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Tag: writing for publication

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Best Practices Marketing Personal Development

Use Adverbs with Caution

I could have written “cautiously,” but I didn’t want to be guilty of using an adverb before I’d even begun the body of the article.

I say “guilty” because adverb overuse is one of the cardinal errors of writing.

What Is An Adverb?

Adverbs provide additional description to verbs, adjectives, another adverb, phrases, sentences, or clauses. Often, but not always, they end with “ly.”

They ran quickly.

She was very beautiful.

She so hoped that she would the prize.

What’s Wrong With Adverbs?

The above examples look harmless. This is why they’re not.

“They ran quickly” is awkward and doesn’t provide a strong visual image.

Try

  • “They raced.”
  • “They dashed.”
  • “They hurried.”

Each of these changes implies speed and urgency much more effectively than the original.

“She was very beautiful” is equally awkward, in part because “beautiful” might seem like an absolute. If someone is more than beautiful, try “gorgeous,” “stunning,” or “breathtaking.”

In “She so hoped that she would win the prize,” “so” is meaningless. It doesn’t suggest how much she hoped. Was she eager, desperate, anxious? We have no idea.

An Indictment of Adverbs

“I  believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs.” —Stephen King in On Writing.

King gets to the heart of why adverbs don’t add much to writing. He says in using them, writers signal that they haven’t expressed themselves clearly. The adverb gets tacked on for additional emphasis.

And they have a tacked-on feeling. That’s why “ran quickly” and “very beautiful” sound so awkward. They’ve been added without a feeling for elegant writing. When I say “elegant,” I don’t necessarily mean great literature. I mean something you can read without getting jolted by literary potholes.

Show, Don’t Tell

One of the biggest problems adverbs present is that they tell, rather than show.

Consider the following examples.

  • “He spoke angrily.”
  • “He growled.”
  • “He roared.”

Examples 2 and 3 give the reader a sensory impression. You can hear and feel a roar or a growl.

Whenever possible, replace a verb and an adverb with a stronger verb.

Don’t Throw Out Adverbs Altogether

Occasionally, adverbs have their purposes. The general opinion about their recommended usage is about once in every 300 words.

If you want to measure your adverb use, do a word count on something you’ve written and then read it and count the adverbs. If the count is within the 1 to 300 ratio, you’re fine for frequency, but also look at how you’ve used the adverbs. If you can find a way to replace them with stronger verbs, do so.

Your readers will thank you.

Pat Iyer is a ghostwriter and editor. People hire Pat who want to write a book without writing a word. Reach her through her website at www.editingmybook.com. She is one of the original 100 C Suite Network Advisors.

Categories
Entrepreneurship Personal Development

What To Expect When You Work with a Ghostwriter

When you think about having a book written about yourself or your business, you may ask: “How do they do it? How does someone who doesn’t know me write a book that sounds as if I wrote it?”

This important question underlines the importance of choosing a talented, empathetic ghostwriter. In order to succeed, the ghostwriter must deliver the kind of authenticity that makes sure your voice is included.

How does the expert do this?

She Asks Questions

Before you begin working together, your ghostwriter will probably ask you questions like these:

  • Describe the book you would like to write.
  • Why does this appeal to you?
  • Have you begun?
  • When would you like to see the book in print?
  • Why are you considering hiring a ghostwriter?
  • What are your publishing plans? Traditional? If so, what kind, i.e., a business press, a more general publisher? Would you prefer to self-publish?
  • Who do you see as your audience? Why will your book appeal to them?

Getting to Know Your Voice

The ghostwriter who does a thorough job will study your online presence. This could include YouTube clips, including speeches you may have given at conferences, tweets, Facebook posts, and any blog posts you’ve written. This will give her a good feel for your voice and speech mannerisms.

During the course of your work together, much of which will consist of phone interviews, she will be constantly honing her awareness of how you express yourself. She will note key phrases you use in speech, whether you speak in long or short sentences, and other characteristic features. She will basically immerse herself in your style of expression.

She Will Do Additional Research

She will carefully study your business, especially your corporate web site. The conscientious ghostwriter will pay special attention to your particular passions and interests. She will read any biographical information available about you. She will learn your areas of expertise.

