Tag Archives: Indie-Publishing

Typos and Errors in Indie-Published Manuscripts

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I originally published this article as a guest author at http://timothy-oullette.blogspot.com/ and http://www.timouellette.com on August 8, 2014, but I felt that the information was important so I also shared in on my website. Since I continue to get questions about editing as an indie-author, I thought it might benefit my readers to repost it today. I hope you enjoy my take on Typos and Errors in Indie-Published Manuscripts. You can let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

 

TBS_typosgraphic1

 

Are typos in a book a big deal?

 

Of course they are – to some extent! Typos happen. Typos happen in books that are self-published and traditionally published. Typos happen to new authors and seasoned authors. Typos happen in eBooks and print books. It doesn’t matter how many people you have edit, proof read, re-read, etc. there is always a chance a typo (or two – or three – or four – OR MORE) is going to slip through THE CRACKS. Does that mean the world is over, the author should never write again, or that the author should lose all credibility? NO!

Let me say that again – NO!

It goes without saying, although I will say it, that every author should take the time and effort to make their manuscript the best that it can be. Not only do readers deserve the best product an author can provide, authors deserve to produce their best work – manuscripts they can be proud of for years to come!

You might be asking yourself, ‘how do I, as a self-published author without the backing of a traditional publishing house, afford to make sure that my manuscript is ready for publication?’

Good Question! Editors, proof-readers, and copy-writing services all cost money! Plus, and here is the catcher, even professional editors, proof-readers, and copy-writing service professionalS make mistakes! Even when you pay good money for these services you can’t be 100% sure your manuscript is flawless. That doesn’t mean you should just accept the fact that typos happen and therefore you don’t need to worry about them. There are a lot of things you can do to ensure that you publish your best work, and I will give you some examples, but you have to remember that you are never going to please everyone. There will always be someone that finds something wrong with your book.

 

What can you do to ensure minimal typos and errors in your final manuscript?

Below is a list of tools (free and/or low cost) that all self-published authors should be using:

 

  • SPELLCHECK – I LOVE spellcheck. No matter what I am working on, I have spellcheck set to mark spelling and grammatical errors while I am typing. No, it doesn’t always catch misused words – but it is a great start to catching those words frequently misspelled. You can also add words to your computer’s dictionary. This is a great way to allow your computer to know that names (or other words) you use frequently are not incorrectly typed.

  • READING ALOUD – Yes, just like you did when you were a kid. One of the reasons teachers have their students read out loud is because we often retain more information when we hear text read out loud. For me, as an author, I like to either read my books aloud to myself or have someone else read them to me as I follow along. The down side to this is that it can be a rather lengthy process, but the upside is that it allows me to catch words that have been misused and dialog that doesn’t sound natural.

  • FIND / REPLACE – If you don’t use this Microsoft Word tool yet – you need to! Microsoft can find just about anything from double commas or periods, extra spaces, repeat words, etc. Once you find them you can fix them. Although, what I really like about this feature is that you can easily replace mistakes with corrections. (Example: FIND: .. REPLACE WITH: .) Don’t get me wrong, you don’t want to just trust your computer to make all of your corrections for you. When I do a search for an error I look at each of the results and decide if I want the correction to be made.

  • TEST READERS – Or as I like to call them guinea pigs!  My mom, my sister, and a number of my friends have all been my willing and loyal test subjects in this area. They have read, edited, and re-read all of my books throughout the writing process looking for errors that I might have missed. It isn’t easy seeing your manuscript covered in red edits, but trust me this process makes your final manuscript much better than it would be with only you reading and reviewing it.

  • PRO WRITING AID – This is an online writing editor and personal writing coach. It checks grammar and spelling; helps to improve overall readability; finds overused words; improves dull paragraph structure; locates repeat words and phrases; checks for consistency of spelling; hyphenation and capitalization; warns you about clichés and redundancies; and so much more. I learned about this tool through a friend that does line editing as a freelancer. She told me that it was an inexpensive way to help improve writing as you go and that it was extremely user friendly – SHE WAS RIGHT! I highly suggest trying it out. What is the worst that could happen?

  • ARC – Advance Reader Copies! Okay, once your manuscript is complete, as complete as you feel you can make it, you need to offer advance reader copies. This is a great way to get feedback. You can request feedback in the form of reader notes and/or book reviews. I have even gone so far as providing a list of questions at the end of the advance reader copies I have sent out, this helped me to target key areas of my story and/or editing that needed to be fixed.

