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What Does It Take to Be a Full-Time Writer?
Last month, an upcoming college freshman interviewed me about how to become a full-time writer. While I can’t speak for every writer, I shared the following tips with him, which I believe have contributed to my ability to work for so many years in a profession I love.
Have You “Scottified” Your Manuscript?
I’m currently ghostwriting and incorporating my client’s themes into his book. He’s an academic heavyweight with years of business experience, something I point out to explain that he’s not lacking in IQ points or business acumen. However, he reached out to us, because he knows that writing is not something he claims as his strong suit.
Early in our work together, I’d send him a draft of a chapter, and then he’d expound on his concepts where I didn’t have enough depth. (Note: When ghostwriting for a subject-matter expert, the expert will always know more than the writer.) In a recent chapter, knowing that he’d written his notes in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, he added a final comment:
“Please Scottify.”ary-goes-here
Put the Pen Down: When to Get Away
A professor in college once told my Soviet studies class, “Sometimes you have to go away to get close.” I can’t remember the reference, but the meaning behind the quote stuck to me permanently.
Writing can provide great therapy. It’s often an effective negotiation tool. It’s a means of making a living for many. For others, it’s a way to build a legacy or document a story. But there are times when putting the pen down for a while is the healthiest—and even most productive—choice. Here are a few of those times.
Dr. Maya Angelou Interview on Courage and Fear: “Write Letters. Protest…Never whine.”
One of my career highlights was interviewing the late Dr. Maya Angelou decades ago. A highly respected poet laureate and author, she shared words about fear, courage, and how to act on them. They feel as helpful today as then, so I’m sharing them again.
DR. MAYA ANGELOU: “Write letters. Protest. Never whine. Whining lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood. But protest, yes, all the way to the Supreme Court.…I will not condone cruelty. I will not condone unjust actions….
I intend to use my energy constructively instead of destructively. If I can say that about the negative, then what about the positive, then what about the faith and the hope I can garner from someone who loves somebody, from someone who is trying to make the world a better place? What about me identifying with someone who is charitable?…
Sit down. Go inside yourself. Don’t look outside for it. Look what you’ve overcome already. And some of the things no one ever knows but you...the times you were afraid and lived through that.”
Author Cyndi Francois: “I Wanted People Going through Rock Bottom to Know They Are Not Alone”
Please enjoy this Q&A about the writing process with memoir author Cynthia Francois.
SPIRITUS BOOKS: Tell us a little about your book and why you wrote it.
At first, writing my story, Traveling through Grief: Life, Death, and Ten Months in a Tent, was just a way to process unbearable emotions and events surrounding my new husband’s sudden death. I felt like I could no longer hold onto the weight of it all, and as a professional marketing copywriter, I write and simplify to make sense of all things—whether it be the sudden death of my husband, or to promote an interactive flat panel display to educators in schools around the globe.
I wrote a blog in the aftermath of his death and continued to journal during a road trip through the U.S. national parks. I used those existing writings to outline and format my manuscript, which follows me through living on the road while in survival mode after I lost everything. Over time, I thought my story could help other young widows experiencing similar life changes.
How to Trim a Manuscript That’s Too Long
Trimming words is often the hardest part of writing—which builds a case for a solid outline up front to organize your ideas and prevent “rambling” too far off track. Still, every book goes through a process where some material is left on the cutting room floor. If your manuscript needs to be trimmed based on your publisher’s or industry-standard guidelines, read on for strategic cutting tips.
How Long Should My Book Manuscript Be?
As a book editor, I often receive manuscripts that are much longer than the industry standard. I understand this, since authors often write a full draft and then want feedback on what to trim. Yet it’s also worth discussing what’s an ideal length, and offering tips to help you trim on your own. Shaving your manuscript before an editor reads it will save you time and money.
If you’re traditionally publishing, you’ll receive a “word count” target upon contracting. If you’re self-publishing, you get to choose. Either way, concise writing has its benefits.
Let’s explore the typical word-count ranges based on current industry trends, and influenced by my own experience.
When Reality Is Fading, Write in Vivid Color
What is real?
With AI infiltrating everything we do, and politics convincing us that hatred and vindication are desirable traits, and change coming at a pace that induces whiplash, reality becomes hard to distinguish. At best, reality is blurry—and blurring.
Does it matter?
Using Storytelling to Power Your Business or Nonfiction Book
As an editor, I edit a ton of business books. To be honest, many of the pitches I receive begin to look the same, with book titles like “Reach for the Top: Six Must-Have Leadership Skills.” Then they go on to list the “x number of steps” the reader should go through to transform their management or leadership.
There’s nothing wrong with this. A solid pitch and outline should be descriptive and well-defined with steps or components. But when it comes to writing the actual book, having those pieces of the formula isn’t enough. To sell well—which means you’re reaching your ideal readers while getting them to recommend your book—your writing must be both informative and engaging. It must transform or elevate your reader.
In short, it must stand out.
Including stories is a great way to do that.
Business Book Author McKenna Sweazey: Be Generous About Timelines
SPIRITUS BOOKS: Tell us a little about your book, How to Win Friends and Manage Remotely, and why you wrote it.
MCKENNA SWEAZEY: I’d been batting around an idea of an empathy-based leadership book for a while, and when the pandemic hit, I suddenly had both some extra time to do it and a renewed focus on why empathy is really important in digital interactions.
For the Love of Descriptors!
For the love of everything holy, please stop inserting words that do nothing but clutter your writing.
Before littering your writing with a slew of meaningless descriptors, ask yourself these questions:
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
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.
Author Beth Jones: Remaining Hopeful Is How We Sustain Our Journey
Please enjoy this Q&A about the book writing process with memoir author Beth Jones.
My book is Becoming an Empowered Survivor, You, Too, Can Heal from Trauma and Abuse, in which I share my story about my healing journey, told through my acronym for HEAL, which means to hope, evolve, and love. In the book, I share my experience with each of these actions. I wrote the book to crystallize my message to other survivors of trauma and abuse, following the subtitle of the book, that they, too, can heal.
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.
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.
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
Author Jorja Jamison: “We Must Be Active in Healing Ourselves in Conjunction to Healing Others”
Please enjoy this Q&A about the book writing process with addiction recovery memoir author Jorja Jamison, PhD, LP.
JORJA JAMISON, PHD, LP: When I was training in my doctoral program in psychology, I loved getting to present at conferences. But there were usually not a lot of people who attended conference sessions, even at very large conferences. My advisor once encouraged me to write, saying that I could reach a lot more people through my writing than my conference presentations. She was referring to publishing in academic journals. I never found that pathway fulfilling, but her words always stayed with me.
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.
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.