⁉️Are complex documentation projects holding your technical writing team back? Let's connect and discuss how to streamline your process, improve efficiency, and enhance the quality of your written content. I'd love to offer a complimentary consultation to help identify areas for improvement and provide personalized guidance. Reach out to me directly shumin@asd-ste100.net to schedule a discussion and let's get your team back on track 💯 #clarity in #documentation #technicalwriting #standards #workplace #safety #compliance #manufacturing #engineering #aerospace #defense #software #sseries #integratedproductsupport #ips #integratedlogisticsupport #integratedlifecyclesupport #ils

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📙 Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book Authors: Liz Morrow Ariel Curry Category: Nonfiction Writing Reference Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield   In this primer that Publishers Weekly says, "aspiring authors will want to study," prospective nonfiction authors will learn insight and advice from industry insiders.   So many people want to write a book. They dream of holding their work in their hands, seeing their name on the spine. They feel passionate and invigorated, ready to take action. They know it won’t be easy; it takes grit, initiative, and commitment. But with the right mindset and the right plan, publishing a book is within every writer’s reach.   In Hungry Authors:The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book, writers and publishing experts Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry offer aspiring authors an engaging, hands-on resource that includes:   ✅ Hope and optimism about the publishing landscape ✅ A fresh and humorous perspective on the work and business of being a writer ✅A practical roadmap for ideating, planning, writing, and publishing a book ✅ Tips and tricks for how to get an agent or publisher’s attention, even without a huge platform ✅ Access to dozens of extra resources on the accompanying website, www.hungryauthors.com   Good books don’t happen by accident.   They happen because the author has a plan every step of the way, from their book’s structure to the publishing path that’s best for them.   Any author with a great idea and a boatload of gumption can write and publish an impactful nonfiction book, and Hungry Authors is the tool every writer needs to make that happen.     📚📔📕📙📓📒📗📘 Lance Scoular 🔹️ The Savvy Navigator 🧭🌐 #amazoninfluencer #book #ad #amazonbooks #fromtheauthorsmouth  #guide #planning #writing #publishing #nonfictionbook   https://lnkd.in/g9HaHdKF

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Hybrid publishing can be a weird world for self-publishers. Here is a list to get you started on your journey. #selfpublishing #hybridpublishers Ten Hybrid Publishers to Start You Off https://lnkd.in/gKK5MDcH

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PSA for writers and editors using MS Word Re: Disappearing editorial comments I just thought I'd alert everyone to an issue that's cropped up with a recent update to MS Word. It seems other editors are encountering it too; it's annoying a lot of people. The default setting for editorial comments in MS Word seems to be 'contextual', but, apparently, they've changed how contextual works. Now, if one deletes or changes a word of text and then tries to comment on that change already made, the comment made is *not* made visible in the comment pane - one can only see it by hovering over the comment highlighting in the main body text. It *may* become visible in the comments pane *after* the changed or deleted word is accepted, but that's really unhelpful if the comment is an explanation of the change. One would prefer to see the explanation first so as to be able to make an informed decision. Also, if one makes a comment on a whole block of text and the *first word of that block has been deleted or changed*, exactly the same thing will happen - the comment won't be visible in the pane. There seem to be two ways around this. 1) Go into: 'review' then 'show comments', and then alter comment style from 'contextual' to 'list'. Then all comments are shown in the pane at the same time. 2) Don't attach a comment on a change - attach it to the word before or after it. Personally, I think option 1 is the more sensible of the two. However, please be aware that an MS Word doc may reset itself to contextual comments after being closed and opened again. If you're going to use option 1, I advise checking every MS Word doc is in 'list' every time. One for the checklist.

