Writing Through the Fear

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

Today, intuitive writing coach Amy Lamont is visiting. While I offer writing coaching as one of my services, what Amy and I do is very different. I’ll help you fix elements of your story and assist you with the craft of writing. Amy’s intuitive writing coaching is more about life choices and getting writers back on track when they’ve lost their way. To learn more about Amy’s intuitive writing coaching, visit her website: www.amylamont.com

Take it away, Amy.

Writing Through the Fear

I’ve really enjoyed Lynnette’s most recent posts. She asked us lots of great questions—Why aren’t we published yet? How do we stay motivated to write? And she offers some good insights from her own experiences about these issues.

The reason I’ve read these posts with such interest is because these questions are the heart and soul of my intuitive writing coaching practice. While Lynnette can help you polish a manuscript to a shine, my coaching focuses more on digging deep to unearth those thoughts, beliefs, and fears that keep us from achieving our writing goals.

What Lurks Beneath

Every writer has those moments where life comes before writing. The day job gets in the way, you get the unexpected call from the nurse’s office telling you to come get the sick kid, the holidays stress you out. Sometimes life just happens, no matter how well we plan our writing time.

But if we’re being honest, even at the most hectic times in our lives, there are probably pockets of time we could fit a little writing in if we made it a priority. Lynnette setting her timer to write in fifteen-minute chunks is the perfect example. Who couldn’t find fifteen or even ten or five minutes here and there throughout their day to write?

Yet many of us go through periods where the writing doesn’t come, and every time we turn around, life throws something new our way. When we find ourselves letting days, weeks, sometimes even months pass without getting words on the page, it usually means there’s something deeper going on. Something inside of us holds us back from moving closer to our writing dreams.

The Monster Under the Bed

So what’s behind the roadblocks we erect? In my own experience, and from what I hear from my coaching clients, when we’re struggling to find time to write or find ourselves making excuses for not getting the book done, the true monster under the bed is fear.

We have a lot to fear as authors. As everyone tells us, rejection at some point is almost a guarantee when we choose this career. And even when we’re successful, there are things to fear—one star reviews, not being able to deliver another good book, not staying true to our own voices and vision.

With so much to fear, it’s no wonder we sometimes get stuck in neutral.

Acknowledge the Fear

So the first step when we find ourselves struggling over and over again to find time to write is to recognize there’s a good chance we’re dealing with fear. Sometimes just acknowledging the fear is enough to start a shift.

It can be easier to say we’re too busy to write than it is to acknowledge fear. But once we recognize the fear, we can also appreciate that the small part of us throwing up those roadblocks is an attempt to protect ourselves.

Say Thanks and Write Anyway

Now that I recognize the fear and protective instincts behind those times I avoid writing, I find it much easier to push through and write anyway.

The trick is to say thank you to the protective part of yourself. Tell it you appreciate the way it’s trying to keep you safe, but for just a short amount of time, you’re going to write anyway, even if it’s scary. You may be amazed at how easy it is to break free of the fear—even if it’s just for 10 minutes at a time.

Do you have times when life gets too hectic to write? Does fear sometimes hold you back from moving closer to your dreams? Any tips or tricks that keep you writing even when those fears want to hold you back?

Amy Lamont writes contemporary and new adult romance. She’s also an intuitive writing coach who helps other authors create the writing careers of their dreams.

Thanks again for visiting, Amy. I think we all experience that awful “F” word every once in a while. I’m glad I’ve pushed past it and am able to write again.

Lynnette Labelle
www.lynnettelabelle.com
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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Staying Motivated to Write: What Works for Me

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

Need help getting motivated to write on a regular basis? I hear ya. Been there, done that. We all have our excuses… I mean, reasons. *cough, cough* But how legitimate are they? Really?

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve allowed life to get in the way of my writing. Well, no more. Sort of. I mean, I still have to work and take care of the kids. But I’m going to make more of an effort to write.

How? What’s changed?

Not my schedule. I’m still as busy as ever. It’s my attitude that’s changed. And I have a new little trick up my sleeve.

I’ve had people give me all kinds of advice like wake up early to write, stay up late, get up in the middle of the night. Yeah, that doesn’t really work for me, because I need to have a focused mind during the day when I’m editing for clients. Others have said that I should take any free moment I have to write, that I should even bring a notebook with me wherever I go. Somehow, that wasn’t enough either. When I’m out and about, I usually have the twins with me, which means constant nagging to keep them from climbing the walls or running up and down the aisles. Not exactly the best moment to pull out my notebook and get some writing done. And as for using any free time I have, well, when you’re busy, it’s often hard to find any free time.

