Interview with The Barber-osopher: Terry L. Sumerlin
January 27, 2011 by Lillie
My guest today is Terry L. Sumerlin, author of Leadership: It Takes More Than a Great Haircut!
I will post a review of Terry’s book next Tuesday, so be sure to come back for that.
Lillie: Welcome to A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye, Terry. You call yourself “The Barber-osopher,” and two of your previous books have “Barber-osophy” in the titles. What is a “barber-osopher” and how did you become one?
Terry: Thank you, Lillie, for your kind invitation. It’s a pleasure to be with you. As you would guess, “barber-osopher” is a bit of tongue in cheek. I’m a barber/philosopher, one who owns a 54-year-old barbershop and who travels internationally sharing sometimes humorous life and business lessons that I call barber-osophy. So, I coined the term to fit what I do.
Lillie: And an excellent term it is. What prompted you to start writing books as well as speaking?
Terry: I’ve always enjoyed writing and it has always come easily for me. For a long time, as part of my writing, I’ve kept a journal. My first barber-osophy book came almost right out of my journal. Now, though I still try to infuse humor into my writing, I think it has taken on a bit more sophisticated approach. It dovetails into my speaking.
Lillie: Tell us about your relationship with the San Antonio Business Journal.
Terry: Actually, the approach to my writing that I just described, I believe, is the result of my relationship with the San Antonio Business Journal. It forced me to focus on business issues. I believe the relationship has helped me as a writer.
This wonderful relationship began by persistence. I contacted the editor by sending him samples of my work. Then I contacted him again—and again. I thought I was being a pest. He later told me had I not been persistent, I would have been merely one of hundreds of requests they receive regularly.
Lillie: What a great lesson for all writers! It demonstrates that rejection is just one step closer to a yes. Let’s move from rejection to irony. Anyone looking at the cover of your book will notice the irony of the title and your photo. How did you come up with the title?
Terry: Lillie, for a number of years I worked with an Internet consultant in connection with my website and search engine optimization. One day, as I was on a speaking engagement in Breckenridge, CO, she, her husband, and I were having a hamburger and enjoying the day. I mentioned to them that I was writing a book on leadership. As a result, we began to kick around some titles. The one she liked best was Leadership: It Takes More Than a $400 Haircut! For a long time that was the working title. Then I got additional input from others I respect and decided to change it to Great Haircut. The head shot for the cover was something I sort of came up with like a blind hog finding an acorn. I obviously don’t have a great haircut!
Lillie: I like the way you interject humor into what you write. Leadership: It takes More Than a Great Haircut! contains a lot of anecdotes and humorous stories to illustrate your points. Can you give us a few tips on using humor in our writing? Do you think anyone can learn to use humor in their writing (or speaking, for that matter) or is that a talent that you either have or you don’t?
Terry: While speaking in Las Vegas, I was asked essentially the same question in a Q & A. I’m not sure I have all the answers to this one, but I think I have some. A good sense of humor comes from keen observation, and that comes from forgetting about self and observing others and life. Life and people are funny. We just don’t always notice.
For both speaking and writing, I’m always trying out humor on friends and family. Unless a groan is what is wanted, discard groaners. Also, unless one is a comedian (which I’m not) a funny story must always have a point—and it should be clearly stated so that the reader or audience is not left asking, “Why did he tell that?”
One other word of warning, something I learned from Art Linkletter: The longer the story, the stronger the punch line had better be. Otherwise, people feel they’ve wasted their time. One liners have the least amount of risk of failure.
Lillie: Writers like to say that “everyone” should read their book, but we know that the more closely authors define their target audience, the more successful they are. Describe your ideal reader—the person who would benefit the most from reading your book.
Terry: As a speaker, I’ve had to learn that I’m not for everyone. As a writer, the same is true. That said, I must quote one endorsement: “It’s the kind of book that makes a great gift for any age. People over 50 will enjoy reminiscing and “connecting the dots,” while those under 50 will be helped to create and develop their own character base. I can’t think of anyone that would not benefit from reading it—several times!” Laurie Magers, Executive Assistant to Zig Ziglar, Author and Motivational Teacher
I would have to say that the same person who would not like to hear me speak would not enjoy my book—and for the same reason. He or she is not interested in learning more about how to more effectively deal with people or life.
Lillie: What is the most important thing you want readers to take away from Leadership: It Takes a Great Haircut!?
