Wrapping up the “Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures” Book Blog Tour

Posted: April 27, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Editing, Giveaways, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Kaye Lynne Booth, Poetry, Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | 40 Comments

Picture Caption: WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Tour Banner

We’re wrapping up the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Book Blog Tour. We’ve had a great tour this past week and I hope you all visited each stop and left a comment for a chance to win one of three digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5 in our giveaway. If you missed a stop or joined us late, you can still go back and meet more poets featured in the anthology, but the giveaway ends tonight, so get your comments in now.

I want to thank contributors Michelle Ayon Navajas, Dawn Pisturino, Barbara Harris Leonard, Ivor Steven, and DL Mullen for their participation in the tour. And thanks also goes out to the hosts for this tour: Colleen Chesebro of Colleen Writes & Publishes, Patty Fletcher of Patty’s Worlds, Carla Johnson-Hicks of Carla Loves to Read, Michelle Navajas of Poetry by Mich, Kay Castenada of Book Places, and DL Mullen of Un dawnted. I feel everyone did a great job and it is appreciated.

I’d like to.make this stop a celebration of the author/poets who contributed to the anthology-those who shared their work on the tour and those who weren’t able to join us. They are all talented poets, and I feel fortunate to feature their lovely works in a WordCrafter poetry anthology.

Tour Schedule

April 21-28 – Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.

Mon. 4/21 – Opening Day- Writing to be Read – (Intro. post & Book Trailer)

Tues 4/22 – Colleen Writes & Publishes – (Dawn Pisturino. Guest Post)

Wed. 4/23 – Patty’s Worlds – (Michelle Navajas Guest Post)

Thurs. 4/24 – Carla Loves to Read– (Ivor Steven’s Reading)

Fri. 4/25 – Poetry By Mich – (Barbara Harris Leonhard Reading)

Sat. 4/26 – Book Places – (DL Mullan Reading)

Sun. 4/27 – Writing to be Read – (Wrap up) – Undawnted (Interview with Dawn Pisturino)

Today we have a double stop. Along with the final stop here, we have DL Mullen interviewing Dawn Pisturino over at Un dawnted. You can’t comment on that site, but you can leave your comments for DL and Dawn here. And here on Writing to be Read, I’ll be introducing you to the contributing poets who did not provide content for the tour. Their valuable contributions to the anthology are not to be overlooked, for it was a group effort that made this anthology such an exceptional collection of poetry.

About Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures

A cup of tea sitting on books with a dawn landscape in the backgrouind Text: Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, A WordCrafter Poetry Anthology, Compiled and Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth and Robbie Cheadle.

Open the cover

and you will discover

Poetry Treasures

from the guests on

Robbie Cheadle’s 2024

“Treasuring Poetry”

blog series

on Writing to be Read.

Join poets DL Mullan, Barbara Harris Leonhard, Jude Itakali, Ivor Steven, Robbie Cheadle, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Gwen M. Plano, Elizabeth Gauffreau, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pasturino, Maggie Watson, and Colleen Chesebro share their own small pleasures in poetic verse.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures

Giveaway

This tour we’re giving away digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures to three lucky winners. Follow the tour and comment at each stop, so we’ll know you were there. You’ll be entered for another chance in the giveaway at each stop. Winners are chosen through a random drawing by WordCrafter Press. Winners will be announce in tomorrow’s “WordCrafter News”.

Meet the Contributors Who Didn’t Make the Tour

Robbie Cheadle

That’s it for today’s stop on Writing to be Read. Be sure to visit the second part of this double stop over at Un dawnted, where DL Mullan is interviewing author/contributor Dawn Pisturino. I hope you enjoyed the tour and the poetry samples shared enough to get you to buy the book. By using the Books2Read UBL, above, you can purchase from your favorite distributor around the world. Be sure to drop by and catch tomorrow’s “WordCrafter News”, here on Writing to be Read, to find out who the winners in the giveaway are.

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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!

Welcome to the “Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures” Book Blog Tour

Posted: April 21, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Editing, Giveaways, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Barbara Harris Leonhard, Colleen Chesebro, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pistrurino, DL Mullan, Elizabeth Gauffreau, Gwen M. Plano, Ivor Steven, Jude Itakali, Kaye Lynne Booth, Maggie Watson, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Poetry, Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | 27 Comments

Picture Caption: WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Tour Banner

Welcome to the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Book Blog Tour. We have a great tour planned, and I hope you all will stick with us and visit each stop, because comments at each stop enters you for another chance to win one of three digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5 in our giveaway. We’ve got guest posts from from contributors Michelle Ayon Navajas and Dawn Pisturino, readings from Barbara Harris Leonhard, Ivor Steven, and DL Mullen, and a special interview with Dawn Pisturino. Plus you may find a couple of early reviews from our wonderful tour hosts. So please join us and follow along on the schedule below to learn more about this outstanding poetry anthology and enjoy a few Small Pleasures.

