talked to about editing who hasn't told me their editors, no matter how amazing or how expensive, miss things. It happens. So be prepared.
I happen to know some awesome copy-editors that are honest and very competitively priced. Check them out.
1. Tristi Pinkston
In fact, you could win a 250 page evaluation from Tristi by signing up to attend a cool workshop THIS coming Saturday, January 21st. No joke. Sign up here. That'll save you a lot of dough!
2. Precision Editing Group
Have you ever read a book that had no errors? Not a single one? If so, what was it?
I've never seen it.
With that being said, I can't stress how important it is to get a great copy editor. In fact, you might need two. For Protected, I'm actually using three.
Why?
Well, I'm not very good at editing-especially when I've made a thousand changes during plot editing. I get to a point where I can't see the problems. I'm too focused on the story itself.
So, after I get all my plot edits done, I give it to a couple of English geniuses to help me fix the copy errors they see. After I fix those things, I send it to a paid copy editor. Yes, it costs money, but it is worth it.
Because she finds so many errors (especially commas. I love them and use them way too often), after I fix all the mistakes she finds, I send it to another English wiz to catch anything my copy-editor missed. It's easy to miss things when there is a sea of mistakes.
I'm happy to say, that she didn't find many this go around. Yay!
Then, after it's published, I wait for my fans to tell me about errors that still remain. Yep. After all that, some mistakes still linger.
You might be thinking that I don't have a good editor. Well, it simply isn't true. In fact, there isn't one author I've talked to about editing who hasn't told me their editors, no matter how amazing or how expensive, miss things. It happens. So be prepared.
I happen to know some awesome copy-editors that are honest and very competitively priced. Check them out.
1. Tristi Pinkston
In fact, you could win a 250 page evaluation from Tristi by signing up to attend a cool workshop THIS coming Saturday, January 21st. No joke. Sign up here. That'll save you a lot of dough!
2. Precision Editing Group
Have you ever read a book that had no errors? Not a single one? If so, what was it?
Friday, January 6, 2012
Fantasy Lovers Dream
Do you love YA fantasy? This is your chance to win lots of YA fantasy books and fantasy swag.
For Christmas one year, I may have been 8 or so, my big brother, Matt, gave me my first fantasy book.
The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks.
That book began my love of fantasy. Talk about a genius. That is one great series. Love! Love! Love!
What book started your love of Fantasy?
Here you can win a copy of either The Sword of Shannara or a fantasy book of your choice.
Easy Entry- less than 1 minute to do all. Yahoo
1. Follow this blog -mandatory
2. Like my Watched Facebook page extra +1
3. Like my Watched Amazon page extra +1
**Leave me a comment about which of the three you did and which book you'd like me to send to you.
On Monday, The Indelibles is launching their blog. You won't want to miss it. I will be hosting a great giveawy here and you'll be able to enter to win a Kindle Fire- No joke. As you know, I'm partial to the Nook-but, there is something to be said for 2nd best. Hee Hee.
See ya on Monday. Make sure you enter all the fun giveaways below and tell me about your love of fantasy in my comments.
For Christmas one year, I may have been 8 or so, my big brother, Matt, gave me my first fantasy book.
The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks.
That book began my love of fantasy. Talk about a genius. That is one great series. Love! Love! Love!
What book started your love of Fantasy?
Here you can win a copy of either The Sword of Shannara or a fantasy book of your choice.
Easy Entry- less than 1 minute to do all. Yahoo
1. Follow this blog -mandatory
2. Like my Watched Facebook page extra +1
3. Like my Watched Amazon page extra +1
**Leave me a comment about which of the three you did and which book you'd like me to send to you.
On Monday, The Indelibles is launching their blog. You won't want to miss it. I will be hosting a great giveawy here and you'll be able to enter to win a Kindle Fire- No joke. As you know, I'm partial to the Nook-but, there is something to be said for 2nd best. Hee Hee.
See ya on Monday. Make sure you enter all the fun giveaways below and tell me about your love of fantasy in my comments.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Debutante Ball staring "Watched"
Welcome to the Debutante Ball,
A Feast of Debut Authors Blog Tour.
The party Ends today with me. So cool!
We're all giving away our books and some awesome swag. So, enter each day on each blog below on or before December 31st to win.Announcing Watched, a contemporary suspense Novel by Cindy M. Hogan.
Released June 6, 2011.
What readers are saying about Watched:
"Fantastic read, full of suspense and excitement."
-Bullard GMTA
"One of those books you don't want to put down."
-S. Hill
-S. Hill
"Well written and suspenseful."
-A. Brown
"Usually I'm prone to murder mysteries by James Patterson, and this kept me just as enthralled as his books."
-S. McClure
"This is my new favorite book."
-A. Ahlstrom
Just for this contest and to thank everyone who has made Watched a success and spread the word even more, Watched is only .99 cents for all e-readers.
all other e-formats also available. Get it at your favorite spot.