  • EDITOR – OK, this one costs money. All of the tools above are free or can be done at a very low cost, however hiring an editor is not cheap. If you decide to go this route – which I highly recommend – you don’t want to skimp! You get what you pay for!!! But, you still have to remember – Editors are only HUMAN, they make mistakes too! Again, there is no way to guarantee – 100% – that your manuscript isn’t going to have typos or errors.

My novels may still have errors – heck, even award winning authors sometimes have errors in their novels – but I can honestly say that I have taken all possible steps to ensure that the books I publish are the best they can possibly be. So, if there are still a few errors, as I am sure there are, then I’m OK with that. I’m happy with my finished products and that truly is all an author can ask for.

 
Written by: Nina Soden
Author, the Blood Angel Series & The SECTOR C Series

 

Author Interview ~ Mansu Edwards

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I’d like to welcome Mansu Edwards, co-author of Plush Couches, as a guest to my blog.

Let’s start by just getting to know you a little before we dive into Plush Couches and find out what your story is all about.

  • What is your name and do you write under a pen name? Omar Glenn. My pen name is Mansu Edwards
  • Where do you call home? Brooklyn
  • Obviously, we know you are an author, but some writers have other jobs as well. Do you have another occupation? Do you believe you’re any good at it? Do you like what you do? I’m a Brand Ambassador. It’s a freelance gig. I’m very good at what I do. It’s cool.
  • What is your family like? My father likes reading online news articles. My mother watches movies on the Internet.
  • If it doesn’t bother you, can you let us know what your childhood home looked like? My room was plastered with hip hop posters. I had the N.E.S. and S.N.E.S. consoles and video games. The apartment was cool. It was a typical apartment.
  • Do you have any hobbies, other than writing? What do you enjoy doing? I enjoy reading and visiting new places in New York City. Also, I enjoy watching videos, listening to music and podcasts on YouTube.
  • What is your greatest dream? To leave a positive and powerful legacy.
  • What kind of person do you wish you could be? What is stopping you? Nothing is stopping me. Right now, I’m transforming into the person God wants me to be.
  • Not to pry too much, but do you remember your first love? My first love is food. I love to eat.
  • What is the most terrible thing that ever happened to you? I had an Asthma attack in the 2nd or 3rd grade. My Mother took me to the hospital.
  • What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing? When I was young, I loved school writing assignments. It gave me the opportunity to use my imagination. I’ve been writing for 10 plus years.
  • What was your dream growing up? Did you achieve that dream? If so, in what ways was it not what you expected? If you never achieved the dream, why not? I was a big wrestling fan. I wanted to become a Wrestler. I discovered that Wrestling was scripted and I think that’s what swayed me away from pursuing it. I eventually replaced it with video games and Hip Hop.
  • Who is your role model? Jay-Z, M.F. Doom, Jay Electronica
  • What is your greatest fear? Not having enough time to achieve all my goals.
  • Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books? Paperbacks.
  • Have you ever read a book more than once? If so, what was it? Yes. “As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen
https://amzn.to/2YUVwxq
  • What is your opinion of novellas? I like an engaging story. A great story doesn’t have to be 200+ pages. Quality is key.
  • Have you ever read a book just based on its cover? Yes.
  • What is your favorite film based on a book? The Talented Mr. Ripley
https://amzn.to/30RROqo
https://amzn.to/2WwZhf0
  • What is your favorite book genre at the moment? I don’t have one.
  • What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why? “Outwitting The Devil” by Napoleon Hill. I like reading self-improvement books.
https://amzn.to/2KhXkMO
  • What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format? I’m reading, “How To Talk To Anyone At Work”. Paperback.
  • If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why? Nipsey Hussle, Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah, Bishop Nehru. I would invite them because they’re innovative risk takers. Our ideas can change the trajectory of the Art world.
https://amzn.to/2VYmItw

Let’s shift somewhat and talk about your latest story.