Terry: Lillie, one my favorite quotes is from Samuel Johnson: “Men plume themselves on the improvement of society, and no man improves.” I would hope that as individuals we would take away at least one idea or thought that makes each of us better people—in the home, in the workplace, and even in society. The only sure way to improve society is to improve self.
Lillie: Where can readers learn more about you and your books?
Terry: First, I would direct people to my website: www.barberosophy.com. My books are available on the “publications” page.
Lillie: Is there anything I’ve failed to ask that you would like to share with my readers?
Terry: I would add one more thing. Winston Churchill said: “Never, never, never, never give up.” If I had given up, I would not be writing for the Business Journal. If I had given up after my first book did not sell as I had hoped, I would never have written what I think is now my very best book. If the reader loves to write, I would encourage him or her to WRITE. Learn the craft. Fill your mind by being a voracious reader. Grow and mature with everything you read and write. But, don’t give up!
Lillie: Excellent advice, Terry. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing a bit of Barber-opsophy with my readers. They will probably have more questions for you. Will you check in during the day to respond to comments and answer questions?
Terry: Thank YOU, Lillie. I’ll be checking in throughout the day, and will be happy to respond to comments and questions.
Lillie: If you have questions for Terry, leave a comment below, and be sure to come back Tuesday for the review of Terry’s book.
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Terry L. Sumerlin has inspired and entertained CEOs and graduates of The Harvard Business School, as well as athletes, coaches, teachers, salespeople, business owners, and government personnel. He’s addressed men and women from Halifax to Honolulu and from St. Paul to St. Thomas. For nearly a decade he’s written a monthly leadership column for American City Business Journals and is the author of the popular Barber-osophy series as well as the inspirational novella, A Human Becoming. Terry and his wife Sherry live in San Antonio, Texas.
Disclosure: I received compensation from the author for laying out the book, creating the electronic editions,and other publishing services. I have received no compensation for writing about the book or interviewing the author on my blog. I’m sharing with my readers because I love the book and think they will too.
Thanks to December 2010 Commenters
January 25, 2011 by Lillie
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| Thank you to the 131 commenters who left 191 comments in December. Your comments extended the conversation and added value and interest, and I enjoyed replying to every one of them.Every month when I post thanks to commenters, I get questions about how I compile this list. I have explained my system in detail in Compiling Thanks to Commenters. | |
| Top Contributor (23 comments) | |
| Jeanne Dininni | Writer’s Notes |
| Major Contributors (4-5 comments) | |
| Christopher Roberts | Christopher Roberts |
| Dave | Mountainland Applied Technology College |
| Dawn Colclasure | Dawn Colclasure Blog |
| Ron | Flats to Rent Bournemouth |
| Outstanding Contributors (3 comments) | |
| Amelia | Barcode 1 UK |
| Brooke | The Bluestocking Guide |
| Carl | Carl’s Words of Inspiration |
| Christopher Roberts | Christopher Roberts’ Philosophy Blog |
| Dominique | 4 Walls and a View |
| Jenny | Software Business Partners |
| Shailender | India Darshan |
| Significant Contributors (2 comments) | |
| Bonnie | Finding Cheap Software for Your Computer |
| China | Finding Cheap Software for Your Computer |
| Cindy | Yark BMW |
| Claire | Starapplet.com |
| Eric | The Conversion Doctor (Eric Graham) Review |
| Helen Ginger | Straight from Hel |
| Jack | Jack Di |
| Janet | Adex Instream |
| Mia | SBP |
| Percy | Air Popcorn Maker |
| Jason | Pet Portraits by Tajart |
| Bonnie | Finding Cheap Software for Your Computer |