All you have to do to enter is comment and tell others about the fun Each time you comment, Tweet, Facebook or blog about the ball during the rest of December, you get an entry. Just leave a comment with the link to what you did. Easy!
Have fun and go find out about all these authors.
One a day.
Enter their contests and win.
Have fun and enjoy the books and swag!
12 Elizabeth Mueller elizabethmueller.blogspot.com
17 Pendragon Innmen PendragonWrites.com
19 Alex J. Cavanaugh alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com
20 Gillian Schafer gillianjoy-livingtowrite.blogspot.com
21 Fiauna Lund formyfour.blogspot.com
22 Anastasia V. Pergakis http://labotomyofawriter.com/
26 Tanya Contois http://speedyreader-allthingsbooks.blogspot.com
27 Patti Larsen pattilarsen.blogspot.com
28 Red Tash RedTash.com
29 Annetta Ribken wordwebbing.com
30 Cindy Hogan watched-thebook.blogspot.com
Leave me some love and comment!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Indie Publishing Secrets Revealed. Effective Book Descriptions
Go enter a huge book giveaway here.
What should the description of your book include on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and all the other sites your book is sold?
1. It should start with a few catchy review quotes that are short and sweet like: "I couldn't put it down.", "well-written", "fantastic read". Definitely give credit to those who reviewed it with a dash and their last name along with "reviewer". If you get the phrases off Amazon or already got permission to post the reviews, go for it. If not, then ask permission before posting the names. Check out Watched's description here.
2. Then, tease your reader. Get them excited to jump into your book. 3-4 sentences only. here.
3. Put the back blurb in if it's a good one (and short) and it better be. here.
4. End with 3-4 other quotes that speak to other great things about your book that weren't covered in the quotes you put in the beginning. here.
5. Add a call to action- buy this, without saying buy this. For example: Only .99 cents.
What should the description of your book include on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and all the other sites your book is sold?
1. It should start with a few catchy review quotes that are short and sweet like: "I couldn't put it down.", "well-written", "fantastic read". Definitely give credit to those who reviewed it with a dash and their last name along with "reviewer". If you get the phrases off Amazon or already got permission to post the reviews, go for it. If not, then ask permission before posting the names. Check out Watched's description here.
2. Then, tease your reader. Get them excited to jump into your book. 3-4 sentences only. here.
3. Put the back blurb in if it's a good one (and short) and it better be. here.
4. End with 3-4 other quotes that speak to other great things about your book that weren't covered in the quotes you put in the beginning. here.
5. Add a call to action- buy this, without saying buy this. For example: Only .99 cents.
- Once you have it just how you want it, ask a lot of people to read it over and give their two cents.
- Listen to what they have to say and then ask why they say it.Tune into the feelings your description evokes. That is so important. You want people to really want to buy it. Use your critique groups, your online groups, even Facebook and Twitter to try it out.
Good Luck and have fun writing your description. Make it perfect.
Just remember, you need this at least one month before you release or launch your book.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Free Books for You!
Come join the fun!
I hope you win all kinds of books today!
You can pick any book you want with a
$10 Barnes and Noble gift card.
I'd pick Divergent by Veronica Roth if you don't own it yet. It's my favorite book of 2011, besides my own, of course.(Watched. ebook only .99 cents right now! wow!)
Easy Entry- Do them all in under 1 minute.
1. Follow this blog -mandatory
2. Like my Watched Facebook page here +2 extra
3. Like my Watched Amazon page here +2 extra
4. Follow my 7 things I love blog extra +1
5. Join iWriteNetwork +1 extra- an awesome site for authors or would-be-authors
**Leave me a comment here with what entries you did and your email so I can notify you if you win.
This giveaway ends on the 31st, so hurry.
Good luck! Now go enter all the other giveaways
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Indie Publishing Secrets Revealed - To Consider
Today I'm blogging at iWriteNetwork.
Click here to read my indie secret for today.
Click here to join iWriteNetworkning, a nuts and bolts site to support writers of all abilities.
Come on over and join a safe place to interact with other authors and learn all there is to know about writing, marketing and publishing. It's free and you'll learn a ton.
Every other week we interview an amazing author on Saturdays at 9 am MST. We post notes on the interviews on the site and you can ask questions during the interview. If you are unable to be there live, you can always listen to the BlogTalkRadio interview at any time.
Stay tuned for an awesome all day workshop coming in January. It will rock.
See ya at all the iWriteNetwork sites. Let's learn together.
Oh, and the merriest of Christmases to you all.
Click here to read my indie secret for today.
Click here to join iWriteNetworkning, a nuts and bolts site to support writers of all abilities.
Come on over and join a safe place to interact with other authors and learn all there is to know about writing, marketing and publishing. It's free and you'll learn a ton.
Every other week we interview an amazing author on Saturdays at 9 am MST. We post notes on the interviews on the site and you can ask questions during the interview. If you are unable to be there live, you can always listen to the BlogTalkRadio interview at any time.
Stay tuned for an awesome all day workshop coming in January. It will rock.
See ya at all the iWriteNetwork sites. Let's learn together.
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