How are you liking my excuses so far? Any of them sound familiar?

I finally found something that worked for me. Fifteen-minute blocks. I never would’ve imagined that I could get much of anything written in fifteen minutes, which is why I never bothered to try this method, or others like it, before. However, I took a course taught by Kerri Nelson, Book Factory 101, which really opened my eyes. I don’t slot my days into fifteen-minute blocks, but I can often add a fifteen-minute chunk between projects or at the end of my workday.

Here’s the thing. While my timer is counting down those fifteen minutes, I don’t allow myself to answer the phone, read e-mail, or do anything other than write. I won’t even use that time to reread what I’d already written or edit what I’m writing. Nope. This is all about getting words down. As many as I can in fifteen minutes.

Is the writing great? Not so much. But, I’m okay with that. I realize I have to go back and add details, emotions, actions, whatever. Yet, I still feel like I’ve accomplished something by the end of the day when I can say I’ve written something, anything to move my story forward. And, man, won’t it feel good to write “The End”?

What’s your little trick for keeping you motivated?

Lynnette Labelle
www.lynnettelabelle.com
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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Why Aren’t You Published? – Part 2

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

Last week, I started to explain why I’m not yet published and what I’m going to do about it. Here’s the next part of that explanation.

Often, when my clients first discover I’m a writer, they Google me to see what I have published. Of course, they can’t find anything, because I’m not yet published. Why not? I’ve never tried. It’s not that I didn’t want to. In fact, my query letter was all ready and my synopses were completed. I had a list of agents I wanted to contact, but something didn’t let me pull the trigger. I knew my YA novels weren’t up to snuff and neither were my first couple of romantic suspense novels. So, those puppies will forever sit on my hard drive, unless I’m extremely bored and want to pretty much rewrite them. Ugh. Not sure about that. Besides, I have tons of other ideas, so I don’t know that I’ll even look at those again, but they’re there, just in case.

What about my latest novel? I’d rewritten it a few times, changing the villain and some of the characters or plot elements. Wasn’t it ready? No. Sadly, it wasn’t. I had attempted to put a little bit of everything into the plot, so the story resembled a kitchen sink more than a novel. That’s what I got from trying too hard. Luckily, I recognized the issues before I wasted an agent’s time. And a couple of great critique partners helped me find my way out of that mess. Thanks, Amy Lamont and Katie Graykowski*.

Unfortunately, this meant another rewrite. Bleh. At this point, I was so sick of the characters and the story that I wasn’t motivated to start again. And, honestly, I wouldn’t recommend reworking the same book as often as I have. Seriously. Move on to the next book. It’ll be much better, and you’ll feel the passion again. Why couldn’t I take my own advice? Simple. Just like when I was a little kid, I had a dream. I could see the story unfold. I felt like my characters were real people, because I knew them that well. And, most importantly, I really believed in this story. I just couldn’t give up on it without trying one last time.

But that decision was part of what kept me from writing. I just wasn’t motivated to rework that same story again, even though I knew I had to if I wanted to give it a chance at getting published. I even tried to work on another book, which I was also excited about, but I just couldn’t shake this one. So, I allowed life to take over. I figured I needed some space from the book, and when I got busy with my editorial business, I let writing almost completely slip from my life. Bad me, I know.

Then, something happened. One of my clients was having serious talks with a NY publisher, one that I’ll definitely be targeting. And a little voice went off in my head. That should be you. Of course, the thought wasn’t meant to take anything away from my client. I was extremely excited for her. It was more of an awakening. I was motivated to write again, and I completed about half of the book, before I allowed self-doubt to take over. At this point, my critique partners and I had stopped exchanging pages. We’d all become too busy to critique. As a result, the positive reinforcement and uplifting cheers were gone. My parents and husband, as much as they’d love to support me, believe that writing is a hobby. Don’t you just hate that “h” word? I often heard something like this, “Editing is your career, and you need to focus on your clients and their writing, not your own.” In a way, they’re right. There’s no guarantee I’ll ever become traditionally published, and I certainly haven’t given them any reason to feel I have a chance. So, I can’t blame them.