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It’s important for both writers and editors to understand the nuances of the phrase "to have" and its past participle "had," as they reveal deeper connections between subjects and actions. https://lnkd.in/e4QXnABb #Writing #Editing #Usage #Language #CopyEditing #RightTouchEditing

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When you hire a ghostwriter (or an agency) to write content for you, don't expect the first draft to be perfect. Especially early on in the relationship. But even deep into the relationship, a first draft is just that. A first draft. The writer isn't the expert. You are. Their job is to move the project forward. Help you translate your expertise onto the page. Organize your thoughts. So, don't get frustrated if there is room for improvement. I'd be worried if there weren't. Provide helpful feedback. Jump on a call to talk through what's missing and what could be improved. And then let your writers focus on a v2, which should be vastly better. That's what a collaborative relationship in content creation looks like, and I'm glad that we have that with the clients we work with. #contentstrategy #B2Bmarketing #ghostwriting

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Are you guilty of these five common technical writing mistakes? 1. Omitting articles 2. Overusing jargon 3. Creating dense text 4. Forgetting the "how" 5. Skipping edits (yes, even engineers need spellcheck) Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your technical documents are clear, concise, and user-friendly.   Delve into these tips here: #TechnicalWriting #WritingTips https://lnkd.in/gzbBcJva?

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I have some fire to breath!🔥 There are major gaps in the publishing industry! This is Part 2. The publishing industry is saturated and many publishing companies are using smoke and mirrors AND the naivety of up-and-coming authors as their bandaid solution to the problem. It's wrong, and it can't last long. Bandaids rip easily. The bridges will burn. And despite all that I LOUDLY DECLARE: there is no better time to publish than now, especially for heart driven and spiritually based leaders. It has been just 3 months since I founded the Heart Open Publishing Enterprise. I've gotten the benefit of coming in right in the middle of the gap and I feel excited about the challenges I have seen, excited to show and support my authors to navigate these gaps and pave a new way across! If you want success with your book, read on. I'm going to walk you through these three realities: 🔥1. Gone are the days of being *chosen* by a publishing company, handing over your book and hitting overnight stardom. But that's great news for you, because in the old model, only a FEW could ever have access to even being published, let alone getting that kind of treatment. No, now the process is all in your hands. You have full control. Your book goes as far as you decide. 🔥2. There is zero point in publishing a book without a marketing plan. Don't bother. When I meet with my authors I ask them, what is your vision for the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of your book? Where do you see yourself and what do you see yourself doing? Then we build backward from there. We strategically weave the marketing of your book into new and existing marketing endeavors, weaving it into the services you offer in your business. We do all of this before you've even started writing. Ideally your 12-month book marketing plan is written before your book is written! It's a combination of organic and non-organic. The new earth demands that we only step into leadership through linking arms with those around us and going together. The connections and community you're forming right now are the people who are just a few degrees away from your big dream. This is how we get there. 🔥3. Don't buy into the lie that the new gates to a successful book are guarded by how much money you have to shove at your book. Yes! This will cost money! And of course you CAN absolutely pay a million and buy your way onto the New York Times bestseller list or onto your favorite TV show. But THATS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE. Nor is it the most integrous...🙄 You can go really far on any budget. Support for your solo book at HOPE ranges from around $8K-$25K, we work with our authors to create a tailored package suiting their exact needs and vision. I've done it for less, and if it felt like I could offer more, I could do it for more. Your creativity is the only limitation. … continued in comments 🔥

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If you write in Google Docs, this article reminds us of its helpful features, like showing word count as you type and navigating through outline mode when formatting with headings and subheadings (I use all of these recommendations except a few of the shortcut key strokes). MAKE GOOGLE DOCS WORK FOR YOU​: https://lnkd.in/gAqQpuxj