Tour Schedule

April 21-28 – Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.

Mon. 4/21 – Opening Day- Writing to be Read – (Intro. post & Book Trailer)

Tues 4/22 – Colleen Writes & Publishes – (Dawn Pisturino. Guest Post)

Wed. 4/23 – Patty’s Worlds – (Michelle Navajas Guest Post)

Thurs. 4/24 – Carla Loves to Read– (Ivor Steven’s Reading)

Fri. 4/25 – Poetry By Mich – (Barbara Harris Leonhard Reading)

Sat. 4/26 – Book Places – (DL Mullan Reading)

Sun. 4/27 – Writing to be Read – (Wrap up) – Undawnted (Interview with Dawn Pisturino)

About Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures

Open the cover

and you will discover

Poetry Treasures

from the guests on

Robbie Cheadle’s 2024

“Treasuring Poetry”

blog series

on Writing to be Read.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures

Giveaway

Book Trailer

A special thanks goes out to Teagan Genevieve for our lovely book trailer. Thank you so much Teagan.

About the Editors

You will meet some of the contributors along the way on this tour, but in this opening day post, I’d like ton tell you a little about the editors who put this project together and made it happen. I also thought it might be interesting to share a brief glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes when putting together a poetry anthology, which I hope you’ll find of interest.

Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

My job is to edit the final manuscript, format and publish it. I find poetry to be a personal endeavor, so I do very little editing of the actual poems for fear of changing the poet’s meaning, since poetry often does not follow the rules of grammar and punctuation which apply to the English language. In addition, we have poets from all over the globe included in the anthology, which makes for variation in style and differences in spellings, so I pretty much leave the poetry as is unless it is something I know is a typo or mistaken word.

But the person who truly makes this anthology possible is my co-editor, Robbie Cheadle, who finds and schedules poets to be interviewed on the “Treasuring Poetry” blog series on Writing to be Read. It is Robbie who selects and interviews each poet, and she usually reviews their latest release, as well. Then, at the end of the year, Robbie sends out invitations to the anthology and collects and compiles all the materials into a manuscript before turning it over to me. Without Robbie to do all of the preliminary work, there would not be any Poetry Treasures Anthologies. I couldn’t do it without her.

Robbie Cheadle

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

That’s it for today’s stop. I hope I gave you enough of a taste of this delectable poetry anthology to make you want to sample more. There are several more tasty morsels from then contributing authors along the way. Join us tomorrow, on Colleen Writes & Publishes, where author/poet Dawn Pisturino will share a guest post and poetry from Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures.

_______________________

Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!

This Month Only! February Discount Rates at Write It Right Quality Editing Services

Posted: February 5, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Editing, Write it Right Editing | Tags: February Sale, Write it Right Quality Editing Services | Leave a comment

Right now at WordCrafter, you can book Write It Right Quality Editing Services for your editing and proofreading needs at special February discounted rates. This month only, you can book editing services for 2025 at the discounted rates below to make your writing shine.

February Discounted Rates

Two Page Developmental Analysis (30,000-60,000 words) – $200

Three Page Developmental Analysis (70,000-90,000 words) – $300

Full Developmental Edit – .02 cents per word

Line Editing/Copy Editing – $2.00 per page

Poetry – $1.00 per page

Proofreading – $1.00 per page

If you’re interested in booking services at Write It Right, contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com with Write It Right February Special in the subject line.

Writer’s Corner: My Self-Editing Processes

Posted: February 3, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Editing, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing Tips | Tags: Editing, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 6 Comments

Caracature of a woman typing on a keyboard at a very messy desk. Text: Writer's Corner with Kaye Lynne Booth

Editors can be expensive. WordCrafter offers editing services at low prices, but even then, the words add up and I wouldn’t say it’s cheap. As an independent author, it’s not always easy to come up with the money to hire an editor, but it is imperative to have another set of eyes go over every word of my manuscript, so I can publish a quality product. As The D.I.Y. Author, I’ve come up with a few methods of accomplishing this without straining my pocketbook too much.

Novel Length Works

For novel length works, once I finish the first draft, I do one pass over of self-editing when the manuscript has sat for a day or two. I’ve heard that it’s important to let it sit for a while, so I do, but I limit the time it sits, keeping the story fresh in my mind. This is where I find the weak spots which need enhancing, embellishing my descriptions and extending or cutting dialog. In The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles, I also used this opportunity to plant little easter eggs which connect back to the first book, for those who have read it.