However, when you don’t have people supporting you and encouraging you in this lonely industry, it’s easy to allow self-doubt to rule your world. I did. Plus, I found it difficult to add writing time into my busy schedule. I’m working on client manuscripts during the day, so I’d have to write in the evening or at night. I couldn’t exactly ask my husband to make supper and watch the kids so I could write. He’s understanding, but that would be pushing it. The guy has a very stressful and tiring job, so that wouldn’t be a fair request. We’re partners, and we do things together.

So, how do I continue my dream and find time to write? You’ll have to wait until next week to find out when I talk about how to motivate the writer in you.

*Note: I’ve had many other fantastic critique partners and groups along the way, but Amy and Katie helped me with the current version of my WIP.

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
www.lynnettelabelle.com

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Why Aren’t You Published – Part 1

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

For those of you who are not yet published, are you getting tired of explaining to your friends and family why you aren’t? Do you even know the reason? Is your writing good enough? Be honest with yourself. Do you need an editor or writing coach to help you discover what you’re doing wrong? What about a critique group or partner? Are you putting in the effort? Really putting in the effort.

I’m a freelance editor and a writer. Like many of you, I’ve been writing since I was in diapers. Well, practically. And if I wasn’t writing “books”, I was writing plays, and forcing the neighborhood kids to participate in them in front of our parents. Somehow, I always had the leading role. I’m not sure how that happened. *How embarrassing for my parents. Sorry ‘bout that.* Anyway, it wasn’t that I wanted to control the other kids or be the one in the spotlight—well, maybe a little. I had a dream. I could see the stories unfold, and they had to be told. That has never changed.

When I started taking my writing seriously, I wrote YA romances. However, I knew I was still learning and never attempted to contact agents. Heck. I didn’t even know what a query letter was at that point. But, it didn’t matter. I was still young, and as my parents liked to point out, I already had my career: teaching. Still, I enjoyed writing, received many praises for my writing from teachers when I was in school, and was even forced by the university to skip the basic level creative writing class and go right into the advanced class. So, I knew I didn’t suck at writing. Did that mean I was a NY bestseller waiting to launch? Ah, no. I still had a lot to learn.

After I got married and had the twins, I wasn’t teaching and was no longer surrounded by preteen and teens, so I felt it was time to write what I read, romantic suspense. It took a while to find my voice and learn it’s actually quite dark—at least, when I’m in the villain’s POV. But eventually, I figured it out and should’ve been on my way to a successful publishing career, right? Yeah, not so much.

Somehow, I let life get in the way. That’s right. I let it. I moved my editorial business online and was so excited to see it grow, that I forgot to take time to write. Last year, I wrote maybe a handful of times. That was it. Did I give up on my dream of being a published author? No. I just kind of forgot how important it was to me. Instead, I worked hard all day, took care of the kids, husband, and house (with help), and by the end of the night, I was too tired to even think about writing. So, I didn’t.

What about you? What’s your reason for not writing on a regular basis?

Come back next week for more about why I’m not published and what I’m going to do about it.

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
www.lynnettelabelle.com

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An Editor’s Answers Part 3

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

The past couple of weeks, I posted answers to questions I may use for my FAQ section on my editorial blog. This is the last post in the series. Here we go.

-What if you edit my work, and after I revise it, I need you to take another look at it?

I call this a “second read”. There are two ways to handle this. If you only want me to look at a few scenes or chapters, we’d do writing coaching. However, if you’d like me to proofread the full manuscript to ensure the changes you made work and that you didn’t add any spelling or grammar mistakes, you’d need to book this as a full project. If you know you’re going to want this service when you book developmental copyediting, figure out how long you’ll need to revise and resubmit, and book the second read at the same time. For example, if Lisa knows she’ll need one month to revise her MS, she’ll book the developmental copyediting service and the second read, allowing a month in between for revisions. Let’s say her deadline for developmental copyediting is March 15. She’ll book the second read for April 15. This ensures she’ll reserve the slots and won’t have to wait for a slot to open up for the second read.

It’s important to think of this when you book developmental copyediting, because I book so far in advance. Writers who don’t book both services at the same time, either wait for my next available slot or go without the service.

A second read is for clients who originally booked developmental copyediting with me. The second read won’t take as long as the original service, because I only have to go over the manuscript once. While I expect to see changes, the basis story and characters should remain the same. If not, this wouldn’t be considered a second read.