| Important Contributors | |
| Abigail | Washington Drug Rehab |
| Alex | The Cottages on Government Way |
| Anastasia Seis | Anastasia Seis, Writer and Actor |
| Andrew Heaton | Good Honest Dollar |
| Angie | Luwasa Cleaning |
| Anita | Language Schools Bournemouth |
| Eric | ExamSoft |
| Anthony | Pest Control Chicagoland |
| Ayumi | Inspiring Lives |
| Banxts | eBanxts |
| Beth | Comtec |
| Bianca | All Day Auto Transport |
| Bill | Master Keys |
| Bill Tillman | n/a |
| Bing | Xbox Repair DVD |
| Blaine | Camera Reviews |
| Bob | Spiritual Numerology |
| Cathy | Luwasa Cleaning |
| Charlie | Free Christian Dating Sites |
| Christopher Roberts | Christopher Robert’s Technology Blog |
| Claire | First Anti Aging |
| Claire | |
| Claus | Byens Advokat |
| Daniel | The Sock Buster |
| Darla | Sleep Apnea Pillow |
| Dave | Sturm Law |
| David | Kindle 3G |
| David | Learning to Play Guitar |
| elsa | ElectricMousetraps.com |
| Enna | Acne Centre |
| Eric | Cambium Works |
| Eric Graham | Family Help |
| Gabriella | Barton Floor Covering Outlet |
| Gail | GrowMap |
| Grace | The Personal Cook Files |
| harold | MyHeartRateMonitor.com |
| Helen | Long Beach Honda |
| Holly Jahangiri | It’s All a Matter of Perspective |
| Jamie | Treadmill Reviews |
| Janet | Janet Kaderli |
| Jared | Hypo-Peripheral Processing |
| Jason | Evan M. Levow, Attorney at Law |
| Jason | Kasiserthesage |
| Jeff | Natural Remedies and You |
| Jeffrey Reade | Jeffrey Revell Reade – Algo Blog |
| Jenny | n/a |
| Jenny | Melissa Skidmore Photography |
| Jim | Botany Herbs |
| Jim | Total Mobile Phone |
| Jo | Purely Shutters |
| Joe | DIY Shed Plans Center |
| Joe | Universal Lending & Real Estate |
| Josh | Payday Advance Plus |
| Juan | Prime Choice Auto Parts |
| Julius | SolarPowerInverterSite.com |
| Karen | Broker-Laan |
| Kate | Time to Revitalize |
| Katie Paster | Andamios |
| Katrina | Frankenfish |
| Katty | Intellectsoft |
| Katya | Games 24×7 |
| Keith Davis | Espeaking |
| Larry | Pattay Crazy |
| Lasse | Fitness Blog |
| Lee | Electricians in Ilseworth |
| Lee | Unique Gift Baskets |
| Lori Widmer | Words on the Page |
| Madelyn | n/a |
| Marc | Microwave Cart |
| Marian | onlineeducationresearch.info |
| Marie | EasyTravelBargains.com |
| Mark | Bail Bonds Charleston |
| Mark Hodson | The Healthy Holiday Company |
| Mike | Free Fiction Books |
| Mike | Hovnanian Senior Housing |
| Mike | Print Media Limited |
| Mike Williams | Professional Shed Plans |
| Mike Williams | Woodworking Plans and Designs |
| Nat | Tustin Automotive Group |
| nina | onlineeducationresearch.info |
| Pat | The Vineyards |
| Patrick Beaufort | Grape Growing School |
| Paul | My Dog Grooming Clippers |
| Paul | My Great Guide |
| Paula Jo | Clean Star Home & Garden World |
| Per | Vippean |
| Percy | debtpayments.info |
| Percy | HandheldEBookReaderSite.com |
| Percy | relationshipsproblemsandanswers.info |
| Percy | SonicElectricToothbrush.com |
| Philip | Snoring Cures |
| Priya | Brainwave |
| Rachel | Blue Pay Go |
| Ram | Ram Yad Photography |
| Rich | Soto |
| Rob | Steroids |
| Ron & Joann | Window Cleaning Newport Coast |
| Russ | Southern Coast Realty |
| Ryan | Poker School |
| Satyavan Raj | themarriagesutra.com |
| Sophia | Cool Glow |
| Stacey | Mark Kia |
| Steve | List Here |
| susci | Powers McCartan PLLC |
| Tim | What Mobile |
| Tom | 9CT Gold Locket |
| ven | howtodotaxes.info |
| Vicki | Jewelry Making How To |
Abortion: Legalized Murder
January 22, 2011 by Lillie
My heart is breaking today. In the 38 years since the Supreme Court handed down the decision in the Roe v Wade case, more than 52 million precious babies have been legally murdered in the womb.
Nearly half of all pregnancies to American women are unintended; four in 10 of these end in abortion. ~ Guttmacher Institute
Millions of human beings made in the image of God have decided their desires and needs are more important than the lives of other human beings made in the image of God. Millions of human beings have decided they have the right to decide who lives or dies–a right that belongs to God alone.