  • What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say? The name of my most recent book is “Plush Couches”. On the way to a job interview, Rio Akuba experiences a critical and unsettling case of gas on the train after eating organic, Sweety Berry Bears.
https://amzn.to/2WdcDh3
  • Is the above book part of a series? No.
  • How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)? That’s a good question. I believe I left the idea up to the Illustrator.
  • Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)? I didn’t listen to music while writing “Plush Couches”.
  • How did you come up with the title for your book(s)? God gave me the title.
  • Do you have a book trailer? If so, where can we watch it? I don’t have a book trailer.
  • In your latest novel, who is the lead character and can you tell us a little about him/her? The main character is Rio. He’s unambitious and lives with his parents. Rio is the type who needs external motivation to take action.
  • What is your character’s greatest strengths? His greatest strength is emotionally connecting with people.
  • And what are his/her greatest weaknesses?  He’s too dependent. He doesn’t trust himself.
  • What are some of his/her favorite foods? He doesn’t have any favorite foods.
  • What’s a positive quality that your character is unaware that he or she has? He’s observant and perceptive.
  • Will readers like or dislike this character, and why? Readers will like the character because he’s charismatic and witty.
  • What first gave you the idea for your latest book? God gave me the idea.

Let’s talk now about your writing process.

  • What is your writing style like? Are you a pantster or a plotter? I’m a Panster. I prefer writing the story instead of using an outline. It’s more enjoyable.
  • Have you come across any specific challenges in writing or publishing? What would you do differently the next time? My challenge is selecting the best idea from several. I’m still looking for a solution to the problem.
  • Are you a self-published/Indie author or did you publish through a traditional publishing company? I’m a self-published, indie author.
  • If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route? I spent an exorbitant amount of money with a Vanity Publisher which made me switch to self-publishing.
  • What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing? Finish the story. It’s only a draft.
  • Where can your readers follow you? . www.twitter.com/Ohassa, Instagram: @mansuedwards , www.facebook.com/Ohassa

Scourge of the Fallen by W.M. Martin

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Would you prefer to watch the video, instead of reading the review? CLICK HERE

Fallen

TITLE: Scourge of the Fallen
AUTHOR: W.M. Martin

RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Appearance: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★ (4)

AMAZON DESCRIPTION:
Following the events of Shadow of Okeaous, the Fallen have been scattered. Whispers of the Hordes searching for something, around many of the Havens on Earth, has reached the ears of the Guardians. Meanwhile, the students of the Kindred Academy have been striving to further their knowledge of the incredible power lying dormant within themselves. With the aid of their Clan Leaders and an odd, new instructor, the dubious young Guardians-in-training will learn to harness exciting and dangerous new abilities. The worlds of the Kindred, no longer separated by the Veil, are equally unaware of an ancient darkness which has been steadily rising to drown out the light of the living; both Guardian and Fallen, alike.

Buy the book HERE!

MY 2 CENTS / THE CRITICAL POINTS:
WRITING (★★★★): Scourge of the Fallen is a self-published fantasy novel. I’ve said it before; fantasy isn’t my favorite genre and probably isn’t even in my top three favorite genres’. However, I read the first book in this series, Shadow of Okeaous and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I really enjoyed it. That meant I was destined to read book two.

Martin has a very energetic writing style. His books are filled with action, adventure, and leave you almost longing for a few peaceful quiet moments. That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy this book, I did. It is a page turner with a lot going on and a lot of character arcs to follow.

One thing I really like about Martin’s writing is that he isn’t afraid to kill off his characters. Yes, some of the main characters die. I won’t tell you who, I think you need to read the book to find out, but prepare yourself.

I’m not sure how this book is marketing, but after reading it I would say it is good for Middle Grade – Young Adult readers. However, there are a number of times when Martin uses words in very obscure ways. Once example would be the word ‘purchase’ in the example below:

“Maggie could not get her swards out in front of herself enough to slice or to stab the large and imposing Fallen, so she kicked at him as hard as she could, but like her sward strike, her attack failed to find purchase.”

There were a number of references like that that I think some of the younger readers may not understand. The meanings are evident in the context of the story, but not always clear just by the typical meaning of the words being used.

STORY (★★★★): Scourge of the Fallen is the second book in Martin’s series and follows pretty closely behind where the first book left off. In book one, our main characters were 1st year students in the academy. In book two, they are second year student. They have already gone through a lot and have many battles and trials to face throughout book 2.

Martin gives us battle after battle and just when the reader is given a little hope that something good might happen, he throws another wrench in the story line.