A second read is only $0.01/word. This service is especially important for those who are self-publishing, but those who are going the traditional route can benefit from it as well.

-Do you accept every potential client as a client? How do you decide whom you’ll accept as a client?

No, I don’t take on every client who comes my way. I specialize in certain genres. If the author writes in a genre I’m not familiar with, I won’t take him on as a client. If a writer doesn’t have a PayPal account or credit card, which are the only two methods of payment I accept, I can’t help him. If I read a sample from the manuscript, and I don’t feel the work is ready for editing, I will encourage the writer to continue to write and learn the craft. It doesn’t make sense for me to edit a story that will need to be completely rewritten.

-Why do you ask for a nonrefundable deposit when booking the dates?

The current demand for my services means I’m often turning away clients or booking them several months or more in advance. Reserving a date for services means I won’t commit to any other editing projects in that time slot. The nonrefundable deposit keeps me from a loss of income if a client backs out of a project when I’ve already turned other clients away for the time slot. I’ve found projects run more smoothly since I implemented this policy as it implies a strong commitment from both my client and myself. This is standard policy for many editors.

-But you book so far out, how am I supposed to know if my book will be ready by then or how many words it will be?

If you’ve already written at least one book, you could gage how long you took to write your last book and assume the same for your next manuscript. Of course, you’d also have to consider circumstances in your life. Did your wife just have a baby? Are you planning an extended vacation? Are you going to move or renovate your home? Think of things that may not have interfered with your writing time as you wrote the last book but that will affect you this time around, and plan accordingly. The same goes for your word count. If your last book was 90K, then assume this one will be at least as long. When you have to estimate the word count, I prefer you stick to the high range. That way, there’s less of a risk that your time slot will be too short for your project. However, if you discover as you’re writing that you underestimated, let me know as soon as possible. The sooner I know, the better the chances that I can accommodate the extra pages.

-What happens if I need to cancel our contract?

Unfortunately, sometimes things happen and you have to break the contract. This is usually for two reasons: you suddenly need the money, or you’ve gained an agent or publishing contract and no longer need my services. To avoid the latter, it’s best if you don’t actively seek representation or publication before or while an editor is working on your manuscript. Technically, if you feel you need an editor, it means your story isn’t polished, and you shouldn’t be contacting agents or publisher until your novel is the best it can be.

If you cancel the contract before your start date AND I can fill your slot, I’ll refund all payments, including the deposit. If you cancel the contract before your start date, but I’m unable to fill the slot, that means a loss of revenue for me. I’ll refund your money minus the nonrefundable deposit. If you cancel the contract during your time slot, I’ll return the work I’ve completed and charge you for that work. After that, I’ll refund any remaining balance minus the nonrefundable deposit.

-How has your business changed over the years?

When I first started editing, you could say I wore a few hats. I edited and proofread all sorts of things from resumes, college papers, and website content to short stories and novels. Like most editors, when first starting out, I was getting my feet wet and deciding what I liked to edit and what I didn’t, or what I felt comfortable editing and what just didn’t feel like my cup of tea. My business was originally in Canada, and local clients hired me. By the time I moved to the US, I was getting more familiar with the Internet, and took a leap of faith by putting my business into “Cyberland”. What a difference that made.

I started working part-time hours, because my twins were still at home with me, but once they were in school, I switched to full-time, and that’s when my business really took off. I went from booking up to three months ahead of time to scheduling over a year in advance.

I also realized there were certain genres I didn’t feel comfortable editing, while I loved working on others, so I made a list of genres in which I specialize.

More and more of my clients are going with the second read, so I’m trying to schedule those when I first book the client. Because that means a portion of my projects will be second reads, which is basically proofreading the revisions, I’m leaning toward eliminating my proofreading packages for full manuscripts. I love substantive/big picture editing and developmental copyediting and want to make sure I have plenty of those projects on my schedule.

Looking for an editor? I’m taking names for March 2014, but I’m not booking time slots for 2014 until sometime this summer. Those on my list get first dibs.

Otherwise, I could possibly help you with your query letter and/or synopsis. Check out the packages here. Or maybe you’d be interested in one of my private classes. To read more about these online courses, go here.

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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An Editor’s Answers Part 2

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

Last week, I posted answers to questions I may use for my FAQ section on my editorial blog. The next two posts will also be dedicated to the answers of those questions. Here we go.

