What I Often Correct in Manuscripts

Common oversights and errors

When you write your book, you’re focused either on telling your story (if it’s fiction or memoir) or teaching/explaining your concept (if it’s nonfiction). You have so much to share, show, and tell, and that should absolutely be your focus.

When I copy edit a manuscript, I’m there as a clean up crew, making sure everything is neatly presented, correct, and clear. I’m following behind you with a broom, just tidying up things so that you can stay focused on the big picture. There are few things that I find authors commonly do (or forget to do) that I correct frequently. Being aware of this can help you create a book that is cleaner and easier to read.

Headers

This is mostly an issue in nonfiction since fiction books don’t usually have headers in the chapters. When you write your book, you will save yourself and whoever formats the book a lot of trouble if you format the headers as H1, H2, H3, etc. In Word you can find this in the toolbar under Home. In Googe Docs it’s in the main toolbar at the top - click on “Normal text” for the dropdown menu.

Indicating which header is which level not only saves time later (you will likely be asked to do this before the book is finalized), but it prevents errors. If you don’t indicate the level of header, a formatter who hasn’t actually read the book is going to insert them and chances are they won’t know how you want it done and could mistake an H3 for an H2 and vice versa. This can really confuse your readers, so doing what you can avoid it is imperative.

Em Dashes

You’ve probably seen a lot of talk about em dashes (—) because if a book uses a lot of them, it can be a sign that it was written by AI.

I’m not opposed to em dashes, but I think that for best effect they should be used judiciously. Use a comma in most instances.

When they are warranted, make sure that you are using an em dash and not an en dash (–) or a hyphen (-). An em dash is used when you’re creating a break in a sentence. “I ran to the store—we were out of milk—and then got back to work.”

This is a tiny, super-picky punctuation thing, but because em dashes are a hot topic (due to AI), I suggest my authors think about them carefully and use them correctly.

Stacked Headers

Here I am, banging on about headers again. Stacked headers happen when you have two headers without any content or text in between them. For example, if you start a chapter like this:

(H1)Chapter 2: Benefits of Goats for Weed Control

(H2)Low Cost

Or you have an H2 followed by an H3 with nothing in between them like this:

(H2)Types of Yoga

(H3)Hatha

Always include at least a sentence or two between your headers. Stacked headers feel crowded and rushed. You need to explain the general topic and then get into the specifics in the subheads.

Page Breaks

Insert a page break at the end of one chapter, before the beginning of the next. You want to make sure the chapters don’t run together and that it is formatted this way for the reader.

Choose First Person, Second Person or Third Person

First person is I/we. Second person is you. Third person is he/she/they.

In fiction, it’s important to choose which person you’re writing in and stick with it through the book.

First person: “The knot in my stomach tightened. I felt my throat clench, and my breath became ragged.”

Third person: “James felt the knot in his stomach tighten. His throat clenched and his breath became ragged.”

Switching from first person to third person can be very confusing, unless it is intentional and done in a purposeful and artistic way.

In nonfiction, particularly in self-help books, choosing between first person and second person is key when you are instructing your reader. A lot of my writers like the communal feeling of using first person “we”: “We begin to dismantle the inner critic, making way for us to truly hear our creative voice.”

Others feel more comfortable with second person “you”: “After you charge both phones, connect them to the wi-fi. Make sure you update the software on both phones.”

Either one is valid, but it’s important to stick with one throughout. Shifting back and forth between “we” and “you” becomes confusing.

Don’t Forget to Sign up for “Use AI for Your Book Proposal Without It Using You”

My class is live on Teachable and offers 10 lessons with videos and downloads for just $99. Don’t let AI pass you by. Learn how to use it to your advantage (without it using you). I will not teach you how to use AI to write your book proposal. What I will teach you is how to use it to get the information and data you need and how to use it to fine-tune your word choice and help you think more creatively. AI is going to save you tons of time and help you reach new levels with your proposal. Would you write your book on a typewriter if a computer was available? Find out AI can add to your creativity and output.

In My World

I spent the entire day in the car yesterday, driving my mom and her dog to a vet several hours away for some testing and diagnosis. The good news is they pinpointed the dog’s issue, but the bad news is the approach is mostly going to be pain management with hopefully some progress through dog PT.

My garden is producing and I’m enjoying strawberries, peas, and lettuce.

Obsessed With…

I’m reading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. If you liked the movie with Matt Damon, The Martian, this book is for you. It’s about a scientist sent on a mission to save our sun. The suspense is killer. I expected the science to be overwhelming, but I’m finding I don’t mind it.

I’ve discovered The Chaperone on PBS Passport, starring Elizabeth McGovern. It’s scratching my Downton Abbey itch while keeping me interested in a story about a young dancer who goes to NYC with her female chaperone (McGovern). The chaperone is on a quest of her own, to find her biological parents.

Good Goods

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But even the lab grown ones are pricey. Having a yen for a diamond tennis bracelet without the bank account for it, I began exploring fakes. I am a member of several Facebook groups that discuss shopping and one brand kept coming up again and again. Pavoi on Amazon. Lots of people recommend this brand as a really good fake, without a hefty price tag. So I bought this gold-plated tennis bracelet for $16 and I have been sleeping in it, swimming in it, showering it, etc. It’s part of a stack of three bracelets I wear 24/7 and it gives me a nice little bit of bling without the price tag and it looks expensive.

Note: Some of the links may provide me a small referral fee.