CHARACTERS (★★★★): The reader is given numerous characters to follow in Scourge of the Fallen, maybe too many. There are so many storylines to follow and different characters to keep up with that I found myself loosing track at times. Not to mention the fact that many of the character (and location) names are difficult to pronounce, which makes it a bit harder to relate to and remember. I have the same issue when reading large epics like lord of the rings and Game of Thrones.

I only had two character-related issues with this story. The first was with Henry (human) who is introduced in Chapter 9. There was a lack of character development and nothing that really allowed the reader to connect with him much less care for him. Thus, when he died, we were left with an uneasy feeling of not really caring. It didn’t seem, to me, that Henry served much of a purpose or propelled the story along in any way. I think he could have been edited out of the story without a negative impact on the final storyline.

The second was Martin’s need to weaken our lead character, Maggie. Instead of Maggie being the hero at the end, which is what the series seems to be guiding us toward, another character (one we love to hate and love all at the same time) steps up and ends up being the hero. I like Lucy, I do, but it didn’t feel natural that she would be in the position she was in at the end, instead of Maggie. Just my opinion – I’d love to know yours after you read it. So, make sure you click on that link above to get your copy and then come back and tell me what you thought after you read it.

APPEARANCE (★★★★): The cover is great. Very eye catchy and inviting. It was designed by Anca Gabriela at BROSEDESIGNZ who I believe did a beautiful job of creating a cover that would inspire fantasy lovers to pick up the book.

FAVORITE QUOTES:
“That’s it! We’re all going to die. I knew it, we’re going to die. Thank you, Kylie, for delivering me to my death. Would anyone else like to say thanks to Kylie before we die?” ~ Klause

AUTHOR BIO: 

familyW. M. Martin is a writer of fantasy novels and a lover of his black lab, Willow. He’s also quite fond of his wife, Stephanie, and their four daughters. The stories he writes are inspired by his children. They are the first and last line of defense in regards to ensuring that his readers are certain to enjoy his works. He enjoys writing about female heroes, because his daughters are his.

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

ALSO BY W.M. Martin:

Shadow

Shadow of Okeaous
hen a teenage runaway named Maggie Bennett is drawn to the small but odd town of Thieves, she is unaware of what adventure awaits her. Maggie must journey to a world beyond the one she knows to undertake the trials and train to became a Guardian, all while an ancient and malefic presence is secretly haunting her every step, and it desires, more than anything, that which it once held. Journey along with Maggie as she learns about the world of the Veil, her place within it, and the Fallen hordes who want to watch it burn.

Where I Write

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writing-quote-picoult

I’m a new writer, or fairly new. I published my first novel in 2012, but I still feel like I’m learning everyday. By no means do I believe I know how all this “writing stuff” is done or supposed to be done, but I do know what works for me… right now anyway. What will work for me two years from now or somewhere down the road might be completely different, who knows.

So, where do I write? EVERYWHERE I CAN!

OK, let me clarify, I write – as in type my manuscripts – only three places at my desk, sitting in bed (I’ll explain below), and at a corner table at Starbucks. BUT… that isn’t where the majority of my writing process takes place. By the time I sit down at my computer, I’ve already written the next page, chapter, story, etc. My writing process starts well before my fingers tickle the keyboard.

Where it all begins…

The shower – I take long showers. Really long showers sometimes. Maybe even too long. But I always find it fascinating that I do some of my best brainstorming in the shower. It’s the only time I have where kids don’t interrupt, the tv isn’t blaring, and I can hear my own thoughts, also known as the voices in my head. Shower-time provides a quiet oasis where I can imagine my characters, the situations they can get into, and what they would do to get out of them. I’ve even gone so far as to ‘write’ out, word for word, dialog scenes. I’ll repeat the conversations over and over in my head until I can get out and type or write them down.

Running Errands – In the car, walking, in the checkout line at the grocery store. I do a lot of notetaking while I’m out running errands. Many of my notes never amount to anything, but I still write them all down because every now and then there’s a great one that I can mold into something really fun later on. I’m the girl with her phone or iPad out typing up my book title ideas, character descriptions, conversations, etc. in my “notes” app. Yup, there’s an app for that. I even carry a notebook around in my purse, just in case I get a really good idea that I need to run with right then. That way, if inspiration strikes… I can grab the bull by the horns and run with it.

