Self-Editing Resources for First-Time or New Writers

Ask anyone who writes professionally or personally, and they’ll say that it’s hard – really hard – to find their own writing mistakes. When you are your editor, it’s tough to remain objective and read your work with fresh eyes.

Difficult is not the same as impossible, however. You can self edit if you know what to look for, and you develop a process. If you’re a first-time author or new to writing professionally, you may have many questions about how to edit, what to edit, and when (what stages in your writing) to edit.

We’ve got the answers you need with resources recommended by professional book editors.

Here are some fabulous self-editing resources to invest your time in. If you want a break from the written word, this list includes podcasts to check out as well.

Self-Editing: The Writing Process

Self-editing for Self-publishers: Incorporating: A Style Guide for Fiction by Richard Bradburn

Indie authors looking to self publish will find this resource particularly useful. It describes a three-stage editing process similar to the traditionally published one, from structural to sentence level to proofreading.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition by Renni Brown and Dave King

Two professional editors have written this book which teaches you editing techniques on exposition, point of view, and dialogue. They provide many examples taken from manuscripts that they have edited.

Understanding Show, Don’t Tell And Really Getting It by Janice Hardy  

This award-winning author uses examples to demonstrate the difference between showing, not telling, when writing a story. She helps authors understand the balance between backstory, description, and narrative. 

Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft: A Step-by-step Guide to Revising Your Novel by Janice Hardy  

This book tackles the big picture problems that can go wrong with a novel. It shows how to review character and point of view issues, plot structure problems, and setting problems. You will learn to write stronger prose and build better character arcs and compelling plots.

Cover to Cover What First-Time Authors Need to Know about Editing by Sandra Wendel

After writing your first book, read this book to learn what to do next, before you work with an editor and prepare the book for production and publication. This is an important resource if you know little to nothing about the publication process.

Troubleshooting Your Novel Essential Techniques for Identifying and Solving Manuscript Problems by Steven James  

This hands-on guide takes you through the steps that will increase your chances of selling your manuscript to a publisher or gathering an audience for your book. Topics covered include story progression, character development, narrative techniques, and troubleshooting common issues. 

Write Great Fiction – Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell 

If you struggle with creating a plot that engages your readers, this is a resource to add to your library. The book tackles common plot problems, developing story structure, and how to create strong beginnings, middles, and ends to your story.

Keys to Great Writing Revised and Expanded Mastering the Elements of Composition and Revision by Stephen Wilbers and Faith Sullivan 

The writing process can be daunting. This book provides helpful techniques for the entire writing process, from prewriting to proofreading. It also has exercises to strengthen your writing skills from the sentence to the paragraph level.

The Magic of Fiction Crafting Words Into Story: The Writer’s Guide to Writing & Editing by Beth Hill 

This handbook to the writing and editing process is a valuable resource on all aspects of writing and editing. It covers writing and self-editing your own stories, whether you are a first-time or experienced author. 

Self-Editing at a Sentence Level

The Best Punctuation Book, Period by June Casagrande 

Whether you write for an online, print, academic, or business audience, this quick reference guide covers your questions about punctuation for all styles, including AP (Associated Press), MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association), and Chicago Manual of Style.

Editing Fiction at Sentence Level by Louise Harnby 

This book teaches you how to self-edit your manuscript at a sentence level, from narrative to dialogue. Examples are also provided to demonstrate the lessons.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss 

This resource covers grammar and punctuation insights using humor and history. It is clear from this book that a simple comma or apostrophe can completely alter the meaning of a sentence – sometimes in a hilarious way.  

Artful Sentences Syntax as Style by Virginia Tufte  

This book breaks down standard sentence patterns and forms to show how they convey meaning. New writers and those who love language will find this book fascinating.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and Elwyn Brooks White 

Among writing manuals, this book is considered a classic. It even has its own Wikipedia entry! This guide covers good writing and composition principles, lists commonly misused words and expressions, and lists often misspelt words.

Self-Editing Resources: Podcasts

The Midnight Quill Podcast hosted by writers T. C. Emerys, M. J. Glenn and Maisy Osbon

Listen to discussions about writing techniques, worldbuilding and self-publishing, with new episodes every week.