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(Editor’s Note: Periodically the editors feel compelled to clarify and even correct content produced by this author. Editors have added context after erroneous comments in today's post. Readers should proceed with caution.) People often ask me how I became an award-winning author. (Literally no one has ever asked that.) It required extensive study of Bible commentary and analyzing scripture in the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. (But mostly by receiving daily devotional emails from much smarter authors.) This process has revealed to me hidden messages in the Bible. (Only “hidden” in the sense these verses are not typically on Christian wall art. It’s right there in black and white… and sometimes red.) This insight is rare, it’s life-changing, and I am pleased to share it with you here. (While the first two claims are suspect, what the author wrote is, in fact, found here.) I call this series, “Hidden Secrets of the Bible at Work.” Here’s an example: In the gospel of John, Jesus’ expansive ministry has angered the Jewish leaders, to the point where they want to kill him. Yet Jesus remains in the area to follow God’s perfect timing for his ministry. His followers encourage him to go to Jerusalem for a bigger stage where more people can hear his message. And they encourage it with more than a hint of cynicism. “Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’  For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (John 7:3-5 NIV) This reminds me of work. Have you had a plan or project derailed by others? Have so many cooks stirred the pot that you lost control of your soup? Input and collaboration produce strong outcomes. But I think we also need to be careful not to let others divert our plans as they pursue their own agendas. And we shouldn’t feel our work is worthwhile only if it’s seen by a crowd. Eventually, Jesus did go to Jerusalem, but he did it in God’s timing. Jesus was focused on following his Father’s direction, just as we should be. We can start by asking for his guidance. (Huh. Fortunately, he ended better than he started.) #devotional #faith #faithatwork #faithandwork

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With any luck, I’ll be able to analyze marketing performance for this newsletter and Advance Huntsville. I could also do policy analysis and/or data journalism. I’d love to qualify for a machine learning job. Or, at least have semi-educated opinions on the topic. We’ll see if I can get that proficient, and, if I can, whether “jobs” still exist by then. https://lnkd.in/dSVzuf24

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The problem many ghostwriters or freelance writers face (and some of them deliberately do this) is... They promise specific numbers or outcomes to their clients. - My content will generate 2-5 leads every week (guaranteed); - The opt-ins in the email courses that I write will help you make $50,000; - I will help you get 1,000,000 impressions + 1,000 new followers each month. Unless you truly have control over these variables, you should never EVER promise something like this. What you can promise instead is simply a transformation: Your clients didn’t do this thing → Now with your help, they are doing this thing. For example: - Your clients didn’t have a YouTube channel → now they have a YouTube channel. - Your clients weren’t active on social media → now they are active on social media. - Your clients didn’t have a weekly newsletter → now they have a weekly newsletter. This is the value that you deliver to your clients. Impressions, engagements, leads, and money - all of this is just a byproduct of your collaboration with the customer and the added value that comes with it. So stay away from such specific promises. In your moment of need, they can let you down and undermine your reputation. That’s all for today, people! P.S. Have you ever promised some specific metrics to your potential clients? If yes, was it successful? Be honest! :)

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Question: What snags have you hit when working with a digital content contractor? 📣 If you have worked with an external writer, editor, or writing company (where you post topics to be picked up by a pool of writers), what barriers or stumbling blocks did you come up against? Whether it’s something they did that you didn’t like or didn’t expect, or something you later realized you did wrong or unexpectedly—I want it all! I’m researching a new project on working with editorial contractors, and your insights will be extremely helpful! Please tag any contacts who might want to weigh in, too! (And, hey—if your contractor was me, I'm open to hearing those issues, too! 😅)

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Heads Up...AI's about to rock your writing world... Something BIG is coming for aspiring non-fiction and memoir writers like you. Imagine if you could:   * Brainstorm, outline, and craft your book in just 14 days * Overcome writer's block with the click of a button * Research faster and deeper than ever before * Find your unique voice and tell your story with confidence   Sounds too good to be true?    It's not.   The secret?   Artificial Intelligence.   But here's the catch – AI alone isn't enough. You need to know how to use it effectively.   That's where I come in.   I've spent years honing my craft as a professional writer and USA Today bestselling author. Now, I've distilled my expertise into a powerful tool that combines the best of human creativity with AI assistance.   In just a few days, I'm launching something that will change the game for aspiring non-fiction writers.   Stay tuned. Your writing journey is about to get a serious upgrade.   (Psssstttt...I'm sharing all the deets on my Outlaw Writer's Newsletter here >> https://bit.ly/3JBKIOk )  

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For longer web content (1,000+ words), use summaries, bullet points, callouts, bolding, and helpful visuals to help readers better understand and engage with your content—says research by Nielsen Norman Group. (Can you tell I'm a fan of Nielsen Norman Group and their research? 😁) #PlainLanguage #WritingTips

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