Just Write it! Five Tips Tell All. How to Get Away with Writing Like You Talk.

Smart phon says: Do You Write Like You Talk?Should You Write Like You Talk?

Do you write like you talk? With video, social media, WIFI, TV, VOIP, texting, emoticons, and the third hand (smart phones); communications options and preferences are nearly unlimited.

For example, I do not like to text (fingers are clumsy). I love to talk; my daughter prefers Skype but I have WhatsApp. She refuses (can you blame her?) to download one more program and prefers texting to talking. We have settled on chatting through Skype. Amazingly, I can leave a video message on Skype or an audio message on Whats App. Communication systems are taking our languages for a ride—and each is undergoing a transformation.

Texting and emoticons have created a new language of its own,  so when writing professionally, does that make it okay to write like you talk?


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Write Like You Talk

As a writing and publishing coach, I nearly always encourage my clients to write like they talk. On a basic level, writing for publishing is a three-part process. Writing, editing, and proofreading. Ideally, the editor and proofreader are hired, since editing, and proofreading need a different skill set, as well as a fresh pairs of eyes.

The most important aspect of writing is having something to say and saying it passionately. This means the story takes priority over spelling, grammar, formatting, and all that “nonsense” we learned in college or high school English. That is not what real writing is about. That is the craft of writing, but the art of writing is telling your story. I have created a video for my students to understand this concept. Read my article about the art and craft of writing entitled,  Are You Writing from Your Heart?

Many new writers are intimidated by the thought of writing perfectly—or some concept of what they were taught that perfect writing is. The problem with this is that the craft of writing can stifle the art of writing. So when I help writers make the journey from writer to published author, the first step is finding their art; and I always tell them to Write like you talk, just to get the story flowing! The craft comes later, and can actually be done by a hired hand.

I Stand Corrected

Should you write like you talk? There is always the exception to the rule. Here comes Oscar (name changed); a former client who recently returned as a private client. He is highly creative and shoots out thoughts like lightning bolts in a sky clouded by his multiple streams of consciousness. Therefore, his writing requires a fair amount of editing to make his meaning clear to the reader. Today, in our session, I nearly said it: “Oscar, just write like you talk!” But I bit my tongue; as Oscar is the exception to the rule.

Oscar is a highly intelligent CEO with limited time; therefore, editing is required in order for him to meet writing deadlines. This is not a bad thing. Busy people with a story to tell with no time to tell it, hire ghost writers. They may speak their story into a recording device, which is translated into words and rewritten by an expert writer. Many great books have been “written” and published this way.

For the next phase in teaching Oscar to write, we will work on the aspect of his writing as a tool for communicating important and profound ideas. This means eliminating his stream of consciousness writing, which will need a focused mindset; along with some rules to translate flow of talking into basic writing protocol. Here are some basic rules to make your writing easy to reach out to the general reader. Do not use contractions such as don’t, won’t, isn’t, didn’t, doesn’t, etc. These are OK to use when talking, and when quoting someone, you may use them.

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Publishing a Book Yourself STEP 1Do not use contractions such as don’t, won’t, isn’t, didn’t, doesn’t, etc. These are OK to use when talking, and when quoting someone, you may use them.

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AlwayNumber 2 - Write Like You Talks use complete sentences. A complete sentence includes a verb and a noun or pronoun with a period at the end.
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Number 3; Write Like You TalkAvoid slang. Do not use words such as “freaked out,” “hot chick” “freakin”; local dialects, such as “ended up,” aint, or y’all; or cuss words unless quoting someone. Use these in quotes only if needed to create a character or personality; as these do not come across as good writing.

Number 4: Write Like You TalkThe uses of em dashes—and dot, dot, dot … are mental shortcuts and make the reader feel dizzy. Observe how this next sentence makes you feel. Think the thought through and clearly communicate what you want to say using a complete thought–not broken up by dashes—a shortcut which does not clearly communicate what you mean. Write in clear, cohesive sentences.

Number 5: Write Like You TalkEliminate the word “it” whenever you can. Sometimes you will find it difficult to write without the word “it” but when you can drop this word in most cases, your writing will improve at least 50% on the spot! “It” is an overused pronoun, and is handy when talking, but when writing can be confusing. Most of the time, although the writer knows what “it” means, the reader will not easily follow what “it” is.

If following these rules seems to shut your writing down, then break the rules; and simply write like you talk! Then, after you write your piece, go through and quickly clean it up by using these basic guidelines.


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How to Avoid Self-Publishing Scams With Your Dream to Publish a Book

By Deborah S. Nelson, Author-Book Coach-Speaker
self publishing companies to avoid

Scam Alert! Self-publishing Companies to Avoid

Self-Publishing Scams Can Be Your Worst Nightmare!

So you are thinking of publishing a book! Fabulous. And you want to know how to avoid self-publishing scams that dot the landscape of digital publishing. Good idea. This article will help arm you with knowledge, BEFORE you publish a book.

Click Here for Your Self-Publishing Toolkit

As a self-publishing coach, I am often asked: Which are the self-publishing companies to avoid? Although this sounds like an easy question to answer, it is not. In the changing landscape of digital publishing, companies are coming and going daily. Self-publishing is an emerging industry. The music and photography industries already made their transition to the digital age. We enjoy downloadable songs, sheet music, digital cameras, online photographic services, and online magazines to name a few. Book publishing is still working through the twists and turns of its transition to digital publishing.

Therefore, to name self-publishing companies to avoid would be a tricky full-time job. Although sometimes difficult, education is your best defense against self-publishing scams.