- So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ~ Genesis 1:27
- Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. ~ Isaiah 49:1b
- Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. ~ Jeremiah 1:5a
- Your hands have made and fashioned me. ~ Psalm 119:73a
- You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth. Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be. ~ Psalm 139:13-16
- You shall not murder. ~ Exodus 20:13
- For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11
- I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. ~ Deuteronomy 30:19b-20
Follow these links to information about abortion and thoughts of people a lot smarter than I am:
- An Overview of Abortion in 2 Minutes from Abort73.com
- Abortion Facts from The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform
- It’s Time to Stop Pretending Abortion Is Anything Other Than the Ruthless Killing of an Innocent Human Being by Randy Alcorn
- Worshiping Moloch by William J. Murray
- On the 38th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Most Americans Still Don’t Understand the Court’s Decision by Father Frank Pavone
- The Philadelphia Horror: How Mass Murder Gets a Pass by Michelle Malkin
Here are some of my thoughts on abortion:
- Another Year, Another Million and a Half Dead Babies
- A Thirty-Six Year Tragedy
- The Most Basic Human Right: Life
- Slavery and Abortion: Moral Relatives
- In Memory of 40 Million Aborted Babies
Some say the language of this post is too strident, not conducive to compromise and cooperation. When millions of lives are at stake, we can’t compromise. We must be peaceful and do everything in love, but we must act. We must stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
God forgive us all for murdering the most innocent and vulnerable among us.
O GOD, Almighty and merciful, who healest those that are broken in heart, and turnest the sadness of the sorrowful to joy; Let thy fatherly goodness be upon all that thou hast made, especially those who have not yet breathed outside the womb. Protect them from the hands of those who would take their precious lives and allow thy plans for them to be fulfilled. Remember in pity such as are this day frightened, confused, cast down, and tempted to end their sufferings by spilling innocent blood. By thy heavenly grace preserve them from falling into sin; though they be troubled on every side, suffer them not to be distressed; though they be perplexed, save them from despair and show them the better way. Grant this, O Lord, for the love of him, who for our sakes was born and lived and died, thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
photo credit: Theodore Scott
National Religious Freedom Day 2011
January 16, 2011 by Lillie
January 16 is National Religious Freedom Day. The following explanation comes from A Guide for Commemorating Religious Freedom at School at ReligiousFreedomDay.com.
Each year, since 1993, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day, and, as in 2005, calls upon Americans to “observe this day through appropriate events and activities in homes, schools, and places of worship.”
The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson drafted the legislation and considered it one of his greatest achievements. It stopped the practice of taxing people to pay for the support of the local clergy, and it protected the civil rights of people to express their religious beliefs without suffering discrimination.
The men who drafted the U.S. Constitution leaned heavily on Jefferson’s statute in establishing the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom. Today, that protection is as important as ever.
We are blessed in the United States to have religious freedom, and it is important that we protect freedom OF religion from those who advocate for freedom FROM religion. Each individual has the right to choose who or what to worship or whether to worship at all.
As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15b, KJV)
Let us thank God for our religious freedom and pray for those who don’t have the same freedom.
O God, who art the giver of all good gifts; We bless thy Name and give thee thanks for the religious freedom guaranteed to us in these United States. Grant that we worship thee, the one true God, faithfully and reverently, and that we protect this freedom for future generations, ever mindful that we enjoy liberty that many have not. We offer supplications for thy children around the world who do not enjoy the freedom to worship thee openly and freely without fear of persecution. We beseech thee to remember them in thy mercy and spread religious freedom around the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who liveth and reignth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Book Helpdesk
January 14, 2011 by Lillie
A little book/IT humor for National Book Month.
Review: Thumbing Through Thoreau
January 12, 2011 by Lillie
Thumbing Through Thoreau: A Book of Quotations by Henry David Thoreau
Kenny Luck
Illustrators: Jay Luke and Ren Adams
Tribute Books
April 19, 2010
Hardcover, 320 pages, $24.95
Also available in Kindle edition at Amazon.com
Quotations with original illustrations
I received a PDF review copy, which I converted and read on my Kindle (the original model that does not read PDF). The presentation was unappealing and often difficult to read, which I correctly assumed was a result of the conversion. I haven’t seen what the official Kindle edition looks like, though my suspicion is that it isn’t very effective. As much as I am a fan of reading on a handheld reader, with a book that is so dependent on layout, PDF is the only ebook format that retains the original layout.