The Editing Podcast hosted by Louise Harnby and Denise Cowle

Explore practical tips and insights for editors and proofreaders. This podcast is available in 60 countries. 

Key Takeaways 

New writers published authors will find value in self-editing resources. These books cover important topics in the editing and writing process. 

Experienced writers will benefit from the review and the checklists, and new writers finishing their first manuscript will benefit from the insight and tips. 

For some of the latest advice on editing, writers and editors can stream podcasts from multiple sources, such as YouTube and apps.

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Work Life Balance: Good or Bad?

What is work life balance? How do you define it? Whether you have work life balance and whether you view clear boundaries between the two depends on how much you love your job. Here are some rare points of view to consider.

Remote work has made it easier to blend home life and work life into one room (or the same building). Employers and clients may have the expectation that you’ll respond to messages or complete work tasks between 9 a.m. to … well, 9 a.m. the next morning. 

Ambitious people and work culture may set up the expectation that you’ll answer work messages and do a small work task while you’re on vacation. Emails and various apps on smartphones have made it easier than ever to blur the lines between the office and personal time.

The constant plug-in to workplace communication and work tasks can be exhausting. People need a break from work to recharge and return to their tasks with fresh eyes. But is it bad to blend work and home life together?

Some people love their career enough that working is as enjoyable as watching Netflix or playing video games. I’ve met some of these people (so they do exist).  

If you enjoy your work as much as you’d enjoy a hobby, then is working extra hours synonymous with workaholicism or overachieving? Does it make a difference whether you’re designing a graphic for a client or painting a picture to hang on your wall?

Some self-employed people live in their business. They are always reading or watching videos for self improvement, or brainstorming new ways to increase their income or expand their products and services. Would this be considered overworking? It depends.

Everyone should be learning new things, whether it is a new hobby, new skill, or general-interest knowledge. People challenge themselves with fitness goals, reading goals, or social goals. How is investing more time in your career or business any different, if you love what you do, and if you still have time for friends and family?

If you enjoy what you do, then perhaps a job or business is no different than investing time and energy in a hobby or pastime. With this perspective, would work life balance be… “balanced”?

What are your thoughts on work life balance if you have a job or career that you love?

Interesting Facts about Valentine’s Day: Business Edition

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. Valentine’s Day is for anyone who likes to be appreciated: singles who will buy something nice for themselves, friends who celebrate platonic friendships, or parents getting treats for their children. 

Are all the reasons for spending money on Valentine’s Day a marketing strategy to encourage people – both couples and singles – to spend money?

Another way to ask this question is: does it matter why we buy for Valentine’s Day? In addition to your sweetheart, so many others benefit from this occasion that celebrates love. Here are some interesting facts about Valentine’s Day: business edition.

Who receives the most valentines?

  • People spend on gifts for partners, friends, pets, and even coworkers. Valentine’s Day is not necessarily a romantic occasion.
  • Teachers get the most valentines. Children, mothers, wives, and pets also top the list for receiving the most valentines. 

How much do people spend for February 14th?

  • According to the National Retail Foundation, Americans are expected to spend $23.9 billion on the occasion this year – over $175 spent per person – with candy, greeting cards, and flowers at the top of the list for gift items. 
  • Retailers expect jewellery to be the top expense at more than $6.2 billion. 
  • Over 40 percent are interested in a gift of experience, such as a concert or sports event.

Is Valentine’s Day celebrated at work?

  • Glassdoor’s survey found that 69% of people have received a Valentine’s Day themed gift from a co-worker. Most, however (58%) are not interested in the occasion from a workplace standpoint.
  • A Workplace Romance in America study found evidence of some workplace romance. Around 25 percent of respondents said they have previously dated a coworker and 4 percent are currently dating a coworker. 
  • Some of the occupations that benefit from Valentine’s Day are florists, massage therapists, hotel concierges, greeting card writers, restaurants servers, and chocolatiers. 

What are some interesting facts about the history of Valentine’s Day? 

