Blog renaissance

The author and her family, 2015, by Rick Heit Photography

 

Back in March, I posted this blog renaissance mission. I have had a few guests and have plans for more. Would you like to be included? See contact info at the end of the post.

Blog history 

Years ago, I produced week-long, special-event, promotional blog articles in collaboration with others. 

Over those years, I featured artists, writers, bloggers, other editors and proofreaders, photographers, sculptors, potters, graphic designers, jewelry makers, furniture makers, chefs, cooks, crafters, and more. 

The good feels

I felt good doing that. I am doing that again.  

Any time I can lift someone’s spirits – show their art or photos or jewelry or sculptures and share their passion with others – it gives me a warm fuzzy. 

It also helped me grow – in my perceptions and with creatives around the country and around the world.  

Resurrecting these partnerships

I would like to resurrect those special moments. Not in week-long events (man, that was a lot of work!), but with special events for anyone who has a book, artwork, or food truck launch or for creatives who simply want to share their special talents with my audience. 

All these blog features will be shared to my FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Contact me

If you are interested in a special-event feature on my blog, use the Contact Form or send an email – karenrsanderson@midco.net.

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Links to a handful of previous collaborations –  

Emmett Russell – Furniture maker and metal sculpturist – from 2015

Chris Eboch – Myths about writing for children – from 2015

Photographer Rick Heit – Interview with Rick Heit epic photographer – from 2015

Editor spotlight with Darlene Elizabeth Williams – Editor Spotlight – from 2014 

My Main Street with Minot’s Main Street Books – My Main Street – from 2013

Darlene Foster – Darlene Foster, tweens author – from 2013

Elizabeth H. Cottrell – Tools for touching hearts and lives – from 2013

Shawn MacKenzie – You are your words – from 2013

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Note – One of my greatest pleasures is when I present a guest in the best possible light. I will take more care with your blog appearance than with my own. I reserve the right to edit your submission.

Rick Heit Photography

For more info on Rick Heit Photography in Minot, ND, click here.

Blog renaissance

Shawn MacKenzie’s
“Llewellyn’s Little Book of Dragons”

Blog history 

Years ago, I produced week-long, special-event, promotional blog articles in collaboration with others. 

Over those years, I featured artists, writers, bloggers, other editors and proofreaders, sculptors, potters, graphic designers, jewelry makers, furniture makers, chefs, cooks, crafters, and more. 

The good feels

I felt good doing that. I want to do that again.  

Any time I can lift someone’s spirits – show their art or design or hard work – and share their passion with others, it gives me a warm fuzzy. 

It also helped me grow – in my perceptions and with creatives and their media around the country and the world.  

Resurrecting these partnerships

I would like to resurrect those special moments. Not in week-long events (man, that was a lot of work!), but with special events for anyone who has a book, artwork, or food truck launch or for creatives who simply want to share their special talents with my audience. 

All these blog features will be shared to my FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Contact me

If you are interested in a special-event feature on my blog, use the Contact Form or send an email – karenrsanderson@midco.net.

******

Links to a handful of previous collaborations –  

Emmett Russell – Furniture maker and metal sculpturist – from 2015

Chris Eboch – Myths about writing for children – from 2015

Photographer Rick Heit – Interview with Rick Heit epic photographer – from 2015

Editor spotlight with Darlene Elizabeth Williams – Editor Spotlight – from 2014 

My Main Street with Minot’s Main Street Books – My Main Street – from 2013

Darlene Foster – Darlene Foster, tweens author – from 2013

Elizabeth H. Cottrell – Tools for touching hearts and lives – from 2013

Shawn MacKenzie – You are your words – from 2013

******

Note – One of my greatest pleasures is when I present a guest in the best possible light. I will take more care with your blog appearance than with my own. I reserve the right to edit your submission.

Another note – This article was edited by Shawn MacKenzie. However, any mistakes that remain are mine. 

An editor’s life isn’t all buttercups and adoration

Realization

I realize that some writers dread the edit – I’m the type that looks forward to it! I love it when my editor picks apart my prose, my grammar, my dialog.

