Last-Minute Edits

"Great editing is the first stop on the path to selling and promoting your book."

My copy of "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers," arrived today. First of all, I love the look. I'm grateful you considered how locating a book of monochrome colors can frustrate a writer when they're in a rush and need quick answers. And using the cover art of your other books is an ingenious way of promoting them. No surprise there since you are the Queen of Promotions. Next, I want to say it was an easy read and done in one sitting. Another stroke of brilliance. Who has the time to read, cover to cover, a 300-page book of word use?

However, I'm holding back some final praise unless you guarantee me there will be others like this to follow. Yes? I mean, what about the words, "title--entitled?" Or "affect--effect?" I can go on. They don't call me a gabologist for nothing. Do me and the rest of the literary world a favor. Get back to the keyboard and crank them out. Of course they're not for meeee, they're for a friend. Ahem. ~ Georgia Richardson, author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Throne

Editing and Writing Excerpts and Help: Or Peeks at The Frugal Editor

Join Editor Yvonne Perry and I on her Writers in the Sky podcast, "Welcome to Conversations with Editors." You'll find other podcast collaborations and interviews with Yvonne and me on her blog, too. It includes information on when to dash, when not to dash.

My "Five Things to Avoid for a Pristine Query Letter" appears on Nina Amir's Writers of Nonfiction in November (WFNiN), her answer to November as a fiction writing month.

She is the founder (along with Elizabeth Evans, also an editor) and facilitator of the Chevy Chase Critique Group (associated with the Glendale Public Library system), She also consults and edits privately.

Carolyn was awarded Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment by the California Legislature; her home town's Character and Ethics Commission honored for her work on promoting tolerance and the Pasadena Weekly named her to their list of "San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen" for literary activism.

Carolyn has had writing/editing experience at the Salt Lake Tribune, Good Housekeeping Magazine, Red Engine Press and several online sites. She edits a the Sharing with Writers newsletter as well as several blogs including one that helps authors turn a dull book fair into a sizzling success

Carolyn has also judged national newsletter contests including one for the American Business Women's Association.

Carolyn has edited books of poetry and fiction but is wise enough (through hard-earned experience) not to try to edit her own books

Visit her literary Web site or the published works almanac on this site.

Formal education includes a BA in English Literature from the University of Southern California (USC), a certificate of completion for instructors at UCLA and courses at these universities in writing and editing:

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Carolyn Is a UCLA Extension Writers' Program Instructor

Learn about her classes and others at http://www.uclaextension.edu/writers. You'll find all the educational needs you'll need for learning more about advancing your writing career. I'm proud of my instructor's page there, too. http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/instructors.php?recordID=121

Here are links on this site where you will learn more about Carolyn Howard-Johnson's books, audios and more--written with the welfare of authors in mind:

Audios I coproduced to share the ins 'n' outs of writing, book promotion and marketing on the net.
Other publishing including shorter works.
The Frugal Book Promoter, my way to share the pitfalls of publishing with other authors in hope they won't fall into the same potholes I did.
The Frugal Editor, second in the HowToDoItFrugally series, sharing my system for keep editing gremlins at bay.
The Great First Impression Book Proposal: How to Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less (An Amazon Short).