RELAX MORE ~ ADVICE FROM AN EDITOR
August already! School is starting soon - in some form. This month we’re meeting my editor. What does an editor do, you ask? An editor reads your work, suggests changes in structure, flow, punctuation, word usage, and spelling, and more. Read more for a personal challenge!
Kids, when you’re writing a story, DO NOT worry about everything right at first. You’ll get bogged down and lose track of the story completely. Just, relax. Get the story out of your head and down on paper first. After that, you can work on the rest easily. But DO look over your work later and make corrections, if needed. It really helps to read your work out loud. I often find mistakes that way. If you can, ask your parents to look it over too. The more eyes on it, the better.
Proofreading is so important! You’ll be thankful you don’t make silly mistakes - like on an important test, or a college paper, or on a resume for your first job someday.
About Beth Bruno, my professional editor
I was a highly motivated student in elementary school. Looking back, I think I would tell my elementary school self to relax more and not feel so driven to excel at everything in every subject. My motivation was intense and it never even occurred to me to goof off once in awhile.
My favorite subjects varied from year to year, depending often on how much I liked the teacher. Overall I enjoyed music and art classes the most, and was neutral toward math. I disliked history because it was all about memorizing facts and dates – boring! In college, professors of history made the subject far more interesting, and now I really enjoy it.
I became an editor in 1997, a couple years after I started writing a weekly op-ed column for the local newspaper. The column was called “Stand Up and Be Counted” and featured my opinions about issues of the day along with an invitation for readers to chime in with their opinions on the subjects I chose. I received a lot of mail in response to my columns both in print and online, so the column continued for about 10 years. During those years I also edited content for a few websites and began editing book manuscripts as well. That part of my business grew rapidly and now is my primary role in the literary business. There is nothing quite like the creative and challenging process of collaborating with an author to improve and polish their work for publication. I’ve edited more than 400 book manuscripts and still enjoy it. The process of birthing a book never grows old.
My favorite genres are mystery, memoir, YA (young adult), children’s fiction and nonfiction, historical adult fiction, science fiction, and adventure (both fiction and nonfiction).
I’ve traveled far and wide over the years to European countries, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia. It’s fascinating to experience foreign traditions, people, cultures, languages, and habitats abroad. I plan to continue my travels when the Covid Virus pandemic eases. The unpredictability of the virus, and the lack of effective treatments or a cure have made me a homebody for now.
Beth and her husband celebrating their anniversary. Guess which one!
YOUR (NOT YOU’RE) TURN
Please read the following ad with your kids and see how many errors they can find. Proofreading is so important! Recently this sign was posted on a pool gate:
Pool Closed Due to Carnivorous
(I am still laughing about that one!) In this ad you will find errors in spelling and word usage. I didn’t make any errors with punctuation. See how many you can find. (Hint: there are thirteen mistakes and I’m not counting the fake phone number.) If you want to write on it, you can click on the image and print it.
P.S. This ad is fictitious. This dog isn’t really missing.
Character Corner
~ Compassion
Compassion is helping someone who is suffering. Especially today, we must remember to “BE KIND. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” —Ian Maclaren
People can be hurting physically or emotionally. Here are some questions to discuss with your parents.
Think of a time you were sick, injured, or feeling badly. Did someone help you? How did that person show compassion?
What is the opposite of compassion? (Being indifferent, harsh, or cruel.)
How can you “look out for others” at your school?
How can you show compassion to someone who is being picked on, teased, bullied, or harassed by other students?
Some animals, like the zebra, show compassion. A single, weak zebra is easy prey for a lion. That is why zebras do not leave a wounded or sick zebra to fend for itself. Rather than abandoning the weak, a strong stallion will face the attacker and fight valiantly. When the danger passes, one zebra will lick clean another zebra’s wounds to prevent infection.
Compassion means helping those who are physically hurt and standing up for those who are weak or vulnerable. Don’t be a bully who takes advantage of others. Be kind, be brave, and defend those who need help.
Let’s think of some other ways we can show compassion. Which of these could YOU do? Maybe you have another idea.
Visit a widowed or elderly person.
Deliver a sack of groceries to a charitable organization.
Give flowers in memory of a friend or relative.
Donate clothes or blankets to a homeless shelter.
Send a card to someone who needs encouragement.
Give someone at home a break by doing his or her chores.
Raise money for a good cause.
Gather toys or stuffed animals for a children’s home.
Easy to Remember “I WILL” statements: I WILL
Notice when others are hurting.
Stop to help.
Take time to listen.
Do what I can.
Be kind, regardless of differences.
*Used with permission from the elementary curriculum of Character First Education.
Author Update
Emeline - A Journey is off to London with my awesome designer, Rachel Lawston. She’s setting up the book’s interior and finishing the outside cover(s) too. Soon, I’ll send it to Beth again for proofreading, and then finally it will be printed! This book will be a premium hardcover book (really great edition), a softcover, an e-book, and an audiobook. I have a narrator already picked out and I think you’ll love listening to her.
I just received this image from Claudia Gadotti, my illustrator, today. I love it!
From final chapter: Emeline meets Grandfather Silas
Click to print & color - have fun!
BIG NEWS
Next month, I will be changing the way I do this blog. I will be providing you with two shorter blogs: the first will be a book review (not my books) which will come on the first Tuesday every month.
Then, on the third Tuesday, I’ll have an author update which will tell you what I’ve done that month, and what I anticipate for the following month. I will have discounts for subscribers as well as giveaways, but those are to be determined. I’ll announce them in my author update in August.
The current first-of-the-month blog will be discontinued in its current format/timing. I hope you enjoy the new format and would love to read any comments you’d like to make.
Our Gallery
A commentary on our times.
Praying for harmony and compassion in our country and the world.