I love a good dragon-powered edit from my BFE (best friend/editor), Shawn MacKenzie. See Shawn’s editor-at-large page. If you want her new book (and you should!) click Dragons for Beginners.

Hold your breath and cringe

The writer holds his breath once he sends an MS to his editor.

The writer cringes when she sees “Your MS Critique Letter” in her inbox.

What about us editors?

Yeah, we suffer too.

I have been bitched out, effed up and down, slammed against the internet wall, told, “Never contact me again,” and, “You don’t know what you’re doing because my Aunt ______ loves my book!”

Why do so many writers play the “aunt” card?

Just a few curse words

I had a writer curse me out because I wouldn’t give a carte blanche and a recommendation on her publishing company (I edited her book, but I knew nothing about her publishing company).

A nice reply

Friend Denise Hisey (who has an awesome blog, you need to check it out) had some very nice things to say about my recent critique letter to her.

What Denise Hisey said: Criticism can be hard to take. I didn’t feel like you were criticizing though, I felt you were helping. I’ve grown too much in other areas of my life not to grow in this one, too! I may never sell a thing, but I want to improve as a writer just the same.

Ah, Denise. Your email was like a tender spring breeze among the apple blossoms.

Denise also said, about editing and editors: Yes, I imagine it could be nerve wracking on your end, too!

You got that right.

Throwing poo

I don’t just throw editor-flavored poo at you to make you feel bad.

I throw good poo at you – based on what I’ve learned about editing and proofreading, from reading blogs about editing and proofreading, and from reading blogs and industry articles about publishing, books, and writing.

And remember, I read grammar, punctuation, and style manuals for fun.

I hold my breath and cringe too

Every time I send a critique letter or a mass of comments on an MS, I shrink from what might come back from an “offended” writer.

But then I get a great testimonial, like from Elizabeth H. Cottrell. Elizabeth sometimes has me edit her non-fiction articles.

What Elizabeth said: Not only did [Karen] get the work back to me quickly, but the critique she provided was thorough, intelligent, and highly professional. She is very knowledgeable about proper and effective writing in general and blogging in particular, so her suggestions added clarity and energy to my articles. It’s an investment in the honing of my own writing craft.

Elizabeth and I developed a friendship, and we commiserate on many subjects (not just writing related).

So, your editor

How will you respond to your editor the next time?

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Shawn MacKenzie. She’s an editor extraordinaire if ever there was one.  

Shawn MacKenzie had her first Dragon encounter when she was four years old and happened upon a copy of The Dragon Green by J. Bissell-Thomas. That was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Author of The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2011), and Dragons for Beginners (Llewellyn, 2012), she is an editor and writer of sci-fi/fantasy. Her fiction has been published in Southshire Pepper-Pot, 2010 Skyline Review, and as a winner of the 2010 Shires Press Award for Short Stories. Shawn is an avid student of myth, religion, philosophy, and animals, real and imaginary, great and small. Her ramblings can be found on her blog, MacKenzie’s Dragonsnest and at her web site.

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Denise Hisey. I don’t like to define Denise by “survivor,” because she’s so much more than that.

Denise Hisey is a survivor of chronic, severe childhood abuse. Asking for help didn’t come easy, but she highly recommends it. Her memoir is still stuck in her head, but screams to be set free! She lives in Washington State with her husband and enjoys riding her motorcycle when weather allows. Her growing family is her pride and joy! Find her blogging at Inspired 2 Ignite or reading on Goodreads.

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Elizabeth H. Cottrell. Elizabeth is my most-fave client ever.

Elizabeth H. Cottrell, a.k.a. RiverwoodWriter, is a Connection Curator, collecting and organizing information and resources about the power of connection to present them in ways that provide meaning and value. She is a passionate student of everything related to life’s essential connections: with God, with self, with others, and with nature.

Elizabeth shares her findings, inspiration, and guidance at Heartspoken.com. Elizabeth also teaches small business connection strategies at RiverwoodWriter.com.

Connect with Elizabeth on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. – Aristotle

True friends stab you in the front. – Oscar Wilde

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Opening Photo – Tana Jung via Photobucket.com.

Quotes from BrainyQuote.com.