-Are your classes taught online? If so, how does that work?

Yes, my classes are taught online. When I do a group class, we meet in a Yahoo group. My private classes are taught via e-mail exchanges.

-How do I register for your classes?

Please contact me to register for my classes and to discuss the class schedule.

-How do I make payments?

Payments are made through PayPal. If you live in the US, I’ll invoice you through PayPal. If you don’t have a PayPal account, you can pay with a credit card. All payments must be made in full a week before I begin the project.

-What is a payment plan, and when can it be used?

Payment plans come in many forms. Basically, you decide how much you want to pay and when, as long as the total is paid in full a week before I begin the project. Some exceptions may apply. Usually, people make weekly, biweekly, or monthly payments—although, some break the total into quarters, thirds, or halves, and pay that way.

Payment plans are only for large projects like a full manuscript. They should not be used for smaller projects like classes or query letter critiques.

-Why won’t you do a sample edit for me?

I offer sample edits (for developmental copyediting only) so potential clients can see my editorial style, and so I can determine the amount of work involved and offer a quote. If I’ve declined a sample edit for you, it’s probably for one of the following reasons:
-I’m completely booked and am not currently available for your project
-the genre of your story isn’t a genre I edit
-your project is a short story, novelette, novella, or partial manuscript
-your story didn’t fit my comfort level or personal taste

-Do you only edit novels?

I mostly edit novels, but I have a few clients who write novellas and short stories. As long as they fall under the genres in which I specialize, I’ll edit most projects, including web page content.

-I’m interested in your services. Can you call me so we can talk about them and my project?

My preferred policy is to conduct business via e-mail. This grants both parties a record of the conversation, and usually ends up being more efficient and to the point. I find e-mail communication is also more responsive since I’m frequently online and can often reply to most e-mails within an hour or two (unless replying means correcting an assignment or critiquing a query letter or synopsis—those projects will be added to my schedule). Plus, I schedule my days in time slots and find it easier to correspond through e-mail, because I can do this in between projects. In the rare instances where a client requests a discussion over the phone, we schedule a time, and the client is billed in advance. The conversation time is then debited toward an allowance of prepaid minutes with unused portions credited back to the client upon project completion.

-What’s your turnaround time?

This varies depending on the amount of work involved and my schedule at the time. When you contact me, let me know what you’d like as a deadline for the project. If I can’t complete the work in that timeframe, I’ll let you know. If you have a flexible deadline, I’ll calculate how long the work would take based off my schedule and give you a start and end date.

-How much do your services cost?

I offer a variety of editorial services. You can find prices for those services here: or under the “rates” tab.

-What’s the difference between substantive/big picture editing and developmental copyediting?

Substantive/big picture editing is where I’ll look at the plot and characters. I won’t pay attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, repetitions, or other elements found in my proofreading packages (for the most part). Developmental copyediting is a combination of substantive/big picture editing and proofreading. For this reason, I go over the manuscript twice: once for big picture editing and once for proofreading. This means developmental copyediting will take longer and cost more, because there’s more work involved.

For more information on substantive/big picture editing, go here:

For more information on developmental copyediting, go here:

-How does writing coaching work?

Unlike most of the services I offer, which are based off a per word fee, writing coaching is calculated by the hour (or in minutes). I use a timer so if I’m interrupted, I’m not using your minutes to answer the door or take a phone call. Instead, I stop the timer and don’t start it until I’m able to return to work. I report back to you with a balance in your account, so you’ll know how many minutes are remaining and can decide if you need to purchase more.

Writing coaching has many uses: brainstorming, figuring out GMCs, plotting, revising a scene or chapter, and even getting feedback on chapters as you write them.

Writing coaching is a service that requires back and forth communication between both parties. I can’t schedule writing coaching into my calendar, because this is a “drop-in service”. The writing coaching client needs to understand there may be times when I won’t be able to get to their work for a week or longer (depending on my schedule). This is hardly ever a problem, but priority must go to projects booked in time slots so I can ensure to meet my deadlines.

-Do you edit manuscripts all day long?

While editing takes up a good portion of my day, it’s not the only thing I do to keep my business running. I respond to e-mails from clients and potential clients. I invoice clients and keep my records in order. I network through Facebook, Twitter, and Triberr—although, if you follow me, you’ll see I’m not on all that often. Plus, I blog once or twice a week.