  • Fancy Boxes were decorated chocolates sold in heart-shaped boxes in 1868 for Valentine’s Day.
  • Early versions of printed Valentine’s Day cards appeared in the early 1900s. These cards were printed in factories.
  • The chalky, heart-shaped conversation candies that appear around Valentine’s Day were first created as lozenges. They became heart-shaped in 1902.
  • The remote ordering and delivery of flowers to loved ones was pioneered in 1910.
  • The slogan “A Diamond is Forever” first appears in 1948 to introduce the idea that expensive jewellery expresses love.
  • In Korea, women give chocolates to men to show their affection on Valentine’s Day (February 14). On White Day (March 14), men return their affection to women with white gifts, such as white chocolate and lingerie (although dark chocolate and other colors and gifts are also accepted now). On Black Day (April 14), singles (who didn’t receive anything on Feb 14 or Mar 14) eat Jjajyangmyeon (Black Noodles) with their single friends. The first two occasions receive the most marketing and event promotion.

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How Attention to Detail Increases Your Income

Remember how satisfying it was to solve a mystery just by replaying the details in your mind? Where are your missing keys? Did your sweetheart lie to you? Where did you see that statistic that you could use in your report? Paying attention to details has many benefits.

Being detail oriented is a valuable workplace skill: Detectives analyze clues to solve a case. Medical professionals keep a close eye on details so patients get the correct dose of medication. Accountants check their numbers: a payment of $100,000 and a payment of $1,000,000 is just the difference of one zero, with very different results.

From these examples, it’s clear that paying attention to detail is a vital skill to emphasize in resumes and skills assessments. Detail oriented people have more workplace autonomy because employers can trust them to keep a business’s reputation.

Attention to detail, or being detail oriented, is valuable at the workplace. There are several ways to sharpen or improve your attention to detail skills.

What does detail oriented mean?

If you are detail oriented, you are thorough, observant, and notice small details. For example, your coworker schedules a meeting for Monday, March 6th. You check the calendar and notice that March 6 is a Sunday, so you ask your coworker to update the meeting information.

Precision is an important skill for any job, but small errors can have minor to major consequences depending on the job. 

Book editors fix mistakes such as incorrect page references. Not catching this error can result in a minor inconvenience for the reader. An incorrectly typed line of computer code can result in the program not working for the user. A mistake on an invoice could mean an incorrect payment. Marking the left leg and not the right leg for surgery can have disastrous consequences.

An employer trusts that a worker with close attention to detail will be accurate and careful, and not likely to make mistakes. That worker won’t need to be constantly monitored, and their work checked and rechecked. 

Detailed oriented people work effectively and accurately on each task. Their meticulousness will save the company embarrassment from careless errors that may harm its reputation or finances.

Is attention to detail a skill?

People list “attention to detail” as a skill on their resume or describe themselves as detail oriented during interviews. However, unlike other skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking, attention to detail is rarely tested as part of the interview process.

Attention to detail, as mentioned already, affects a worker’s independence. A thorough and accurate worker is more likely to be given additional responsibility and more likely to be promoted. Employers trust that a detail oriented employee is careful to do each task correctly the first time. 

Paying attention to detail also has social impacts at work. This skill improves customer and coworker relationships. A coworker who remembers the name of your kids, asks about the restaurant you decided to check out on Saturday, or wonders if your sprained ankle has improved is someone you’re more likely to remember and like.

Similarly, the ability to remember small details improves customer relations and increases the likelihood of getting the customer’s business. Customers like to be remembered. It’s a great feeling, for example, to walk into a business and say you’ll get “the usual” and the staff knows exactly what you’re looking for.

Does attention to detail increase your income?

Those who are highly detail oriented are more likely to be in supervisory positions or have jobs with independence. These workers have shown that they are conscientious when doing their work. They can be trusted to check other people’s work and manage projects to complete them correctly and on time.