When that is done, and the necessary edits have been made, I do another run through, reading it aloud. When you read aloud, you catch errors that a silent reader might skim over. Sometimes I can find a beta-listener to help me with this. This is where I do my developmental edit, looking at things like if the storyline flows smoothly, and if my characters are staying true to who they are. My beta-listener doesn’t have to be versed in the craft of writing, because their job is to offer an opinion from the listener’s, or reader’s, perspective.

Only when this is completed is the manuscript ready for a second set of eyes. Editing is a difficult job, and I think it’s important to send your editor or beta-reader as clean a manuscriptas possible. It saves making major changes at the end, too. If I can’t afford to pay an editor, I seek out a beta-reader to do the job. I have a few other authors who I exchange services with who can be called upon for this task.

To finalize, I do a final proof read before I publish, making sure all the ‘t’s are crossed and ‘i’s dotted. During this part of the process I use the editing tool which come with MS Word and ProWriting Aid Everywhere, which are both free and help me spot places which could be worded better and possible misspellings. Both of editing programs are AI powered, but they don’t always agree on corrections, or agree on things which should be changed. And they don’t have the final say. I still reserve the privilage of acceptance or rejection of all AI suggestions.

This system is not fullproof, and I use a professional editor whenever I can. When writing The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles, I referred back to the first book a lot, and found many errors that all of these processes had missed. I’m now in the process of revising and correcting those errors, so I can republish the first book, before releasing the second.

Short Fiction

For short fiction, I follow the same basic processes as novel length works, but because they are collaborative works, it is much easier to get a second, and sometimes even a third set of eyes on each story. When putting together an anthology, I read story individually and request the desired edits from the authors. For my own stories, I recruit a beta-reader to go over it while I’m editing everyone elses. (This is after I’ve read it through twice; once aloud.)

After I receive the revised stories, I put the manuscript together, and give it yet, another read through, checking for any errors which may have been missed. Once it is formatted and ready to publish, I send the entire manuscript out to each of the authors, requesting that they proof read their story and one or two others, so that each story has at least two or three sets of eyes, other than my own, scrutinizing it. This collaborative form of editing ensures a quality product and it doesn’t cost me or any of the contributors anything but our time and keen eyes.

Author’s Note: You can find these editing tips and more writing tips for writing and publishing yourself in The D.I.Y. Author.

_________________________________

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, her the first three books in her kid’s book series, My Backyard Friends, her poetry collection, Small Wonders, and her writer’s resource, The D.I.Y. Author. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

________________________________

Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

________________________________

This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.

Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.

In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.

Topics Include:

Becoming Prolific

Writing Tools

Outlining

Making Quality a Priority

Publishing Models & Trends

Marketing Your Book

Book Covers & Blurbs

Book Events—In Person & Virtual

And more…

Purchase your copy today: https://books2read.com/The-DIY-Author

An Excellent Post on the Editing Process

Posted: February 7, 2024 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Editing, Writing | Tags: DL Finn, Editing, Writing | 2 Comments

DL Finn shares her expertise on the editing process on the Story Empire blog site. She has some insights into the author’s process needed to send off a clean draft to your editor and make them love you even more that he/she already does. It’s good advice that will help to make a better book. So check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

What Writer’s Should Know! Part Two: Editing

Writer’s Corner: Let’s Talk About AI

Posted: December 11, 2023 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, Audio Books, book marketing, Book Promotion, Book Sales, Editing, Fiction, Illustrations, Writer's Corner, Writing | 23 Comments

The Debate Over AI

I got an email the other day title, “Use AI to Write Your Book in a Flash”. I think Alexa, and Siri, and Google Assistant are annoying, and only correct a portion of the time. So when I saw this email, my first thought was, “Who would want to read a book written by AI?”

AI applications and tools are improving rapidly, so the idea of AI writing my book for me isn’t that far fetched. But the more I though about it, the more offended I became. I write as a means of expressing myself using my ideas, my words, my voice. I wouldn’t want an AI to write my whole book, no matter how fast it can do it. How could they actually believe an unfeeling, inhuman AI tool could even attempt to write for me?

The fact is, most of us already use AI in our daily lives, and we probably don’t even give it a second thought anymore. Most of us an Alexa, or Siri, or Google Assistant, or an equivilant AI device which we use to gain information, turn on our lights, play music, or even tell us a joke. We’ve come to accept AI as a part of daily life.

But when folks start talking about using AI for writing or narrating a book, concerned voices come out of the dark to express displeasure, siting several reasons why using AI with books and literature is not a desirable thing, but one or two stand out: AI created or narrated books are cheating, and take away human jobs.

