JoEllen Nordström hosts the Publishing Power Podcast for authors. She is the chief word wizard and owner of First Editing. As a fellow publishing enthusiast, JoEllen co-authored her first two books as an authorpreneur in 2005. As a progressive leader, JoEllen is recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) as an elite National Pioneer Award winner. JoEllen's professional online editing company has helped over 50,000 writers with their words.
Are you tired of spending hours on editing your book with no tangible results? Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the lack of professional guidance you need to make your book truly shine? Discover the essential role of professional editing and how to find the perfect editor that can help you produce a flawless, captivating read.
Editing is an art, just like writing, and it requires a specific talent and skill. – JoEllen Nordstrom
This is JoEllen Nordstrom's story:
JoEllen Nordstrom's journey in the world of editing started when she realized her own self-bound book needed a professional touch. After joining First Editing, she poured her energy into developing a division that caters to authors looking for the perfect editor. With thousands of manuscripts under her belt, JoEllen's passion for editing continues to grow, as she believes it's an essential step in producing a polished book that can compete in today's market.
In this episode, we talk about:
The importance of professional editing in creating impeccable books.
Choosing the right editor who can provide valuable input while honoring your author voice.
The comprehensive editing process, including developmental, line-by-line, and copy editing.
Fine-tuning your communications skills to build a successful partnership between authors and editors.
Absorbing the techniques to develop a supportive community and foster valuable connections within the publishing realm.
The Importance of Editing
Editing is crucial for authors who want to present a polished, error-free book that stands out in today's crowded market. A professional editor not only focuses on the technicalities of grammar and punctuation but also provides valuable insights on pacing, structure, clarity, and the overall readability of the manuscript. The editor can help refine the story and make it more engaging, ultimately increasing the chances of the book's success. In this episode, JoEllen emphasizes the importance of hiring a professional editor. She mentions that even bestselling authors have errors in their work, highlighting the need for expert editing to stay competitive. She recommends authors to be open to critique and collaborate with a reputable editor who can provide constructive criticism while respecting their work, goals, and unique authorial voice.
Key Takeaways
Consider hiring a content editor, story coach, or book coach to help with developmental editing, ensuring important elements are present in your book.
Look for an editing service that offers certified story coaches and vetted book coaches, such as First Editing, to ensure quality and consistency in your editing process.
Begin your editing process with developmental editing, focusing on the concept, idea, and presentation of your book.
Move on to line editing, ensuring the flow, tone, consistency, and presentation of your book aligns with your genre's expectations.
Complete the editing process with copy editing, focusing on grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, transitions, and voice.
Don't forget the importance of proofreading, checking for formatting errors and ensuring nothing was lost during the editing process.
Utilize software and artificial intelligence tools to help streamline the editing process and improve overall quality.
Memorable Moments:
00:09:09 – Levels of Editing, JoEllen breaks down the different levels of editing, starting with developmental editing for both nonfiction and fiction, moving on to line editing, and finishing with copy editing before formatting. 00:13:11 – Importance of Line Editing, JoEllen emphasizes the importance of line editing, as it ensures consistency in tone and presentation while also adhering to genre expectations.
00:20:13 – Choosing the Right Editor, It's important to work with an editor who is a good fit for you and your book. Companies like First Editing offer a free editing sample to match you with the best editor for your needs. Freelance editors can be hit or miss, so it's essential to do your research and find someone who has the right qualifications. 00:26:03 – First Editing Services, First Editing offers a wide range of editing services for fiction, non-fiction, academic, and research writing. Their website also features thousands of author testimonials and resources, including a podcast and educational videos. As a company, they prioritize professionalism, quality, and timely delivery to ensure that authors can focus on their creativity.
In this free webinar, discover how a professional editor evaluates and edits your book. Learn the difference between structural editing, line editing, and copy editing. Find out what you need and how to hire the editor that is right for you and your book.
Presenter Bio: JoEllen Nordström hosts the Publishing Power Podcast for authors. She is the chief word wizard and owner of First Editing. As a fellow publishing enthusiast, JoEllen co-authored her first two books as an authorpreneur in 2005. As a progressive leader, JoEllen is recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) as an elite National Pioneer Award winner.