Where words meet paper…

At my desk – My favorite place to write has to be my desk. I mean, isn’t that every writer’s dream? To have a desk of their own… maybe even a whole office, with a window and a great view, some art for inspiration, and a wonderful bookshelf full of their favorite authors. I have the desk, the office, poster-size images of my book covers hanging on my walls for inspiration. I even have the window. However, my  bookshelves are full of “work” stuff – not books. But, four out of five isn’t that bad. 

When do I write at my desk? That’s a great question because I can’t always do it. If the kids are awake they tend to pull me in a thousand different directions and I get way to distracted. If it’s Monday – Friday between the hours of 7:00am and 3:00pm, I’m working… from home, but still working. Therefore, writing is put on hold. That leaves evenings, when the kids are distracted with other things, very VERY early mornings, and weekends. I actually prefer the mornings. I like waking up early, sitting down with a fresh cup of coffee, and getting into the writing zone. I try to devote 30-60 minutes every morning to my writing before I start work if possible, and one weekend morning each week. I feel the most productive in the early hours while the house is still quiet and birds are chirping outside my window. I leave the blinds closed and can imagine I’m out in a cabin, secluded and surrounded by trees. The idea of nature tends to help get my creative juices flowing.  

In Bed – My second favorite place to type is my bed. I get all comfy cozy and surround myself with pillows and cuddle up with my laptop. My favorite time to do this? Late at night, after I’ve put the kids to bed, or early Saturday morning before the kids have woken up. There is just something about being so comfortable that your body is lost halfway between sleep and consciousness. It’s like your mind can slip more easily into creative thinking… kind of like day-dreaming. I come up with some of my best action scenes while I’m writing this way, but I always have to go back and re-read them when I’m more awake, because inevitably I’m so tired that the number of spelling and miss-used words increases.

Starbucks – Just a little plug for my favorite coffee shop. The Starbucks I like has a comfy chair in the back corner where I can sit, without being bothered, and just zone out and type. The aroma of coffee surrounds me and I can just give into creativity. It’s wonderful but very rare that I actually get there to write.

So, if you’re a writer, where do you write? If you’re a reader, where do you read?

Where is Publishing Headed?

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Ever wonder where publishing is headed in this ever-changing paperback vs. e-book world?

Publishing

I have to say, as an indie author, John B. Thompson’s article, in the Huffington Post, gave me hope. Sure, things might be getting harder for the publishing houses, but they are also leveling the playing field of book marketing for those of us indie authors. On a day-to-day basis, we are fighting through the weeds, trying to figure out how to get our names out there. We’re attempting to find new and innovative ways to get our books in front of readers.

By the time the publishing houses figure out that they also need to focus more on the online social media platforms, maybe some of us indie authors will have a small advantage. Having worked for years, build our online communities or readers and other authors, we indie authors are developing a strong network. No, I might never be the next Stephen King (Oh but I wish I was), or the next J.K. Rowling (wouldn’t that be amazing), but that doesn’t mean as an indie author I can’t still make my place in the literary world.

[The section below is provided as an excerpt from Thompson’s article. Check out the full article here, written by John B. Thompson on the Huffington Post.]

Today, the publishing business is in turmoil. For 500 years, the methods and practices of book publishing remained largely unchanged, but today the industry finds itself faced with the greatest challenges since Gutenberg.

These challenges are the outcome of two processes. On the one hand, the publishing business has been transformed beyond recognition by a set of profound social and economic changes that have been underway since the 1960s, resulting in the publishing landscape we see around us today: a handful of large corporate publishers based in New York and London and owned by large multimedia conglomerates; an array of powerful agents who have become the unavoidable gateway into publishing for writers and would-be writers; and a retail landscape dominated by a dwindling number of retail chains, mass merchandisers and Amazon.

On the other hand, the technological upheaval associated with the digital revolution is now having a major impact on the book publishing business. After a decade of numerous false dawns, e-books have now arrived and they are here to stay. In 2006, e-book sales amounted to only around 0.1 percent of the overall revenue of large US trade publishers – an accounting irrelevance. Today this figure is around 20 percent, and for some kinds of books, like romance, science fiction and thrillers, the percentage can be 60 percent or more – a huge change in five years. The digital revolution is disrupting many of the traditional practices of the publishing industry, opening up new opportunities and at the same time threatening to dislodge some of the players who have shaped the business of book publishing for half a century or more.