We’re going to look at the validity of that argument, but first, let’s talk about the different types of AI and what they can and can’t do. Many of us already use AI in our writing, too, but we may not even realize it. Do you use the automatic spell checker that is built into Microsoft Word? Or maybe you use Grammerly or ProWriting Aid to help polish your words? Not so many because not all authors have audiobooks out, but some, may take advantage of the free AI narration for audio books available on Google Play. And then of course, there is Chat GTP, or [ ] which many authors use to help them in their research or in creating setting or character description.

The Creative Penn Podcast on AI

Joanna Penn is a futurist author and podcaster who is usually at least two or three steps ahead of the trends on The Creative Penn podcast. AI has been a hot topic on her poscast and she has many episodes which cover this topic. Penn is transparent in her use of AI in her writing and in creating illustrations. She has played with AI narration, and even had an AI voice created from her own voice, which she claims has saved her tremendous time in creating her audiobooks, which she previously narrated herself. In a couple of her podcast episodes, Penn plays the AI narrations for one of her audiobooks in a couple of different voices to illustrate the quality of AI narration that could be achieved. And I know that quality has improved even more since she recorded those episodes.

If AI is cheating, then with the narration, Penn is only cheating herself. She places disclaimers, letting readers know if a creative work is made with AI and in what capacity, so no one feels fooled or tricked. Although some people are out there pushing the use of AI to ‘write your book quick’, Penn points out that AI technology are simply tools to be used by the author or artist in the creative process. On The Creative Penn podcast, Joanna talks about how she uses ChatGPT and Mid-Journey to assist her in her research, and how she tells the AI what she is looking for and then can refine her search or tell it to make adjustments to a paragraph or an image until it meets what she has envisioned in her own head.

If you are interested in hearing what Joanna Penn has to say about the use of AI, you might try one or more of the episodes listed below.

Episode #562 – Co-Creating with AI Writing and Image Tools with Shane Neeley
Episode #589 – Digital Narration with AI Voices with Taylan Kamis from DeepZen
Episode #649 – Using AI for Art, Images, and Book Covers with Derek Murphy
Episode #660 – Co-writing Fiction with Generative AI with Charlene Putney
Episode #686 – Improve your writing with ProWritingAid with Chris Banks
Episode #690 – The AI-Assisted Artisan Author with Joanna Penn
Episode #691 – Generative AI and the Indie Author Community with Dan Wood (Draft2Digital), Michael Anderle (LMBPN, 20BooksTo50K), and Joanna Penn
Episode #700 – Using Sudowrite for Writing Fiction with Amit Gupta
Episode #701 – “9 Ways That AI Will Disrupt Authors and the Publishing Industry in the Next Decade [2023 Update] with Joanna Penn and Nick Thacker“
Episode #707 – “How AI Tools Are Useful For Writers with Disabilities and Health Issues with S.J. Pajonas”
Episode #712 – “Using AI Images in Your Book Cover Design Process with Damon Freeman”

Now, I don’t pretend to understand a lot of this because I haven’t used Chat GPT or Mid-Journey myself yet, so I can only go by what I hear, but I think it is something that is definitely worth looking into. As a DIY author, publisher, and book marketer, anything that can save me time and help me improve my writing or help sell more books is worth further exploration.

How I Use AI

As I write, I use the AI generated grammar and spellchecker that is built into MS Word, and I bet you do, too. I also employ the free version of ProWriting Aid as I do the final pass on all manuscripts, for myself and others. The AI generated tools pick up errors that I have missed, because hey, I’m only human. I don’t accept every suggestion offered, but they show me things I need to look at, and then I decide if changes are in order, and what type of changes should be made. But again, the AI tools are helpful in pointing out where there are possible errors, or suggesting a better way to say something, but the AI isn’t always right. Suggested corrections don’t always take voice or tone into account, and I, as the author make the final decisions about what goes on the page.

I have not tried using an AI tool such as Chat GPT, but I can see the potential. If I had a tool that could assist me in thinking through each scene, with suggestions for options at my fingertips, I think it would save me a lot of time. And a tool that could help me, who cannot draw well and is not artistic in that way, to create my own images for book covers, illustration and promotion, is something I want to know more about. I’m creating my own images anyway, but perhaps AI could help me make my images better.

Doing my own audiobooks is something I’ve been looking at for a while, but haven’t yet been able to pull off. The idea of creating an AI voice from my own definitely appeals to me, since audiobook creation requires a lot of time that I don’t seem to have. I don’t know enough about it right now to make any rash decisions, but I certainly want to know more. I have listened to AI generated narration that sounds pretty good, and I’ve heard Mark Leslie Lefabvre’s AI narration created from his own voice, which offers few clues that it isn’t the real Mark. (I can’t find the episode now, but at the end of one recent episode of the Stark Reflections podcast, he plays his final reflections read by his AI voice.)