She Will Get to Know the People Who Surround You

 This doesn’t mean she will have chats with your family members—unless you want that, and you can specify the limitations and boundaries you need there. The ghostwriter is likely, though, to want to talk with your executive assistant and other people who are part of your work milieu. She might want to ask questions to a PR person for your company.

Establishing these connections gives the ghostwriter a much broader picture of who you are.

 By the time the ghostwriter has finished the manuscript, she will have worked hard to create a book that has your personality imprinted within it. If you have chosen an editor to do the final version, introduce them to each other. The ghostwriter can explain the details that make this your book. A good relationship between these two people so important to your book can smooth the path to publication.

Consider the Above a Checklist

 When you’re choosing among candidates to ghostwrite your book, ask them how they do their work. If their answers don’t cover the bases described in this article, you may want to reconsider.

Many factors go into making a good writer, but the career of ghostwriter has some very special demands. Make sure that the person you choose answers your questions—and your needs.

Pat Iyer is a ghostwriter who enables experts to create a book without having to write. Contact her through her website at www.editingmybook.com.

Categories
Growth Skills

Overcoming Objections to Writing a Book

How to Defeat Your Objections to Writing Your Book

You’ve had writing a book on your to do list for years. People tell you that you’ve had an interesting path to the C Suite, and you should share what you’ve learned with others.

And yet… you are stalled.

It’s not that you don’t recognize the benefits of having a book, of helping others with your story, of adding to the business world’s knowledge with the lessons you’ve learned.  You just struggle with it, and probably for the same reasons many other people resist publication.

What are your excuses?

You can’t write. Although many people claim they cannot write, yet they prepare reports, articles, speeches, and all of that content can be reused. Are you still trapped in that small wooden high school seat intimidated by prepositions, dangling participles and misplaced modifiers?

I have good news for you. It is not necessary to know how to diagram a sentence. You do need an ear for good writing.

Or are you really saying you don’t like to write? Luckily, you have plenty of options for overcoming this particular hurdle. Hire a ghostwriter. If you can develop a set of questions to create a chapter, you can hire a person to interview you and use the transcribed conversation to create a chapter. The ghostwriter will turn that colloquial conversation into a smoothly written chapter. It takes skill to do the editing. As the author, you have the final say on what goes into the book.

You can also use software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking, or simply record using your favorite MP3 app and then have it transcribed. The transcript will still need to be edited; we are a lot more informal when we speak than when we write.

You don’t have time. Here’s a biggie. Everyone is busy. Yes, your job is demanding. But you can overcome that excuse by carving out time. I’ve been the sole author of 19 books. They all started one chapter at a time.

Rather than lamenting your lack of time, figure out when you can write. Do you need to go away for a weekend with your laptop? Will it work for you to get up earlier each day or stay up later? What do you need to give up (like TV or movies) in order to write? In my experience, the most important aspect is controlling your distractions. Turn off your phone and email and write. Set a timer and don’t allow yourself to be interrupted.

The point is, you must make this a priority. Block out the time in your calendar, and treat that time as sacred. Pretend it’s an appointment with your most important client, and do not allow anything to get in the way of keeping it.

Here’s another excuse: you can’t organize a long project like a book. Ok, so you’re great with blog posts, and you don’t mind writing them, but the thought of writing an entire book makes you stare at your blank screen like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

First, if you can write an article, you can write an entire series of chapters. The process is all the same, after all. It’s just putting words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and so on. It starts with an outline that you revise as you go along. You realize some material belongs in one spot instead of another. You chip away at your book, piece by piece.

There is no rule that you have to start at chapter 1 and move through the book in sequential fashion. My colleague and I started on Chapter 8 in the last book I ghostwrote. Start where you have the most material or the most familiarity with the subject matter. You’ll get a sense of accomplishment which will help you move through the project faster.

There are dozens of reasons to write a book. It’s important for strengthening your expertise and building your brand. But none of that will happen if you don’t actually write it. So it’s time to get beyond your hurdles and get your book done.

 

Pat Iyer is a ghostwriter and a C Suite Network Advisor. Visit her website at http://editingmybook.com for more information.