JoEllen's passion is simplifying the editing and publishing process for authors. Working full time in the writing industry since 2006, her vision encapsulates simplifying the labyrinth of publishing. JoEllen's professional online editing company has helped over 50,000 writers with their words. Get a free editing sample of your writing at https://www.firstediting.com/editing-services-samples/
Editing is essential to publishing, so we have brought in experts to help you. Fictionary, ProWritingAid, and FirstEditing have combined editing forces to help authors tell powerful stories.
Fictionary’s game-changing writing & editing software, ProWritingAid’s state-of-the-art copy editing platform, and FirstEditing’s certified StoryCoach editors are redefining the editing landscape. These women combine the newest, state-of-the-art techniques with professional publishing experience to create the most advanced and objective quality editing available.
Learn what the different stages of editing are in order to publish a book that sells. In this session, you learn what story editing and copyediting are, and you’ll learn how to choose and work with a qualified, professional editor.
You'll walk away with the knowledge you need to edit successfully and pursue the publishing path that best suits you.
ProWritingAid is our Silver Sponsor for the 2022 Women in Publishing Summit!
I don’t think anyone who found her way to the Women in Publishing Summit blog is going to be shocked to hear that “writing is hard.” It’s one of those things that we take for granted. That it’s an art that takes practice, honing, sharpening. And as women, we so often find ourselves short on time or space to do that work. When so much of the unpaid labor of having a family and keeping a home running falls on us, how can we have the freedom to create, too?
That’s why I appreciate the people behind ProWritingAid, a company that takes the mission of improving writing seriously, and, in creating a successful, practical system to help authors do that, they’ve lifted up so many women’s voices.
I’m also so grateful that they’ve once again committed to support women authors in another way: by joining us as a Silver Sponsor for the 2022 Women in Publishing Summit.
ProWritingAid’s revolutionary product creates better books – I know because I use it myself! Here’s why!
What does ProWritingAid do?
ProWritingAid is a platform that offers a world-class grammar checking AND style checking, so your writing – be it business writing, creative writing, academic writing or anything else – follows the rules for what “good writing” looks like. ProWritingAid then goes beyond that by offering in-depth reporting to help you understand how you write.
In other words, ProWritingAid lets you know when you’re breaking a good writing rule, and it also tells you how often you use a given word, phrase or even sentence structure. The reports go deep into helping you unpuzzle your own authorial style. It helps keep your writing clean AND interesting.
You can use ProWritingAid in combination with other writer’s products like Scrivener and Fictionary, as well as within all major word processing programs. You can even add it as a Chrome plug-in so you can use it to write better emails. It’s an easy-to-use product that’s like having a writing coach right in your laptop!
In addition to the practical help this program can give any writer, the ProWritingAid community is a highly engaged and deeply knowledgeable one. Their paid course community gives authors valuable training on a wide variety of topics in the industry – just one more way ProWritingAid helps every author develop!
What kind of author needs ProWritingAid?
Anyone who wants to grow as a writer needs ProWritingAid.
You don’t need to be writing the Great American Novel to benefit from this platform. The grammar and style checking can work magic on your business emails, your sales copy and more. We especially recommend that all our clients use it for things like newsletters and blog posts to keep them on track in terms of precision and voice.
But the impact that ProWritingAid can have on your book is huge: there aren’t a lot of opportunities to get real insight into your writing as you’re working on your draft. It’s a game-changer for writers in any genre and in any stage of their career.
How can I learn more about ProWritingAid?
Check out the ProWritingAid website to find out how they can help you become a better writer – click right here to learn more!
Fictionary, ProWritingAid, and FirstEditing have combined forces to help the world tell powerful stories. Fictionary’s game-changing creative editing software based on natural language processing, ProWritingAid’s state-of-the-art copyediting software, and FirstEditing’s professional editors have redefined the writing and editing landscape.
With the explosion of self-publishing, writers need to understand what the different phases of editing are in order to publish a book that will sell. In this session, you learn what story editing and copyediting are, and you’ll learn what is means to work with a professional editor. This will give you the knowledge you need to choose the publishing path that suits you.