Do you have any other questions to add?

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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An Editor’s Answers Part 1

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

Last week, I posted questions I may use for my FAQ section on my editorial blog. The next three posts will be dedicated to the answers of those questions. Here we go.

-How far in advance do you book editing projects?

I can usually fit smaller projects like short stories, online classes, and query letter/synopsis critiques into my schedule. However, bigger projects like manuscript editing services need to be booked ahead of time. At the moment, I’m booking out a year in advance. Does that mean you shouldn’t contact me, because you want the work done sooner than that? Not necessarily. It’s always good to check my availability, because every once in a while I have a cancellation and will need to fill that time slot.

-Even if you’re booked for the year, can you still fit me in?

It depends on my schedule at the time, what type of editorial service you need, and the project’s length. There are times when I have partial time slots available. This means, I may be able to fit you in if you’re open to the project taking longer than it normally would. For example, if I have a half slot available, that means I can only work on the project half the time I would normally spend on it, so it’ll take twice as long to complete.

-Do you work on more than one project at a time?

Editing is my career. In order to keep my income stable (or as stable as possible), I need to work on a few projects a day. This works well for me, because the variety forces me to never get “lost in the story” and to keep the detail-oriented side of my brain on task. This doesn’t mean I don’t love the story or feel passionate about its characters. However, it allows me to keep my distance, which is what anyone needs when editing a manuscript whether they’re self-editing or editing someone else’s work.

-What are time slots?

Because I work on more than one project at a time, I divide my days into time slots. How many pages I do in one slot depends on the project and the amount of work involved.

-When you say you’re booked until (fill in the month), does that mean you can’t help me with my query letter and synopsis until then?

Not at all. When I talk about being fully booked, I mean I can’t take on any more large projects like editing a full manuscript. I can usually fit a query letter and/or synopsis critique into my schedule.

-How long does it take to do a query letter/synopsis critique?

This depends on my schedule and the writer’s response time. I can usually return a query letter or synopsis critique within a couple of days. Then, I wait for the writer to make the necessary changes and send the work back to me. Sometimes, this goes quickly and other times, it takes longer. There’s really no way for me to estimate the turnaround time for this service, because it’s a joint effort.

-Why do you ask for my characters’ GMCs (goals, motivations, conflicts) for the query letter/synopsis critique?

GMCs (goals, motivations, conflicts) form a story’s skeleton. Having the GMCs in front of me when I’m critiquing your query letter and/or synopsis allows me to ensure the necessary information is in its proper place.

-Why don’t you critique the query letter and synopsis at the same time?

I prefer to start with the query letter to ensure the blurb is as tight as it can be. Once that’s complete, I move on to the one-page synopsis, which builds off the query blurb. After that, I look at the longer synopsis, which should contain at least parts, if not most, of the one-page synopsis, along with added details (about the characters and/or plot). So, because these pieces build off each other, it only makes sense to finish one before moving on.

-When you talk about revisions in the query letter/synopsis packages, what do you mean?

First you send me the query letter, and I critique it. Then, you have a chance to revise and resubmit twice. This amounts to three critiques (by me) and two revisions (by you).

-Do you edit book cover blurbs? How much do you charge for that service?

Yes, I do edit book cover blurbs. If you only want me to proofread the piece, take a look at my proofreading packages and select one. If you want me to critique it and help you revise the blurb, I would charge the same as a query letter critique (along with revisions). Prices can be found here.

If you can think of other questions to add, please let me know. Otherwise, come back to read more FAQ.

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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Questions to Ask a Freelance Editor

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

As a freelance editor, I’m often asked the same questions, so I figured it was time to add a FAQ area to my site. Before I do that, I thought I should see if you have any questions to add. Here’s what I have so far.

-How far in advance do you book editing projects?
-Even if you’re booked for the year, can you still fit me in?
-When you say you’re booked until (fill in the month), does that mean you can’t help me with my query letter and synopsis until then?
-How long does it take to do a query letter/synopsis critique?
-Why do you ask for my characters’ GMCs (goals, motivations, conflicts) for the query letter/synopsis critique?
-When you talk about revisions in the query letter/synopsis packages, what do you mean?
-Are your classes taught online? If so, how does that work?
-How do I register for your classes?
-How do I make payments?
-What is a payment plan, and when can it be used?
-I’m interested in your services. Can you call me so we can talk about your services?
-What’s your turnaround time?
-How much do your services cost?
-What’s the difference between substantive/big picture editing and developmental copyediting?
-How does writing coaching work?
-What if you edit my work, and after I revise it, I need you to take another look at it?
-Do you edit manuscripts all day long?
-Do you accept every potential client as a client? How do you decide whom you’ll accept as a client?