WordCrafter Press also used an AI generated image and voice in the book trailer for the 2023 anthology, Midnight Roost, created by DL Mullan and Undawnted. And frankly, I think it is an outstanding book trailer and the AI made it really cool. This is an awesome way to showcase the authors and the anthology as a whole. Give it a watch below and see what you think. I can definitely see how a tool such as the one used by Mullan could be a great asset in my advertising tool kit.

Midnight Roost Book Trailer

AI is Just a Tool

You can guess from the above post that AI tools are something I have an interest in using. Many of us already use AI tools, even if we don’t look at it that way. I know I used the AI spell checker on MS Word and ProWriting Aid without thinking twice, because they made my life as a writer easier. But as Joanna Penn repeatedly points out, AI can’t do it alone, it needs your input, your humanity, to do what it is programed to do. Alone AI can’t write a thing.

Let me know what you think about the use of AI tools in the comments.

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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

Writer’s Corner: Who Needs an Editor?

Posted: December 4, 2023 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Editing, Fiction, Write it Right Editing, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: Editing, Editors, Write it Right Quality Editing Services, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 2 Comments

Even Stephen King Needs an Editor

In my graduate publishing classes, Kevin J. Anderson talked about how traditional publishers have tried to cut corners by providing minimal editing, and how they won’t even look at a manuscript that will require heavy editing, unless you are a big name author. Then he told the story of how Stephen King submitted something to a publisher who didn’t thinkm his work needed editing because he is a bestselling author, and Stephen King said something like, “What? No, wait. Part of the reason I’m a bestselling author is because I have fantastic editors to make me look good.”

Even bestselling authors need editors to help them make their writing the best that it can be. They don’t whip out stories that are grammatically correct and properly spelled right off the cuff. They work at it, and they have others input to help them improve their writing, and together, they turn out well written novels which then, become bestsellers.

For me, KJA’s story drove home a point. I’m an unknown author, and writing is a learning process which never stops. So, if bestselling author Stephen King believes he needs editors then, what makes me think that I don’t? Of course I do. I don’t claim to write as well as King, not by a long shot, so of course I need to have someone knowledgeable in all things writing to take a look at my works before I share them with the world.

Advantages of Having Your Work Edited

You’ll produce a better quality work that you can be proud of.
Readers will appreciate not having to struggle through poorly spelled, or poorly structured sentences and paragraphs, just to follow the plot of the story.

So, What Does an Editor Do That I Can’t?

There are many types of editing, but for the sake of this discussion, we’ll talk about line editing, or copyediting in the world of advertising and content marketing. For our purposes, we’ll use line editing.

A line editor sits down in front of your manuscript and goes through it line by line, marking misspellings, inconsistancies and grammar errors. If you’ve got a good repore with them they may also point out plot holes, but that really falls under the deep dive of developmental editing. And about now, you’re saying, “Well, I can do all of that.” And you can, but the thing is, they are not as close to your work as you are. And because you are so close to it, (if you’re anything like me, your stories are like your babies, so you’re biased toward your own writing), they may see things that you don’t, even though it’s right there in front of your eyes.

A Second, (and Maybe a Third or a Fourth), Set of Eyes

Editors are expensive, because editing takes a lot of time, when it’s done right. And I realize that not all authors can afford to hire an editor, especially when you are just starting out, and sometimes even years down the road, when you’re still trying to gain traction. I know because I’m one. I don’t make enough from my writing yet to give up my day job, as much as I would like to. Of course, I want my work to be its absolute best before publishing, so what is an author to do?

I’m a DIY author, but I believe that you really do need that second set of eyes that are distanced from your writing to get an objective opinion, but you don’t always need to pay a professional editor to get that. I don’t mean have Aunty Em give it a look, but someone who is knowledgeable about grammer and spelling, perhaps another author like yourself. I’ve found in the indie author and blogging worlds that there are many authors willing to trade services, or even pay things forward, if you just reach out and ask. The worst that can happen is they’ll say, “No.” If they do, try someone else.

You can try to find an editor on Fivver, but I would caution that you may get what you pay for there. Editors on Reedsy don’t usually come cheap either. But these are two options that are available to authors where you might find an affordable editor.

I utilize several of my author friends as a second set of eyes to beta read or edit my stories. When I can get them, I employ both. I know authors are busy people, so in turn, I must be willing to do the same for them, and I’ve also done a good share of paying forward. I’ve had some author friends turn me down because they were too busy at the time. I get that. Most of the authors I know have a lot going on. I happily move on, although I may come back to them latter.

