How To Find An Editor For Your Book

In today's blog post I am going to give you a few pointers on how to find an editor for your book.

There are lots of people out here in the internet streets who have decided to hang out a shingle and call themselves book editors; and they have been taking many unsuspecting authors for a ride.

These so called 'editors' have been bleeding authors dry, while leaving them with a poorly edited book; often resulting in numerous complaints from readers and hundreds, if not thousands, or dollars lost in the long-run. 

You should know that not all editors are created equal.

Not everyone who calls themselves an editor works with books.

This is why it is so important that you as an author take the time to educate yourself on what an editor actually is, the types of editors, and which editing services you need in order to produce a professional book.

So how do you find a good editor who won't take you for a ride and really knows what they are doing?

First, look for someone who has experience in editing the types of books that you write. It would be a good idea to look for someone whose job it is to edit. 

A book editor will be well-versed in the various manuals of style (i.e., The Chicago Manual of Style), and will understand what it takes to make a story flow correctly.

A person who edits textbooks may not necessarily be a good fit to edit your fiction book, and vice versa.

Your book should not be a guinea pig for anyone because you want to make sure to put your best foot forward when you are presenting your book to the world.

Do a Google search for an editor in your genre. Most professional editors have a website and contact form. Some even offer free edits of a few pages to allow you to decide whether they would be the right editor for you. 

You should also know that there are different types of editors to address each level of editing your book may need. I will share that in a different post.

Ask to see samples of their work first and reach out to some of their former clients if that information is available to you.

You can reach out to your local colleges to connect with creative writing students who are looking to build their portfolios around editing. Often times you can negotiate a fair rate in exchange for a testimonial.

Another route you can explore to find an editor would be to find a retired English teacher. I say retired because they will more than likely have the extra time to invest in editing your book properly and may be willing to work for a negotiated rate.

You can visit online forums that center around writing and publishing to find editors looking for work.

You can post your job for an editor on sites such as upwork.com or fiverr.com.

As I stated earlier in this post, I will talk about the different types and levels of editing your book may need, in a later message here on the blog.

Until next time,

How Podcasting Can Help You Sell More Books

Podcasting can be a great promotional tool for authors

If you are like many authors, you are probably looking for new and exciting ways to get the word out about your business. Well, there is a way that you can do that without having a huge marketing budget. In fact, you can even start your very own professional podcast for free, using a service called blog talk radio.

Blogtalkradio came onto the scene in 2006, offering a platform for amateur radio show hosts to launch their own radio shows online. Since its inception, the site has allowed regular everyday people to interview some of the biggest names in entertainment, media and other arenas.

What is podcasting?

Podcasting is derived from the words 'broadcasting' and ipod. The most popular format of a podcast is MP3, which is a type of audio file. It is a form of audio broadcasting on the internet.

Podcasting became linked to the ipod because people would download the broadcasts to listen to them on their ipods.

Now, you can listen to a podcast on virtually any device, from your desktop computer to your smartphone, to your tablet.

You can record your talk radio style podcasts from home and share them with people all over the world.

People like to hear from authors, so you could actually use this platform to interview other authors, or to do readings from your book.

If your book is nonfiction, you can use a podcast to share your expertise on a particular subject.

How can podcasting work for me?

Think podcasting wouldn't work for you. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you passionate about a particular subject?

2. Does your book touch on a subject that you could build a show around?

3. Do you feel comfortable talking about a subject?

These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself.

Then, sit down with a pen and paper and write down your show ideas.

Authors On Tour is a great example of podcasting that focuses on interviewing authors. It is a live broadcast of authors being interviewed at Tattered Cover Book Store with three locations in Colorado. 

So, if you have been looking for ways to promote your book, consider starting your own podcast.

Interested in learning about more ways to promote your book? Subscribe to my mailing list where I share tips and strategies to help you build a business around books. You can do that here.

Until next time,

Three Ways To Boost Confidence And Self Esteem

Building self confidence ultimately leads to a more positive outlook on life.

We all need to know how to boost confidence and self esteem if we intend on being successful in life.

Having a negative outlook on life shows in our actions and in our everyday dealings with people.

It shows in our posture, and comes out in our words.

Confidence is a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of their own abilities or qualities.

It means that you believe in yourself and in the things that you have set out to accomplish.

In this post I am going to share with you three ways that I have found to boost confidence and self esteem. Give them a try and then tell me how they work for you.

1. Sit up straight. According to Oprah.com, a person who sits up straight has more confidence in their thoughts than slouchers. Practice this: imagine that there is a balloon over your head and that holding your head up straight is what keeps the balloon in the air. Every time you sit up straight, the balloon rises, and so does your body. Every time you slouch, this balloon starts to fall and lose air. Practice doing this everyday and watch your posture improve. 


2. Become a blogger. An article on the Huffington Post suggests that blogging your innermost feelings helps to boost confidence because it encourages writing. The key is to pour out your most intimate and agonized entries twice a week for two months and leave your posts open for comments.

3. Look in the mirror and talk to yourself. The third thing you can do to boost confidence and self esteem is to use positive affirmations. Stand in front of the mirror and literally tell yourself what you are. Your affirmations should focus on your future goals. For example, you would look at yourself and say, "I am one smart lady (or man). "I am the best writer in the world." I am an international, best-selling author." Positive affirmations help to build the positive vibes and energy you need in your life to help you stay focused on what it is that you really want in life. Click here here to watch a great video by Louise L. Hay about self esteem affirmations.

If you don't know me personally, I am Dr. Sandra N. Peoples and I help inspire people to do good things in life.

How would you like to get helpful tips, encouraging words and inspiration delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up for my mailing list. You can do that here. And when you do, I will send you a free copy of my book, 'Break Free: How to Overcome Fear and Live Life on Purpose."

Take care until next time,