After I read the book on Kindle, I went back and reviewed the PDF version. The layout of the PDF (and, I’m confident, the print book) is beautiful. Each quotation is enhanced by an evocative black and white illustration. The quotations themselves are artistically laid out—individual words in different font sizes and colors (from shades of gray to black). The effect is stunning, but not easy to read.
For a fan of Thoreau, this is an excellent collection of quotes. Author Kenny Luck is such a devoted fan, some might call him obsessed with Thoreau. Although many of the quotes resonated with me, I’m not enamored of all of Thoreau’s words.
I have not seen the hardcover edition of the book, but I expect that it makes a wonderful coffee-table book. Rather than reading from beginning to end as I did, it seems to me the ideal way to read this book would be to pick it up and relish a few pages of art and aphorisms at a time, then wait a little while for the next treat.
Disclosure: I received an electronic copy of the book from the publisher. I have not accepted any compensation for this review and made no commitment to give a favorable review. The links to Amazon.com and Smashwords are affiliate links.
January is National Book Month
January 10, 2011 by Lillie
January is National Book Month or National Book Blitz Month—or maybe not.
I’ve seen one of those two designations on several places, including John Kremer’s Book Marketing. The articles I found were from previous years, and everything about “Book Blitz Month” seem to be a marketing gimmick for a couple of booksellers.
Although I haven’t found anything about who sponsors National Book Month or the purpose of it, I’m always ready to celebrate books! So I’m going to encourage everyone to add to their book collections and read more books in January. In fact, “read more” is a New Year’s resolution I’ll love to keep.
Whether you read free books online, buy print books, or purchase ebooks for your ebook reader, spend a little extra time with books this month.
Of course, if you need recommendations for great books—fiction and nonfiction, print and ebooks—look no further. Browse around my website, and you’ll find:
- Books I have written
- Books by my clients
- Books by guests to my blog
- Free ebooks to download or read online
That should keep you busy for January! Happy National Book Month!
photo credit: Jude Doyland
Prayers for Tucson, AZ Victims
January 8, 2011 by Lillie
Prayer for the Deceased:
REMEMBER thy servants who lost their lives in this act of senseless violence, O Lord, according to the favour which thou bearest unto thy people, and grant that, increasing in knowledge and love of thee, they may go from strength to strength, in the life of perfect service, in thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer for the Injured:
O ALMIGHTY God, who art the giver of all health, and the aid of them that turn to thee for succour; We entreat thy strength and goodness in behalf of these thy servants injured in this act of senseless violence, that they may be healed of their infirmities, to thine honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Those in Mourning and Those Traumatized by the Event:
O MERCIFUL God, and heavenly Father, who hast taught us in thy holy Word that thou dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men; Look with pity, we beseech thee, upon the sorrows of all these thy servants for whom our prayers are offered. Remember them, O Lord, in mercy; endue their souls with patience; comfort them with a sense of thy goodness; lift up thy countenance upon them, and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Our Country:
O GOD, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call upon thee, and grant us thy help in this our need. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government and law enforcement, that justice and peace may come after this tragedy. In this day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All prayers taken or adapted from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
Interview: Aggie Villanueva on The Rewritten Word
January 7, 2011 by Lillie
Just about a year ago, I reviewed Rightfully Mine and interviewed the author, Aggie Villanueva. Since I first discovered what a talented and active author, blogger, photographer, and much more she is, Aggie has gone on to many new accomplishments. Her latest book, The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art, No Matter the Genre
Lillie: Welcome back to A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye, Aggie. I’m thrilled that I got to edit The Rewritten Word
Aggie: Thank YOU for such an intro. I’m delighted to be here. I always enjoy your blog, posts, and visitors. I’m excited to be back.
There is only one answer to why I wrote the book: because I’m a terrible writer. I utterly stink. It isn’t until I’ve rewritten untold times that my work will withstand the eye of the professional editor.
When I first started writing I heard and obeyed the pros who admonish “write, write, and rewrite.” But my tenth rewrite wasn’t much better than the first. That’s because I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t understand the purpose of rewriting.
Its purpose is to clarify and organize, cut rambling and verbosity, switch from passive to active voice everywhere possible, and always use exactly the right word that electrifies your work. These basic necessities are overlooked more often than you can imagine.
