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    The 5 Lessons My Beta Readers Taught Me

    • June 16, 2020
    • 2 Comments
    • by Hannah Bauman

    Hello, writers! Hannah here. This week, author and editor Lewis Jorstad of The Novel Smithy is sharing his beta reader experience with us. These lessons are fantastic, and I hope they help you as you begin to self-edit! You can learn more about Lewis at the end of this post. Just a few months ago…

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  • Publishing Tips

    Indie Publishing Roadmap: Designing Your Book’s Cover

    • May 26, 2020
    • 0 comments
    • by Hannah Bauman

    Hi, writer! Welcome back to the Indie Publishing Roadmap series. This week’s topic is all about cover design decisions you’ll need to make for your novel. But I’m an editor and writer, not a cover designer. So, I reached out to the team at MoorBooks Design and asked them a few questions to get you…

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  • Publishing Tips

    Indie Publishing Roadmap: What to Consider Before Formatting Your Book

    • May 19, 2020
    • 0 comments
    • by Hannah Bauman

    Hi, writer! Welcome back to the Indie Publishing Roadmap series. This week’s topic is all about formatting decisions you’ll need to make for your novel. But I’m no formatter, so I’ve asked my friend and colleague Ines to write this post! More information about Ines’s work and where you can find her will be at…

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  • Publishing Tips

    Indie Publishing Roadmap: Why You Need to Identify Your Ideal Reader

    • May 14, 2020
    • 0 comments
    • by Hannah Bauman

    Welcome back to the Indie Publishing Roadmap series. If you haven’t read the first post about indie publishing, be sure to check that out. Getting your book from the first draft to publication is time consuming. And when you spend all of this time writing and editing, getting your novel just how you want it,…

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  • Publishing Tips

    Indie Publishing Roadmap: Why You Should Self-Edit AND Hire a Professional Editor

    • May 6, 2020
    • 0 comments
    • by Hannah Bauman

    Hi, writer! Welcome back to the Indie Publishing Roadmap series. If you haven’t read the first post about indie publishing, be sure to check that out. This week, we’re talking about editing your novel for self-publication. We’ll tackle both self-editing and hiring a professional, including why you need to do both. What is editing? Editing…

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  • Publishing Tips

    Indie Publishing Roadmap: Choosing the Indie Path

    • April 30, 2020
    • 1 Comment
    • by Hannah Bauman

    Hi, writer! Welcome to the Indie Publishing Roadmap series. This new collection of blog posts is going to highlight what you need to consider on your indie publishing journey.  Topics will include, but will not be limited to: Choosing the Indie path Editing and formatting basics Identifying your ideal reader Pre-publication tasks Today, we’re talking…

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About Me
About Me

I'm Hannah, an editor, author, and writing coach. I love helping writers like you polish their stories, enhance their craft, and chase their publishing dreams.