Attention to detail can help you get a high-paying career, particularly for jobs in which accuracy and human lives are at stake. Here are some jobs in which attention to detail is extremely crucial:

  • Anesthesiologist assistants
  • Family medicine physicians
  • Proofreaders and copy markers
  • Prosthodontists
  • Urologists
  • Archivists
  • Camera operators, television, video and film
  • Computer programmers
  • Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
  • Cytogenetic technologists
  • Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
  • Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
  • Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • Optometrists
  • Physician Assistants
  • Skincare Specialists 
  • Watch and clock repairers

The income range for some of these detail oriented jobs ranges from $70,000 to $187,000 (averaged income for each career). If you thrive on the details, there are jobs in which your sharp focus is highly valued.

How to pay attention to detail at work

Like any skill, you can improve attention to detail over time, starting with short exercises and repeated habits.

Fun exercises you can try at home to improve your attention to detail skills include: 

  • Listening to ocean sounds or jungle sounds and paying close attention to the range of sounds that you hear
  • Studying a pair of compare/contrast pictures and listing the particular differences between the two pictures
  • Looking at a diagram and deciding whether it is the top, side, or bottom view of an object
  • Studying a picture or series of images, numbers, or letters to memorize patterns
  • Complete crossword puzzles
  • Count using a specific pattern, such as multiples of five, or looking at a page of text and counting every second word without the aid of your finger on the page

While at work, create habits that encourage you to become detail oriented:

  • Organize your desk and your emails. When you are organized, you can track deadlines and files better, and you’re less likely to forget to answer an email.
  • Write to-do lists. These lists will help you remember all the tasks you need to complete before their deadlines. You can also keep not-to-do lists, such as cutting down on TV time and spending more time on reading, exercise, or skills improvement. 
  • Create checklists. If you notice that you frequently make mistakes when writing emails, keep a checklist that you must complete before you send the email. For example, remind yourself to check the spelling of the recipient of your message and check a word you constantly misspell. You can also keep a checklist for procedures to make sure you complete all the steps before you hand off your part of a project.
  • Practice active listening. When you are the listener, don’t just stare into space until the speaker finishes. Nod or say, “um hm” or “yes” to show you are listening. Summarize or repeat what the speaker said to demonstrate that you heard the details.
  • Take notes. When you’re at a meeting, jot down important details about your tasks. During the meeting, take notes to keep you focused on details. After the meeting, these notes can become your checklist for what you must do.

Key Takeaways

Attention to detail is a valuable skill. People who are detail oriented are trusted with more responsibilities on the job because they complete tasks accurately and thoroughly. A careless mistake can cost a company their reputation and a person their job. Careers in which attention to detail can mean life or death are lucrative. You can become more detail oriented by creating habits at work that focus your attention on details. 

How detail oriented are you? The next time you enter a room, take a look around for a few minutes, then close your eyes and try to remember as many details about the room as you can!

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Amazing Insights on Speaking Skills

Employers look for team members with strong, effective communication skills. Our ability to advance in our careers, build a business, or develop relationships depend on how well we can articulate words.

Here are some amazing insights into our speaking skills. Take a moment to think about what these insights mean to you, and how they impact your life.

  • The average person speaks about 7,000 to 20,000 words a day. The range is based on several sources. How many words you speak depends on how much you need to communicate with others. Your range of vocabulary can range from less than 1000 words to a wider range if you have a highly technical job.
  • Non-verbal communication is as important, if not more important, than verbal communication. When we speak, we focus on our words. We don’t think about our facial expressions or body language. However, your listener is watching to see if your words match your non-verbal communication.  
  • Men interrupt women three times more often than women interrupt men. It’s a behavior that starts in school and continues in the workplace.
  • The fear of public speaking is glossophobia. Some data suggests it can affect up to 75% of people. Public speaking skills have an impact on a person’s career, from leadership abilities to career advancement.
  • Are you really listening when someone is speaking? Our brain can think at a speed of 3,000 words a minute. But we can only listen at a speed of 100 to 125 words a minute.  
  • Active listening skills create stronger relationships at work. Active listening means showing that you understand the speaker by repeating what they said and using non-verbal cues such as nodding.
  • People with exceptional communication skills also tend to be strong leaders who create trust with their team members. These people are valuable to their company because they can teach others how to be better communicators.

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