Editing Archives » Kolb-Williams Writing and Editing

Feb 22

Guest Post about Publishing Mistakes on Writers Helping Writers

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing No Comments

Don’t Make These 10 Self-Publishing Mistakes!

Serious question: Are you hip to The Emotion Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman? If not, you should be—it’s long been the gold standard for helping readers write more realistic characters. I’ve recommended this resource to clients for years.

Given this, it’s no wonder that Becca and Angela run one of the top writer’s blogs around, Writers Helping Writers. This month, they were kind enough to host a two-part blog post of mine, “Don’t Make These 10 Self-Publishing Mistakes.” I was thrilled to offer this information with WHW’s audience of writers and hope to return to the blog soon!

If you’re looking for a refresher on the crucial steps to self-publish your book, part 1 (live now) touches on book production steps you can’t miss, and part 2 (scheduled for next year) looks at key distribution steps. Huge thanks to Becca, Angela, Mindy, and the whole WHW community for making this such a fantastic experience.

I packed a ton of information into these posts, so don’t miss it!

Spoonbridge Press Makes Self-Publishing Easy

Are you overwhelmed by all the steps you have to take to self-publish? Are you confused by all of your editing, book design, and distribution options? Do you wish self-publishing were easy?

I cofounded Spoonbridge Press in 2021 to help demystify the process and offer full publication management for independent authors. My small team and I offer a full suite of self-publishing services designed with authors in mind. That’s why our authors keep their own ISBNs, have full access to their publisher accounts, and receive 100% of their royalties—we don’t keep a dime.

Throughout the process, we guide independent authors toward the decisions that make the most sense for their unique author goals, all while keeping them in the driver’s seat. I believe this to be a unique approach to how a company can assist self-publishers and set them up for success.

To learn more about how Spoonbridge Press can help you reach your author goals, schedule a free author consultation with me. Looking forward to hearing about your project!

Dec 18

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Featured on The Creative Penn Blog

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Featured No Comments

Last month, Joanna Penn was kind enough to feature my article, “Writing Tips: 10 Ways To Fake A Professional Edit” on The Creative Penn. Her blog is one of the longest-running and most transparent and useful resources for independent authors you’ll find, and I’m so honored to have been asked to share my advice. I hope you find it useful!

Jan 05

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What Is Standard Manuscript Format?

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Clients, Editing No Comments

Make your editor happy by submitting your manuscript in standard manuscript format, the guidelines used by publishers everywhere. Learn how here.

Dec 16

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Writing and Editing Resources for Independent Authors

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Publishing, Writing No Comments

This is a list of books, blogs, and other writing and editing resources for independent authors, including some of the blogs for authors (and by authors) I either follow myself or find myself sharing posts from on a regular basis. I hope you find it useful on your journey!

Feb 18

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3 Reasons Writers Need Self-Editing (Before Hiring an Editor)

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Writing No Comments

Self-editing is an important stage in a book’s development—and a valuable learning experience for authors responsible for the quality of their own books. When you hand an editor an unfinished manuscript, you rob yourself of one of the most valuable learning experiences you can have as a writer.

Oct 23

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3 Microsoft Word Hacks Every Writer Needs to Know

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Writing 2 Comments

So, I don’t know how to change Word’s default language to Klingon or turn my computer into an orbital station. But I do know there’s a lot hidden beneath the surface of Microsoft Word that I’ve found handy in my own writing and editing.

Jun 20

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Hiring an Editor: The Importance of Editing

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Publishing No Comments

The lines between an author’s tasks and an editor’s are fluid, and this fluidity can lead to misunderstandings about an editor’s role. In this post, you’ll learn more about the relationship between author and editor—and why it’s so important.

Jun 06

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How Make Your Freelance Book Editor Love You

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Publishing No Comments

Hiring a freelance book editor can be confusing if you’ve never done it before—but editors aren’t as scary as you might think! Here are five ways to get ahead of the game and make your editor love you before you even begin.

Feb 28

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Science Fiction Style Sheet: How Editors Bring Order to Chaos

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Science Fiction, Writing No Comments

Editors use style sheets to keep track of terminology and spelling–especially important in sci-fi and fantasy, where there are so many made-up terms to keep track of. Here’s a free science fiction style sheet to to help you keep track of words you might be using in your manuscript.

Sep 02

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10 Ways to Fake a Professional Edit: Featured on The Creative Penn

By Sarah Kolb-Williams, Editor Editing, Featured No Comments

Joanna Penn, of The Creative Penn, has generously invited me to share a guest blog post to help get your manuscript into shape (and, if you delve into the comments, will also serve as proof that even editors can’t always edit themselves). Thanks, Joanna!