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My middle school was literally across the street f My middle school was literally across the street from the beach in Florida, and we shared our library with the high school next door. This was where I discovered my love for Tamora Pierce and when I really started to write my own fantasy stories ⚔️🏰👸🔮 After school, I would climb onto the bus, the sea breeze salty and strong, Justin Timberlake or Fergie’s latest singles playing on the radio, and finally read the Song of the Lioness series. I was delighted by the young girl who would go on to become the first female knight of Tortall. Imagine my further delight when I learned there were new YA stories set in Tortall, from Beka Cooper to Alianne, Alanna’s daughter. I reread Terrier so many times after my mom bought it for me at Books-a-Million, then devoured the other books in the series when they were released. Those stories and the intricate world Tamora Pierce created carried me through middle and high school and solidified my love of YA fantasy. Authors, if you have an expansive universe in your book(s), you might consider writing other books set in said universe. Your mega fans are going to love it, and new fans will probably be excited at the content they have to read. QOTD: What book(s) or series sparked your love for the genre you write in now? ° ° ° ° #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #fantasyauthor #romanceauthor #romancewriter #amwritingromance #bookeditor #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #instawrimo #copyeditor #freelanceeditor #authormindset #writingmindset #bookstagram #authorlife #authorpreneur #mycreativelife #writers_together
In a culture obsessed with productivity and the li In a culture obsessed with productivity and the lines between home life and work life blurring thanks to technology, it can be hard to remember that your worth is not defined by how much you produce, how many sales you make, or your book reviews. Life gets hard and busy and chaotic sometimes. While working toward your goals is important, and while you do need to make sales to run your author business, those have nothing to do with who you are as a person. Metrics and numbers don’t define you. You are worthy simply for existing. Simply for being you. I’ve always had a complicated relationship with self-worth, and over the last couple of years, I’ve been working hard to disentangle my view of myself from the work I do. Hell, I wasn’t ‘as productive as usual’ yesterday afternoon, and after about 30 minutes of beating myself up over it, I was able to step back and realize what I was doing. 👀 Changing your thought patterns isn’t easy, but it’s worth it for the peace and resilience you can build. If it’s something you’re struggling to do on your own, I encourage you to reach out to a mental health professional for more guidance and support. 💜 QOTD: What’s one of the biggest mindset shifts you’ve been working on as an author (or creative entrepreneur)? ° ° ° #aspiringauthor #authorslife #writersofig #authorsofig #writerssociety #writersconnection #instagramwriters #authorlife #mycreativelife #writers_together #writingcommunityofig #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #bookediting #copyeditor #freelanceeditor #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #writingmindset #authormindset #amediting #amdrafting #amrevising #amwritingfantasy
Lately, I’ve been getting emails about how frust Lately, I’ve been getting emails about how frustrated some writers are with the process. They’ve shared that they’re overwhelmed, don’t know where to go or how to start, or even what they want to call their book. They feel like they aren’t making enough progress, or going too quickly, or not flowing the ‘right’ way. If any of this resonates with you, take a breath. I'm taking a breath with you. As @morgibwrites's bookmarks remind us, take it one page at a time. A novel is a big undertaking, and it can overwhelm even the most seasoned writers. So take a breath. Pause. Take a break. And remember that you just have to keep going, one page, one sentence, and even one word at a time. All of your hard work is going to add up over time and pay off in the end. (The other bookmarks say, "Look how far you've come," "Don't forget to breathe," and "don't forget you're magic." So really, all are applicable if you're feeling overwhelmed lately! 🤗) ° ° ° ° #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingmentor #publishingpro #bookediting #copyeditor #freelanceeditor #indiesareworthit #indiepub #bookpublishing #authorpreneurship #authorpreneur #indiepub #bookpublishing #authorpreneurship #authorpreneur #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #fantasyauthor #romanceauthor #romancewriter #amwritingromance
“Yeah, I don’t want to cheapen the entire stor “Yeah, I don’t want to cheapen the entire story by making it a Michael Bay explosion at the end.” A client said this to me yesterday while workshopping their revised story outline. That’s one of the best ways to describe a gimmicky plot twist that I’ve heard to date! A good plot twist needs to be believable. Should it shock, surprise, and/or delight readers? Yes! But that doesn’t mean your plot twist has to come totally out of left field to the point that it makes little to no sense. If it invalidates the themes and layers of the rest of your story, it’s going to disappoint readers. So how can you make your plot twist exciting but realistic and NOT a metaphorical explosion? 🤔 📚 Write down the obvious plot twists for your main storyline. If you see it coming within a few minutes of brainstorming, readers can probably guess those pretty easily. But keep that list handy--it’ll be useful in a minute! 