Self-Editing Tools for Writers

I came across this great blog site, KD Did It Edits, which offers free editing tools for authors who can’t afford an editor, or those who just like to make their writing their absolute best before sending it to their editor, or second set of eyes. The whole site is filled with editing tips and tools, so drop in and browse around. I use many of the resources and tools that she has listed in my own work, including the Perdue Owl, and several of the style guides.

I also use Pro-Writing Aide in my final proof, before I upload my manuscript for publishing, which is basically an AI editor, similar to the one that catches my mistakes in MS Word. These AI tools catch errors which I may have overlooked on the first passover and point them out, so I can decide if they need correction, and how any corrections should be made. So, the AI tools are not writing for me, but they do assist me in catching as many errors as I can. I use them with my own writing and when I’m editing for others. I know I am human and can make mistakes or miss things, and they help me to make all my work the best that it can be. These tools are not a substitute for another set of human eyes on my own work, and I still use beta readers or my fellow authors to see other things that I might not have noticed. For the work of others, it goes back to the author with my comments and the author decides which corrections will be made, and which will be discarded.

Speaking as an Editor

As I mentioned, I do editing for others in a professional capacity through my Write it Right Quality Editing Services. Of course, I want writer’s to employ my editing services, but like I’ve said, I understand that many can’t afford an editor. I’ve always tried to offer my services at affordable prices, but today, I find my services offered at right around the going rate. I do offer discounted rates and special deals, at times. And of course, if you publish through WordCrafter Press, my line editing comes as a part of the publshing package, which is a 50/50 royalty split.

I do offer developmental editing services, but I don’t advertise it on my site and charge for them on an individual case-by-case basis, depending on how much work is needed. You can reach out to me for a quote on the contact form on my site through the link above, or at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com.

Conclusion

In my opinion, any author that is human will make mistakes, so every author needs an editor, or someone else knowledgable in writing, to go over their manuscript or story. I hope that authors will find my site and chose to employ my services, but I understand when they don’t. As a reader who enjoys good writing, I hope that they are striving for perfection in their work, and will find someone else to do it, so that whatever they put out into the world will be the absolute best that it can be.

Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Holiday Sales from WordCrafter Press

Posted: December 9, 2022 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Anthology, Book Promotion, Books, Editing, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Nonfiction, Paranormal, Poetry, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Press, Writing, Writing Tips | Tags: Book Deals, Holiday Sales, Kaye Lynne Booth, Merry Christmas, WordCrafter Press | 4 Comments

This is a purely promotional post. All the great holiday specials that WordCrafter Press is offering this season warrent a post of their own. These are all books that you’ve heard about before, so I’m not going to offer long-winded explanations of the books, but if you are looking for a gift for an avid reader, or maybe you’vebeen eyeing a few WordCrafter Press titles for yourself, peruse the offerings below for substantial holiday savings, and enjoy.

Whispers of the Past: https://books2read.com/u/38EGEL

Spirits of the West: https://books2read.com/u/ml2Kxq

Where Spirits Linger: https://books2read.com/u/mYGyNG

Hidden Secrets: https://books2read.com/u/38RZ2O

Last Call and Other Short Fiction: https://books2read.com/u/4jL2no

Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships – https://books2read.com/u/3kP8aK

Something for my author friends

Write it Right: https://writingtoberead.com/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/write-it-right-quality-editing-services/

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Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, as a sampling of her works just for joining.

Ask the Authors 2022 Book & Blog Series: Editing & Revision

Posted: June 25, 2022 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Anthology, Ask the Authors, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Editing, Fiction, Interview, WordCrafter Press, Writing, Writing Reference, Writing Tips | Tags: Ask the Authors 2022, Bobby Nash, Chris Barili, Interview, Jeff Bowles, Kaye Lynne Booth, Kevin Killiany, L. Jagi LAmplighter, Mario Acevedo, Mark Leslie Lefebrve, Nancy Oswald, Paul Kane, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, WordCrafter Press, Writing, writing advice, Writing Reference, Writing Tips | 7 Comments

Hello and welcome back to Segment 8 of the “Ask the Authors 2022” blog series. This week brings an introduction to speculative fiction and horror author, Jeff Bowles, who shares a his thoughts on editing in the anthology, “Contrary to Popular Editing Beliefs”, & a Q & A session on editing and revision.

If you missed any of the previous segments, you can find them here:

Segment 1: Introductions to Kaye Lynne Booth & Kevin Killiany/Writing Life Q & A session.

Segment 2: Introduction to Bobby Nash/Pre-Writing Rituals Q & A session.

Segment 3: Introduction for Roberta Eaton Cheadle/Plot & Storyline Q & A session.

Segment 4: Introduction for Paul Kane/Character Development Q & A.