Publishing SOLO: DIY Publishing Kits Start at $97 with Deborah S. Nelson

Basic Self-Publishing Terminology

Before you decide which company to hire, learn the basic terminology of self-publishing. Two great tools for this are the Dictionary of Self-Publishing Terms and WIKIPEDIA, the definition of Self-Publishing. Once you understand what self-publishing is you handling your own project, which self-publishing company to hire is solved. It is nearly impossible to hand over your self-publishing project to someone else. When you do, you create an unnecessary middleman. As SELF-PUBLISHER, you are responsible for all aspects since everything passes through you (or should). Inviting a third party could complicate and slow down the project.

Self-Publishing Companies to Avoid

Avoid self-publishing scams by choosing not to hire a so-called “self-publishing company.” By definition, only you, the author, can be the self-publisher. Shift your focus to hiring a good print on demand printing company for book printing. The two most experienced print on demand companies is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and LuLu. Educate yourself about the book publishing process. Hire your own freelancers for book covers, interior design, promotional copy, editing, and proofreading. For further details read: Self-Publishing Companies: How to Shop Them. For further education, download our free self-publishing toolkit below.


Publish your Book Blueprint by Deborah S Nelson

Have a Dream to Publish a Book—
But Lack the Time or Know-How?

Look no further. This potent and detailed DIY publishing guide grants you the time and know-how. Learn how to self-publish a book by doing it! Once you become a published author, friends, family, and peers see you in a whole new light! This unique system propels both aspiring and seasoned authors through the digital publishing process step by step. You won’t even need your completed manuscript to start!

Includes downloadable template
Free ISBN number & POD account
10 steps to print on demand publishing
Displays book parts in chronological order
Publish your book blueprint proof in a week


Those who have completed Ms. Nelson’s Courses are raving fans. See Videos Reviews & Author Library.
Hmmm … I am not quite ready—just send me the Free Self-Publishing Toolkit

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FREE SELF-PUBLISHING TOOLKIT

Publishing a Book Yourself in these 10 Steps Makes You Feel Like Superman

By Deborah S. Nelson, Author-Book Coach-Speaker

Steps 6–10 of Publishing a Book Yourself

Thinking of publishing a book yourself? Bravo! I urge you to do it. There is nothing like experiencing the exhilaration of being a published author. But before you begin, get a clue. Publishing a book yourself isn’t that hard! But, publishing a book yourself isn’t that easy either. Get the facts.

As a publishing coach, I have led writers through the self-publishing process to publish 100+ books. The steps below make it easy to conceptualize the big picture of publishing a book yourself.

COMPLIMENTARY BOOK COACHING


Step 6 Self-Publishing a BookClick Here for Your Self-Publishing ToolkitBOOK COVER

Create a concept which is a compelling graphic rendering of the idea of your book. Provide cover art or photo to a graphic designer to design your cover. Hire a book cover designer using one of the online freelance services.

Be prepared with your concept, your cover photo, graphic, or image. Also, supply an author headshot for the back of the book. Supply a sales copy synopsis of the book, and a short author bio. You will need to offer the book cover template for the size of your book along with the estimated number of pages (to figure spine width), and the ISBN number assigned when you initiated your title in Step Five. Consider that your book cover may be an important piece and best done professionally when publishing a book yourself.

Step 7 Self-Publishing a BookINTERIOR DESIGN

Like building a home, your architect creates an outer design with components such as a front porch, entryway, terraces, patios, driveway, landscaping and the overall exterior of the home; which is compared to your cover design.

Once you enter the home or open the book, the interior design is clear. Selection of colors, floors, finishes, woodwork, windows are interior design components of a custom-built home. For the interior of your book, select the overall look and feel using fonts, font sizes, illustrations, images, headers, and subheads, dividers, photos, and footers, page numbers, and other graphic elements.

Is your book scholastic, non-fiction, playful, serious, fiction, dramatic, informative, professional, technical, or fantasy-like? Create the look, feel, and tone that you want to convey in the interior of your book. Supply the designer (choose a specialist to avoid nightmares) the IBN for the copyright, all front and back matter, body, and chronological order. The Once Upon a Book Video Series outlines the ten basic steps of how to self-publish a book.

Step 8 How to Self-Publish a BookSUBMIT FILES

Submit interior and cover files for approval.

Once you upload these completed files, submit for approval by the print on demand company. These files most often are required to be in the form of a “print ready PDF.” Files in this format are widely accepted by most print on demand companies and will result in a high quality output. Be sure and insist to the cover and interior designer that all components be at least 300 dpi and that all be exported to a print quality PDF. This is the technical part of publishing a book yourself. Get help from professionals to be sure your files are built to specifications, or they may be rejected by the printing company.

Step 9 of Self-Publishing a BookPROOFREADING

Once your files are approved for printing, order a physical proof. Do not skip this step. So far you have been looking at digital files. A physical proof will show things undetected on the computer screen. Be sure to hire a professional proofreader make a last check for typos, spacing, punctuation, missing and duplicate words.

Hire a specialist from E-lance.com or Freelance.com. If you know someone who does proofreading for a living you want to hire them instead. Be sure to choose a style manual for them to use as the basic of their corrections, as there are many ways to proofread and make corrections on a book, and they are not all in agreement. This is as much an art as it is a science. Consistency is the name of the game, and using a style manual for proofreading and editing will get the most accurate corrections and consistency possible. Professional proofreading is of the most important steps in publishing a book yourself for getting a professional look and feel.

Step 10 of Self-Publishing a Book PUBLISH

Once the proofread is complete, make corrections to your interior file and upload the corrected interior file to your print on demand account. Submit “publish.” With a print on demand account, you won’t need to buy an inventory of books. Order 1 or more books and your POD company prints them as ordered. Congratulations! You are a published author! BRAVO! If you would like a publishing consultation Deborah S. Nelson, offers them for $20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

See the following articles: How to Market a Self-Published Book | Top 7 Self-Publishing Questions Answered | Self-Publishing Companies to Avoid


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