What other questions would potential clients like answered?

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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Pros and Cons of Being a Pantser

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

Last week, we talked about the pros and cons of being a plotter. What about pantsers? What exactly is a pantser? It’s a writer who writes “by the seat of her pants”. She doesn’t plot. She doesn’t plan. She simply writes and lets the story and characters take her where they want to go. Sound fun? Well, it can be, but as with all good things, there are pros and cons to this writing method, too. Let’s take a peek.

Pros:

-You have the freedom to write what you want to write, without worrying about where the story will take you. You can watch the story unfold naturally.
-You get right to the writing, without wasting time plotting.
-You might have an idea where the story will start and finish, but you don’t have to plot out every scene or chapter.
-You won’t get lost in research, because you don’t do much of it (if any) before you start writing.
-Your novel may take you in a different direction, one you hadn’t anticipated.

Cons:

-You may have a lot of editing ahead of you, because of inconsistencies in the story, plot holes, underdeveloped characters, or the plot has stayed too far from the main idea.
-The time you saved by not plotting could be used up in additional editing.
-You may experience writer’s block, because you haven’t planned what will happen next.
-Your characters may not have fully developed GMCs (goals, motivations, conflicts) or their GMCs may not be throughout the novel.
-You may have to cut some of your “baby” as some scenes and chapters may not really be relevant to the story (as much as they sounded great as you first wrote them).

As I mentioned in my last post, there is no right or wrong way to write. In fact, many writers do a combination of plotting and writing by the seat of their pants. If one method isn’t working for you, try the other. You may be surprised. Some of my writing coaching clients have discovered they thought they were pantsers but are actually more comfortable plotting and vice versa.

Find what works for you.

Can you add to the pros and cons list? Have you tried plotting and writing by the seat of your pants? Which do you prefer and why?

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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Pros and Cons to Being a Plotter

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Lynnette Labelle

In case you haven’t heard the term, a plotter is someone who plots out his story before he writes it. He may have a detailed outline, explaining every scene. He might only have a few notes jotted down for each chapter. Or he could have the beginning, middle, and end planned out. He may even research certain elements he imagines having in his novel. The point is that he’s thought about his story in advance and isn’t just going with the flow or figuring it out as he goes along.

But, like everything else in life, there are pros and cons to this method. Let’s take a look to see if you feel this would work for you.

Pros:

-Since the story is already planned out, you don’t have to think about what will happen next. You can simply refer to your outline and write the scene.
-It’ll be easier for you to spot plot holes or underdeveloped characters before you get lost in the story and blinded by your love for it.
-You can ensure the characters’ GMCs (goals, motivations, and conflicts) are clear throughout the novel.
-Because you know what will happen next, you’ll have less of a chance of experiencing writer’s block.
-If you go as far as creating a character sheet, you should be able to keep your characters consistent. For example, a character who has blue eyes on page three shouldn’t have green eyes on page twenty. You’ll have all the character details in front of you and won’t have to rely on your memory.
-You can use the outline to help you create your synopsis, if you need one.
-You shouldn’t find yourself writing scenes and chapters only to delete them later, because they no longer fit with the story. You’ll before you write the novel what will and won’t fit.
-Because you have an outline, you won’t lose sight of the original story. You’ll stay on track and not go somewhere unrelated to the story itself.

Cons:

-You may spend too much time plotting the story, when you could’ve been writing it.
-You might research something to death, maybe even becoming an expert on the subject, only to decide you won’t include it in the novel.
-You may get distracted by all the research.
-You may enjoy thinking about and plotting your story more than actually writing it. (Meaning: You may lose the passion for the story because you already know how it’ll turn out.)
-You may feel like you have to stick to the outline, when it really shouldn’t be set in stone.
-You might lose the love for writing and creating, because the story has already been envisioned to a certain extent.

While many writers are a combination of plotter and pantser (we’ll talk about pantsers next week), they tend to lean more one way or the other. However, there is no right way to write, only what’s right for you.

Can you add to the pros and cons list? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com

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