Segment 5: Introduction for Mario Acevedo/Action, Pacing and Dialog Q & A.

Segment 6: Introduction to Nancy Oswald/Tone: Voice, Person, Tense and POV Q & A.

Segment 7: Introduction for Chris Barili/Setting & World Building Q & A.

And now let’s move right into this week’s segment.

Meet Jeff Bowles

Jeff Bowles is a science fiction and horror writer from the mountains of Colorado. The best of his outrageous and imaginative short stories are collected in Godling and Other Paint Stories, Fear and Loathing in Las Cruces, and Brave New Multiverse. He has published work in magazines and anthologies like PodCastle, Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, the Threepenny Review, Dark Moon Digest, Whispers of the Past, and Spirits of the West. His story, “A Peaceful Life I’ve Never Known” was the winning story in the 2019 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest.

Jeff earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing at Western State Colorado University. He currently lives in the high-altitude Pikes Peak region, where he dreams strange dreams and spends far too much time under the stars. Jeff also has two novels published, God’s Body: Book One – The Fall, and Love/Madness/Demon.

On to the Q & A.

Editing and Revision

How do you feel about the editing process? Love it or loathe it?

Mario Acevedo: The editing process is what turns the rough clay into art. The second draft is when your story begins to shine.

Paul Kane: I really enjoy the editing process. I don’t find it half as much work as getting the words down in the first place. I know for a lot of people it’s the other way around, but I like having written, when I’ve got the chunk of words down and I’m going through, refining it, making it better with each edit or pass. It’s like a sculptor with a lump of stone, each time you chisel some of that away the sculpture starts to take shape. The more you work on it, the better the shape becomes. I like having that lump of stone to work with, I’m just not that mad on getting the stone and carrying it to the studio or workshop in the first place, if you see what I mean.

Bobby Nash: Editing is part of the job. A novel gets multiple edit passes. I do a self-edit while writing it, usually going over yesterday’s work before starting on today’s writing. Then, I give it another edit after I’m finished. Once I’m satisfied, it goes to the editor then back to me for adjustments, changes, discussions. There may be two edit passes here. Finally, there’s the galley edit, which is my chance to look the story over in the form it will be printed to make sure it looks good.

Robbie Cheadle: I enjoy editing and I find it easier than the initial writing process. Re-writing and amending to create a better story is rewarding and satisfying for me. I edit as I go along and at the end of each chapter. If something changes in the story that effects what I have already written, I go back and update it. I cannot leave a change undone and just move on like some writers do. It bothers me too much.

Nancy Oswald: I look at it as an opportunity to make your book better, but there are times I’ve loved it and other times, not so much.

What roles do alpha and beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and professional editors play in your editing and revision process?

Mario Acevedo: All are necessary and have helped improve my stories. My critique partners are my beta readers.

Paul Kane: I don’t really use alpha or beta readers. It works for some people, but not for me. I find if I get too much feedback, especially if it’s conflicting, it just confuses me more than it helps. I prefer to trust my own judgment initially, or – if she has time – my wife Marie has a read before it goes off somewhere. The editor you’re working with, especially if it’s a bigger publisher, will have things they want you to change or cut or whatever, which is absolutely fine. That’s the process for me, and part of the job. I just prefer to not let anyone see it before then. I think maybe it’s bad luck or something, as I am quite superstitious.

Bobby Nash: I have used beta readers, but not often. I do have a small group of patrons that get stories early. Some offer feedback. I work with editors, proofreaders, and others to get the books as close to perfect as I can make them.

Robbie Cheadle: I am part of an on-line writing group which meets for 2 hours every second week. We all read excerpts from our stories and give each other advice and feedback. One of the members of this group, beta reads each chapter of my novels as I go along and gives me constructive criticism and feedback.

Once the book is complete and I’ve edited it to my satisfaction, I send it to my developmental editor who provides feedback on structure, plot holes, loose threads, unnatural dialogue, and other important elements of my writing and story.

Once I’ve updated the novel for her comments, I send it back to her for a final read and make any last changes.

I then send it to a proofreader who helps pick up spelling and punctuation errors which I correct before sending the book to my publisher who does a final read and edit.

How do you handle your editing: hire professional editors? Trade-off with other authors? Critique partners? Beta-readers? Self-edit? Have a publisher that handles those things?

Paul Kane: I self-edit until it’s time to send it off to my actual editor at whatever publisher I might be working with at the time. If she has time, Marie has a look through and does a pass, but more often than not it’s me who goes through and does the drafts. Then it might go through several more once the editor has come back to me with notes, then finally the proofing and final editing stages.

Bobby Nash: I have editors I work with on my creator-owned projects. For books I do for other publishers, they provide the editor I will work with on the book. Before it gets to them though, I have done a self-edit pass or two.