📚 Misdirect readers. Use red herrings, dead ends, false clues, and other elements to distract readers and characters alike. Those obvious plot twists you just wrote down? One or two could make great dead ends; just don’t overuse them or readers will see what you’re doing. 📚 Foreshadow, but make it subtle. Seriously, subtle is good if you’re trying to build up to a plot twist. 📚 Let your characters drive the plot twist. Still aren’t sure what the twist will be? That’s okay. Don’t plan everything out. If you let your characters take the wheel, you might even surprise yourself with what happens. Incorporate plot twists throughout your novel to keep readers engaged. The twists and turns are what keep readers asking questions and curious about what happens to your characters. Some of these twists will be subtler than others, but balance is good! QOTD: What’s the worst plot twist you can think of from pop culture? The best? ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writinganovel #writeeveryday #writingsprints #instawrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2021 #campnanowrimo #campnanowrimo2021 #bookeditor #writingcoach #fantasyauthor #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #writersofig #amdrafting #amrevising #amediting #amwriting
As March comes to a close, Editorial Assistant Rik As March comes to a close, Editorial Assistant Riker and I want to wish you good luck on all of your April writing goals! Whether your doing Camp NaNo, continuing your current WIP, or even taking a much-needed break, we hope April gives you the time and space you need. 🤗 Which begs the question...What are you working on next month? We'll be doing... something... for Camp NaNo over here at BTL HQ! 🤔🧐 ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #selfpublishingcommunity #aspiringindieauthors #indieauthorsofig #selfpubauthors #selfpublished #indiepub #bookpublishing #authorpreneur #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingpro #bookediting #copyeditor #freelanceeditor #aspiringauthor #authorslife #writercommunity #campnanowrimo #campnanowrimo2021
Anyone else forget about certain parts of their we Anyone else forget about certain parts of their website sometimes? Oops! 😬 If you didn’t know, there’s a library of 10 free resources on my website made just for writers. Whether you need a guide about self-publishing or a printable word count tracker for your upcoming Camp NaNo project, one of the freebies or my blog posts probably has what you're looking for. 🔎 Visit btleditorial.com to sign up for my newsletter, and I’ll send you the link and password to the library 📚 And let this be a reminder to you authors out there that if you have freebies and sign-up incentives for readers, don’t forget to promote them sometimes! People won’t know that stuff exists if you don’t mention it 😅😜 QOTD: If you were to get a free resource from me, whether it was a guide or some worksheets, what would you want to see? I’ve got some ideas for new resources, but I want to make sure I’m creating ones that are actually useful to you! ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #selfpublishingcommunity #indiepub #bookpublishing #authorpreneurship #authorpreneur #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingpro #bookediting #copyeditor #freelanceeditor #commonmistakes #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writersblock #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel #writeeveryday #writingmindset #authormindset #amediting #amdrafting #amrevising #writingtips
Editorial Assistant Iggy here to remind you that c Editorial Assistant Iggy here to remind you that creating and balancing your health is challenging and that’s okay! You’re not alone in it. This isn’t something I talk about a lot on social media. I have an autoimmune disease that, while mostly managed, still impacts my writing life. On Tuesday, I mentioned in my post that I’ve let my writing go to the back burner. Part of that is because I simply haven’t had the physical or mental energy to work on my WIP. 🤷 And even though this is just part of my day-to-day life, I realized are other authors out there with chronic health problems and that most of us are struggling with brain fog and fatigue thanks to the stress of the last year. Here’s what I’ve learned over the last decade while creating with a chronic condition. I hope it can help you, too. 📚 Give yourself more grace than you think you ‘need.’ You can do everything right and still struggle some days. Take care of yourself. Your physical and mental health are the most important things. 📚 Advocate for yourself. Most doctors are trying their best to help you, but sometimes they get it wrong. They're human too, and it's okay to ask for more help. 📚 Talk to a therapist and/or someone else you trust. If you’re talking to your friends/family, just make sure they can hold space for the conversation that day. If they can’t at that moment, plan a time to talk. 📚 Get sunshine and fresh air. Going for a walk every day helps me, but even on days when my joints are too swollen for that, I open the curtains and try to step outside for a couple of minutes. 📚 Have a hobby and identity outside of writing. Being a writer is just one part of who you are. You need breaks from writing anyway, so be mindful of taking time to cultivate your other interests and some new hobbies. Take care of yourself. Iggy and I will be cheering you on! 🤗 QOTD: How are you taking care of yourself lately? Any fun plans for your weekend? ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepub #selfpub #aspiringindieauthors #bookeditor #authorlife #bookcoach #writingcoach #fantasyauthor #romanceauthor #romancewriter #amwritingromance #writersconnection #instagramwriters #writingmindset