So where is book publishing now headed? Will the traditional print-on-paper book become a relic of a bygone age, a collector’s item to be found only in second-hand bookstores and garage sales, much like the old vinyl LP? Will publishers – and perhaps agents too – be displaced by a flourishing of self-publishing and by powerful online retailers like Amazon who can offer to publish writers’ work on royalty terms that are much more favorable than those traditionally offered by publishing houses?

[The section above is provided as an excerpt. Check out the full article here, written by John B. Thompson on the Huffington Post.]

So, if you’re an author (traditionally published or indie) I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. Leave your comments below and let’s start a conversation on the future of the publishing world.

Author Interview – Jonas Lee

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I am very excited to welcome Jonas Lee, Author of A Time to Reap, to my blog. I have to say I fell in love with this book from the moment I opened it. The story sucks you in and has you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Before I give away to much, let me introduce Jonas…

 

1. What is your name and where do you call home?

  • My name is Jonas and I reside in the temperate climate of Rapid City, SD (South Dakota, not San Diego like most people think)


2. Do you have a pen name?

  • I go by Jonas Lee instead of my actual last name. I’m not trying to hide or fool anyone with it. Just my last name is more of a mumble when putting it all together and Lee is already my middle name. So there it is.


3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say?

  • A Time to Live is my most recent book, set to release February 12, 2015. Twenty or fewer words: A teenager who can time travel, teleport and has a knack for sarcasm goes up against terrorists with similar abilities. (<— This was super hard)


4. Is the above book part of a series?

  • It is, The Legend of Carter Gabel series. The above is the second novel, the first, A Time to Reap is already available.


5. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?

  • I can’t really say that anyone inspired me other than myself. I just loved putting words to thoughts and entertaining people with stories. My mom was my very first fan though, so she encourage my writing to grow. I’ve been writing things since I was at least 9, but publishing only since July of 2014.


6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)?

  • I tried to keep a steady imagery of time throughout the series, so with the help of my cover artist Amanda Simpson at Pixel Mischief Design, we played around with various concepts. The newest cover was cool to me because it shows more timepieces signifying the additional characters being brought into the mix.


7. Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)?

  • I usually listen to something melodic and dubstep. This is to keep my mind energized and also not have to focus on words or much more than the emotion the notes bring.


8. How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?

  • I originally titled it The Time Traveler’s Grandchild (it started off as a fan fiction piece from The Time Traveler’s Wife). To stand apart from that, since the story in no way follows that wonderful book, I played with various time elements. I landed on a song by The Byrds called Turn, Turn, Turn and in it was a lot time references and I focused on the few that made the most sense for me and the story. Needless to say, I could make a lot of stories based off those lyrics alone.


9. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books?

  • For me, I love having an ebook and a hard cover close by. I love books and I think that covers are art, so I love displaying the good ones. Ebooks are just so easy to have a small library at my disposal though.


10. Are you a self-published/Indie author?

  • Indie through and through so far. Always opened to finding a Literary Agent though 😉


11. If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route?

  • Being an Indie is liberating and a very educational experience. I have more freedom with my work and know that I can rely on myself to get what I need to done. The down side is that I’m in a sea of other author (some great, some not so) and we’re all trying to find our way onto that lifeboat that will help us shine nationally.


12. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?

  • I have read a couple of books more than once. Lord of the Flies was my first one, but The Thief of Always was truly fun to go through again. I also want to dive into the Left Behind series again once I find my way into a plethora of free time.


13. What is your opinion of novellas?

  • I think novellas have their place. All writing has a place from the epic to the poem. Novellas help me think I’ve read a lot more than normal, so it’s kind of a motivational boost.


14. Have you ever read a book just based on its cover?

  • I have and I can’t say I was thrilled or really disappointed. Mainly, someone did their job well enough to make me buy it.


15. What is your favorite film based on a book?

  • The Green Mile is one of those books (more of a short story turned novella really) that I think turned out wonderfully on the screen.


16. What is your favorite book genre at the moment?

  • Currently, I love the paranormal. Supernatural is never far behind that. I should probably read more YA Sci-Fi, but hey, I think of that stuff all the time. Daddy needs a break.