When I got serious about studying the craft of writing I was shocked by what I didn’t know about polishing my words. Reading books on editing I found them lofty, using grammar terms that college level English students would have a hard time following.
So way back then I did exactly what I did with the examples in my new handbook, The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art No Matter The Genre—I took the sentences and paragraphs that were unclear to me and clarified, simplified, and shortened—rewriting until they to made sense to me and eliminating what didn’t relate and, in fact, distracted.
Many times this meant translating into words I could understand, and at times that required searching basic grammar books to find out what the heck the author had said.
What I didn’t realize was I was teaching myself to rewrite. It was years before I understood my own process, but this is what I did to my own work from that point. And, like most artistic types, I just wanted to share what I learned. Also I want to stress I’m not a professional editor, like you, Lillie, or English grammar teacher. Just a simple writer struggling to improve my own work.
Lillie: How does your book benefit writers? What do you want readers to take away from it?
Aggie: I hope they take away an understanding of the types of mistakes we need to look for in our first draft and the basic steps to correct them.
Lillie: One of the things that most impressed me was how short the book is. How did you manage to compress so much valuable information into so few words?
Aggie: I’m laughing because verbosity is my number one writing sin. I rewrote the book more than twenty times. The first draft was more than twice as long. And I think, subconsciously, I held the thought throughout of how much I dread reading most long, boring how-tos.
Lillie: There are a lot of words used for the process of taking a first draft and turning it into a polished manuscript. Rewriting, revising, editing (and a plethora of kinds of editing), and proofreading are just a few of the terms we hear to describe various aspects of this process. Can you tell us what the different steps are, who should do them, and how they fit together?
Aggie: I can only speak to my own process, and I use the same for my fiction and nonfiction work. First, of course, I just get it down. Sometimes that in itself is difficult, but not to be mistaken for the final draft.
I never purposefully set out to address one specific flaw in each rewrite like the lessons in the book do; it just happened that way for me. And it does keep me focused on one aspect at a time, such as using the active voice. It’s easy to get scattered if I try to zoom in on every type of mistake in one rewrite.
In the second rewrite I concentrate on, say, verbosity, and so on. Then I let it sit for a few weeks or a month and start all over with the same process. At this point I may be addressing several aspects in each rewrite because I have a much better handle on the whole after having rewritten it on several levels.
Each rewrite is left to sit for some time before I go back to it. Some chapters are rewritten more than others. I usually rewrite just one chapter at a time, rather than the whole manuscript. The last couple of rewrites I work straight through the book for cohesiveness and flow.
I do all the rewrites before I hire or submit to a professional editor. Of course, if an editor suggests I do another, I will certainly comply. They know what they are talking about, and I’m too close to the project to have their cool objectivity.
Lillie: What has been the reaction to the book from readers and/or reviewers?
Aggie: I’m humbled and honored. A few remarks have been:
“A tiny book that is big on great advice. This is not a dry read or boring guide. Villanueva entertains while she goes about demonstrating her points. A must for anyone looking to make his or her writing more dynamic.”
“The Rewritten Word is a brilliant little book!”
“I don’t write novels but do occasionally write short articles pertaining to a dish I’ve just created or some other food-related topic. So I had my doubts about the information pertaining to a cookbook writer like myself. I was wrong.”
“I have to admit something: This is my fifth draft of this review following all five lessons taught by this outstanding author in this great 60-page book.”
“Not everyone knows what it is they’re supposed to be doing when they rewrite a piece. Never fear! The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art no Matter the Genre, can help.”
“Villenueva takes the art of perfecting, sharpening and polishing your writing to a new level. I highly recommend this book for any writer, novice or experienced.”
My schedule of interviews and reviews can be found on my page at Promotion a la Carte. And just for fun, on the same page there’s a commercial I created for the book, heavy on the humor!
Because of the positive feedback, I now feel the book merits an updated version every few years. So you’ll probably see me back here telling you about the updates.
Lillie: Another of your many talents is book promotion. Tell us about Promotion a la Carte and what you offer to authors.
Aggie: The response to the new business doing promotional work for authors has also been overwhelming. We specialize in landing interviews and reviews. We offer other services too, but this one is the most purchased.