Nancy Oswald: All of the above at different times, but bottom line, I like to be involved in all phases.

What do you look for in an editor?

Paul Kane: As I say, I don’t send it to an editor I pay or anything. It goes to the editor at the publishers, and you don’t get a choice in that, seeing as their company is paying you for the story or book. Having said that, I’m very lucky to have worked with some of the best editors in the business and there’s been nothing that’s really had me tearing my hair out. So, I guess what I’m looking for with an editor is someone who’s easy to work with, and we can go back and forth on changes or edits that will hopefully make the whole thing better in the long run.

Bobby Nash: Editing is more than catching typos and grammar errors. A good editor asks questions about story, points out inconsistencies, and offers advice and solutions. It’s a partnership. The writer and editor have the same goal. We both want to put out the best book we can.

Robbie Cheadle: In a developmental editor, I looked for someone who could help me resolve issues with my story without changing my voice and writing style. I found a ‘good fit’ editor a few years ago when I was writing Through the Nethergate and used the same lady to assist me with A Ghost and His Gold. While the Bombs Fell was developmentally edited by a different person. I was very happy with her feedback, but she was not available to help me with my most recent two books.

Nancy Oswald: Editors need to “get” the book. They need to be attentive to details, but not insert themselves into the MS to the extent of it sounding different.

Have you ever received an edit where it was obvious the editor didn’t get what you were trying to do? How did you handle that?

Paul Kane: I’ve had edits where I’ve felt the need to explain certain things, or argue my case about a specific point, but that’s only really been a small part of the overall edit. I’ve never had an editor do a complete hatchet job on one of my books, and for that I’m truly grateful.

Bobby Nash: It happens. Did I not explain it well? If so, then a rewrite needs to happen. The writer and editor talk. You discuss and work it out. As I mentioned above, the editor and writer are partners. The editor is not my enemy. We both want the book to be the best it can be.

Robbie Cheadle: This has not happened to me. Both developmental editors I have worked with have helped me tremendously and so does my beta reader. I am very open to suggestions and comments to help me improve my writing and stories.

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That wraps up this week’s “Ask the Authors 2022” blog series. Be sure and drop by next Saturday, when we introduce author and industry expert Mark Leslie Lefebvre and share a Q & A session on Publishing. You won’t want to miss all the useful information in that one. See you there.

But first, just take a minute to grab your copy of this writing reference anthology which no author should be without from your favorite book distributor at the special send-off price of $3.99, using the Books2Read UBL: https://books2read.com/u/3LnK8e

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Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, as a sampling of her works just for joining.

Ask the Authors 2022 is here!

Posted: April 22, 2022 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Ask the Authors, book marketing, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Character Development, Dialogue, Editing, Fiction, Nonfiction, Plot, Point of View, Publishing, Story Telling Methods, Teaching Writing, Tense, Tone, Voice, WordCrafter Press, World Building, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Process, Writing Reference, Writing Tips | Tags: Ask the Authors 2022, Bobby Nash, Chris Barili, Jeff Bowles, Kaye Lynne Booth, L. Jagi LAmplighter, Mario Acevedo, Mark Leslie Lebefvre, Nancy Oswald, Paul Kane, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, WordCrafter Press, Writing Reference, Writing to be Read | 19 Comments

That’s right. The writing reference you’ve all been waiting for has arrived. Ten talented authors and industry experts have gathered together with me to share their writing tips and advice in essay and Q&A, creating a writing reference anthology like no other.

Where can you find publishing industry experts willing to share their secrets?

Ask the Authors 2022 is the ultimate writer’s reference, with tips and advice on craft, publishing and marketing. Eleven experienced and successful authors share what works for them and offer their keys to success in traditional publishing, hybrid, and indie. You’ll learn industry wisdom from Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Kevin Killiany, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Bobby Nash, Paul Kane, Nancy Oswald, Chris Barili, Jeff Bowles, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Mario Acevedo and Kaye Lynne Booth.

This book offers up-to-date and tried-and-true ways to improve your craft, explores current publishing and book marketing worlds. Take a peek inside and find out what works for you.

Praise for Ask the Authors 2022

“Ask the Authors is an up-to-date and broad-based compendium of advice from today’s working writers, to help you with understanding your own writing career. Great information!”
—Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Spine of the Dragon

Ask the Authors 2022 is available in both digital and print. You can get your copy from your favorite book retailer through the Books2Read universal book link (UBL) here: https://books2read.com/u/3LnK8e

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Sign up for the Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Newsletter for and book event news for WordCrafter Press books, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. Get a free digital copy of Kaye Lynne Booth’s paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets, just for subscribing.