17. What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why?

  • Take Me Tomorrow by Shannon A Thompson is one. She’s an author I’ve followed since I started blogging and it seemed like an interesting read. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg looks interesting with the magic elements he is working. Spin by Robert Charles Wilson was recommended to me and after reading the blurb, thought it belonged in my collection.


18. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?

  •  I’m reading three books right now

a) Revenge by yours truly, Nina Soden. I have it in .pdf ARC format and I look forward to buying physical copies one day and having her sign them for me.
b) Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake on my Kindle
c) The Former Hero by Jeffrey Allen Mays in paperback


19. If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?

  • Morgan Freeman because he has the coolest voice ever and talking with him would be fun in itself.
  • Stephen King – he’s a legend in the biz and I think we could get some pretty interesting thoughts firing off together
  • Heath Ledger – a great actor who was taken out in his prime, a cool guy from what I’ve read and I think he’d round out the party
  • Bruce Lee – Another monumental figure in this world that I think was gone too soon. His thinking, teachings and philosophy was very pure and I’d have to have him give a nunchuk demonstration


20. What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?

  • Don’t stop writing and reading. Simple. True. Every page read or wrote gets me further and I can only think it would help others finding their own voice too.


21. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?

  • I love going on walks, hiking. I enjoy art and plays. I help coach teenage girls softball and all the crazy things those girls think up.


    Where can your readers follow you?

    Blog: http://jonasleeblog.com 
    Facebook: http://facebook.com/jonasleeauthor 
    Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8417690.Jonas_Lee
    Twitter: @AuthorJonasLee
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jonas-lee/95/b42/7a9 
    Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jonas-Lee/e/B00M9EV6EO

 

Author Bio:

Jonas Lee is an author making his way from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Living in the ever-changing climate with his wife and daughter, he likes to keep his mind occupied with stories that entertain and provoke thought. A child of the 80’s, his imagination has always been rampant as thoughts of time travel, other dimensions, religion and the fight of good versus evil has always been prevalent in his stories.

A Time to Reap:

Pemberton Academy is not just a school, it’s a gathering place for the children of the future that are afflicted with Temporal Displacement and Telepathy; in short, time travelers and mind readers who have been diagnosed with this “disease.” The Academy is not all as it seems after an explosion nearly takes one of its classmates, but not before Carter Gabel rescues her by using an unknown symptom related to his described illness. An unsanctioned group called the Program begins taking notice as the two classmates exhibit stronger abilities when they are together. Carter’s sense of reality begins to unwind as he learns more about his estranged father’s involvement with it all.

Carter will have to overcome the past of his father leaving, the present of an unknown adversary hunting him down and a future that seems to change with each decision he makes. He will have to learn who to trust out of the people in his life if he wants to conquer the looming notion that the government may be hunting him down because of his developing abilities.

A Time to Live:

Carter Gabel had to overcome a lot in the last year, and time travel as a side effect of his “genetic disease” was only the beginning. He’s lost his mother, reunited with his estranged father, crippled a city and destroyed his school. If he thought he could fade into the sunset, Carter has another thing coming.

A terrorist group known as Pirates has infiltrated his hometown to overthrow the Program designed to monitor those with potentially harmful abilities. Carter is a teenager, but he’s forced back into the mix as his grandson, David, has been put into a coma. He will have to try and stay out of sight as much as possible and work with new Eventuals along the way in order to stop the Pirates from turning Lincoln Square into a ghost town.

Typos and Errors in Indie-Published Manuscripts

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I originally published this article as a guest author at http://timothy-oullette.blogspot.com/ and http://www.timouellette.com on August 8, 2014, but I felt that the information was important enough that I wanted it in my blog feed as well. I hope you enjoy my take on Typos and Errors in Indie-Published Manuscripts. You can let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

 

TBS_typosgraphic1

 

Are typos in a book a big deal?

Of course they are – to some extent! Typos happen. Typos happen in books that are self-published and traditionally published. Typos happen to new authors and seasoned authors. Typos happen in eBooks and print books. It doesn’t matter how many people you have edit, proof read, re-read, etc. there is always a chance a typo (or two – or three – or four) is going to slip through. Does that mean the world is over, the author should never write again, or that the author should lose all credibility? NO!