Another most popular feature is the Industry Reports written by the company’s vice president, Nanci Arvizu, and myself. People say we give industry information they never heard before. Many authors and promotional experts have even blogged about them.
Popular sellers are “Working Amazon: The Importance of Amazon Tags & How to Get the Most Out of Them,” “What You Don’t Know About POD & Self Publishing Can Ruin You,” and both our DIY papers: DIY: Interviews You Can Land for Yourself. And DIY: Reviews You Can Land for Yourself. These two aren’t how-tos, but actual lists of resources beyond the places we land for our authors.
Lillie: Where can readers learn more about you, your books, and your many other talents?
Aggie: Check out my staff page at Promotion a la Carte. You’ll find more than you could ever possibly want to know about me, including connecting with me at Twitter, Facebook, etc., and links to my photo art sites and videos.
Lillie: Have I overlooked anything that you would like to share with my readers?
Aggie: You haven’t overlooked anything, but if I may add something… As I said above, Nanci Arvizu, my vice president at Promotion a la Carte, and I write industry reports that have gained some great feedback, some authors and marketers even blogging about them.
I’d like to offer your readers a free copy of the report titled Working Amazon: The Importance of Amazon Tags & How to Get the Most out of Them. Just email me at aggie@promotionalacarte.com saying you got this offer from Lillie’s interview and I’ll email you the pdf file.
Lillie: Thank you for visiting with us today, and thank you for this generous offer. I’m sure many of my readers will take advantage of it. I hope you will stop back by to answer questions and respond to comments from my readers.
Aggie: Thank you so much for having me today. I certainly will stop by. I always enjoy talking with your readers.
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A published author at Thomas Nelson before she was 30, bestselling author Aggie Villanueva published Chase the Wind, and Rightfully Mine, both Thomas Nelson 1980s. Her two self-published books Rightfully Mine (God’s Equal Rights Amendment)
Disclosure: I received compensation from the author for editing, laying out the book, and creating the electronic editions. I have received no compensation for writing about the book or interviewing the author on my blog. I’m sharing with my readers because I love the book and think they will too. The links to Amazon.com are affiliate links.
Editing the Rewritten Word
January 5, 2011 by Lillie
A few months ago, I had a new experience in editing. I edited The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art, No Matter the Genre by Aggie Villanueva.
Last year about this time, I reviewed Aggie’s novel Rightfully Mine and also conducted an interview with her. We got to know each other better throughout the year, so she contacted me when she was working on The Rewritten Word.
The book is described this way:
The only How-to-Write book that has nothing to do with writing. It’s all about rewriting. Whittle away what buries the art of your words beneath pulp, no matter the topic, no matter the genre.
You can see that this job could be slightly intimidating. I have come to respect and admire Aggie and her talent, so I knew I would be editing an already-excellent manuscript. And the book I was editing was about how to make your writing better, which is also what editing is all about.
I’m not going to get into the similarities and differences between rewriting and editing. I’ll be interviewing Aggie later this week, and I’ll ask her to talk about that. What I’m going to focus on is the way Aggie and I worked together. In addition to editing the manuscript, I also formatted the book for print and ebook editions. My comments below relate to the entire project.
Our collaboration was both a pleasure and a success:
- We each respected the other’s expertise. I recognized and maintained Aggie’s voice. As I do with all my clients, I tried to make her work sound exactly like her—only better. In turn, she was very open to suggestions. Rather than getting defensive about her own words, she considered every suggestion and agreed with changes that improved the book.
- We stayed in communication. She kept me informed of deadlines and questions, and I kept her apprised of my progress.
- We each recognized our part in the finished product. The book is completely Aggie’s—she had the final say over every word, and it’s her voice you “hear” when you read the work. However, she appreciated what I did to help bring those words and that voice out in the best possible way.
- We each honored our commitments. Aggie got the manuscript to me on time and responded to my questions promptly, and I carried out my obligations and met deadlines.
It really sounds simple, doesn’t it? And it is easy when you’re working with a writer and person of Aggie’s caliber.
In the book, Aggie talks about working with editors. I’d say she knows what she’s talking about!
Be sure to come back Friday to read the interview with Aggie.
Disclosure: I received compensation from the author for editing, laying out the book, and creating the electronic editions. I have received no compensation for writing about the book or interviewing the author on my blog. I’m sharing with my readers because I love the book and think they will too. The links to Amazon.com are affiliate links.