I know it doesn’t always feel like it, but all o I know it doesn’t always feel like it, but all of the time you put into your draft counts as progress. It’s helping you learn and grow, deepen your stories, and build that writing muscle. 💪 The chart pictured above is a breakdown of my writing time on projects big and small--that’s generally how much time I spend on each part of the process: 📚 10% brainstorming 📚 15% planning 📚 35% writing 📚 25% revising 📚 15% polishing Your work breakdown probably looks different! And that's okay. A lot of work goes into writing, and it’s not just the romanticized notion of clacking keys and messy notebooks and a magically finished product. The same goes for running a small business, whether you're an editor like me or an indie author. The work that generates income is important for your business, but so are the other tasks that help you get there: planning, goal-setting, accounting, marketing, and even breaks. Give yourself due credit. Acknowledge all of the work you’re putting into your novel. And if you have trouble keeping track of how much work you’ve done, start jotting down hours spent or words written/edited (or both). Keeping a simple log is a great way to visualize your hard work! QOTD: How much time do you dedicate to each part of writing a book? 🤔 ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #selfpublishingcommunity #aspiringindieauthors #writingsprints #instawrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2021 #campnanowritmo #campnanowrimo2021 #campnano #authorchallenge #writerchallenge #amwritingfantasy #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #fantasyauthor #romanceauthor #romancewriter #amwritingromance #writersconnection #instagramwriters #authorlife #writingmindset
Have you looked at the calendar recently and wonde Have you looked at the calendar recently and wondered where March went? I sure have! 🧐 It’s almost April, and with April comes the first Camp NaNoWriMo of the year. Pair that with later sunsets and what feels like more time in the day, and I’m certainly excited for the event. I’m hoping it helps me get back into my own writing, which I keep putting on the back burner. Oops 😬 If you’re interested in joining, here are some things to keep in mind: 📚 Camp NaNo is really about setting whatever goal you want for your writing. Whether you want to revise, just write 10k new words, or some combo--make the month about what YOU want and need to do. 📚 If you struggle with setting your own revision schedule, Camp NaNo can be a great tool to give you some outside structure. Consider revising instead of writing new words if that’s on your to do list! 📚 Set a goal you can reasonably accomplish in one month. Set aside some time before the event starts to analyze your April schedule and how much time you can put toward your writing project(s). 📚 Build in off days. I always say this with the November NaNo event, but build in time off. You never know when you’ll need a break because of something unplanned. 📚 If you’re new to writing, you can still do NaNo events! They’re a great way to meet other writers and put some structure into your writing life. There’s also a new track for Camp NaNo called “NaNoFinMo” -- aka finish that novel you’re already working on! They even released special social media banners just for it if you’re interested. And if you’re not in the mindset for a NaNo event, that’s okay too. 🤗 NaNo is just one tool that some writers like to use. Do what feels right for your own schedule, work style, and goals, even when Instagram is clamoring about NaNo stuff. I promise you aren’t the only one. QOTD: What are you working on in April? I know I want to join the NaNo event, but I’m still finalizing what project I want to work on. ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #selfpublishingcommunity #aspiringindieauthors #writingsprints #instawrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2021 #campnanowritmo #campnanowrimo2021 #campnano #amwritingfantasy #bookeditor
📚NOW BOOKING📚 I’m booking all editing and 📚NOW BOOKING📚 I’m booking all editing and coaching for summer 2021 and beyond. I can take one Ignite session in May, but all other edits will start in June 2021.  How I Can Help 📚 Story-level edits: Let’s dig into your plot, character arcs, etc. and take your story to the next level. 📚 Language-level edits: I’ll smooth and correct your grammar, punctuation, and prose to help you communicate your story in a clear & engaging way.  📚 Book and publishing coaching: Need help bringing your idea or book to life? Let’s talk! 📚 Ignite Your Novel sessions: Get a critique on your first 5k words plus 30 minutes of coaching time to answer your questions and set you up for success when it’s time for revisions. How It Works 📚 Visit the link in my bio 📚 Fill out the contact form so I can learn more about your project 📚 I’ll get back to you ASAP to set up your free consultation 📚 We’ll discuss the rest when we chat! Ready to get started? I’d love to learn more about you, your project, and how I can help you on your journey. :) ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen #indieauthorlove #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingmentor #publishingpro #bookediting #copyeditor #freelanceeditor #amwritingfantasy #amwritingromance #copyeditorsofinstagram #copyeditorneeded #developmentaleditor #selfpublishing #indiepublishing #selfpublishedauthor #authorpreneurship #authorpreneur #indiepub
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