Let me say that again – NO!

It goes without saying, although I will say it, that every author should take the time and effort to make their manuscript the best that it can be. Not only do readers deserve the best product an author can provide, authors deserve to produce their best work – manuscripts they can be proud of for years to come!

You might be asking yourself, ‘how do I, as a self-published author without the backing of a traditional publishing house, afford to make sure that my manuscript is ready for publication?’

Good Question! Editors, proof-readers, and copy-writing services all cost money! Plus, and here is the catcher, even professional editors, proof-readers, and copy-writing service professional make mistakes! Even when you pay good money for these services you can’t be 100% sure your manuscript is flawless. That doesn’t mean you should just accept the fact that typos happen and therefore you don’t need to worry about them. There are a lot of things you can do to ensure that you publish your best work, and I will give you some examples, but you have to remember that you are never going to please everyone. There will always be someone that finds something wrong with your book.

What can you do to ensure minimal typos and errors in your final manuscript?

Below is a list of tools (free and/or low cost) that all self-published authors should be using:

 

  • SPELLCHECK – I LOVE spellcheck. No matter what I am working on I have spellcheck set to mark spelling and grammatical errors while I am typing. No, it doesn’t always catch misused words – but it is a great start to catching those words frequently misspelled. You can also add words to your computers dictionary. This is a great way to allow your computer to know that names (or other words) you use frequently are not incorrectly typed.

  • READING ALOUD – Yes, just like you did when you were a kid. One of the reasons teachers have their students read out loud is because we often retain more information when we hear text read out loud. For me, as an author, I like to either read my books aloud to myself or have someone else read them to me as I follow along. The down side to this is that it can be a rather lengthy process, but the upside is that it allows me to catch words that have been misused and dialog that doesn’t sound natural.

  • FIND / REPLACE – If you don’t use this Microsoft Word tool yet – you need to! Microsoft can find just about anything from double commas or periods, extra spaces, repeat words, etc. Once you find them you can fix them. Although, what I really like about this feature is that you can easily replace mistakes with corrections. (Example: FIND: .. REPLACE WITH: .) Don’t get me wrong, you don’t want to just trust your computer to make all of your corrections for you. When I do a search for an error I look at each of the results and decide if I want the correction to be made.

  • TEST READERS – Or as I like to call them guinea pigs!  My mom, my sister, and a number of my friends have all been my willing and loyal test subjects in this area. They have read, edited, and re-read all of my books throughout the writing process looking for errors that I might have missed. It isn’t easy seeing your manuscript covered in red edits, but trust me this process makes your final manuscript much better than it would be with only you reading and reviewing it.

  • PRO WRITING AID – This is an online writing editor and personal writing coach. It checks grammar and spelling; helps to improve overall readability; finds overused words; improves dull paragraph structure; locates repeat words and phrases; checks for consistency of spelling; hyphenation and capitalization; warns you about clichés and redundancies; and so much more. I learned about this tool through a friend that does line editing as a freelancer. She told me that it was an inexpensive way to help improve writing as you go and that it was extremely user friendly – SHE WAS RIGHT! I highly suggest trying it out. What is the worst that could happen?

  • ARC – Advance Reader Copies! Okay, once your manuscript is complete, as complete as you feel you can make it, you need to offer advance reader copies. This is a great way to get feedback. You can request feedback in the form of reader notes and/or book reviews. I have even gone so far as providing a list of questions at the end of the advance reader copies I have sent out, this helped me to target key areas of my story and/or editing that needed to be fixed.

  • EDITOR – OK, this one costs money. All of the tools above are free or can be done at a very low cost, however hiring an editor is not cheap. If you decide to go this route – which I did – you don’t want to skimp! You get what you pay for!!! But, you still have to remember – Editors are only HUMAN, they make mistakes too! Again, there is no way to guarantee – 100% – that your manuscript isn’t going to have typos or errors.

My novels may still have errors – heck, even award winning authors sometimes have errors in their novels – but I can honestly say that I have taken all possible steps to ensure that the books I publish are the best they can possibly be. So, if there are still a few errors, as I am sure there are, then I’m OK with that. I’m happy with my finished products and that truly is all an author can ask for.

 

 

Written by: Nina Soden
Author, the Blood Angel Series
Revenge (book 3): http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-bR