Posts Categorized: Writing

Social Media Numbers: Do They Really Matter?

Numbers (377x400)
She’s right.

Shauna Niequist is so very right.

We are not defined by numbers. We are more than a math equation. More creative than calculus. More excellent than exponential notations. (Okay, that’s about all the math terms that I know.)

I needed to read this quote. Because lately, wherever I turn, my life is dictated by numbers. The entire publishing industry has changed from writing books to creating numbers. What do I mean by this?

One word: PLATFORM

Number of Facebook friends

Number of Twitter followers

Number of Pinterest re-pins

Number of blog subscribers

Numbers, numbers, numbers!

If your social media numbers don’t add up to a big, gigantic, impressive number … then probably no book deal for you.

Is platform everything in publishing? Yeah, it pretty much is. Are there those rare instances of authors not having a platform and getting publishing? Sure, but that is being more and more scarce.

And I understand—agents and publishers want to guarantee they are making their returns when they invest in authors. In today’s economy, authors must prove they have an audience, guaranteed sales, long-term success.

I get it. I really do. But it gets exhausting.

Consuming. Disappointing. Depressing.

Eventually, I can feel like all my worth, value, credentials is summed up in one NUMBER.

Do you ever feel that way? (Go ahead, admit it.)

Our magic can’t be calculated by math. You are more than a number. Whether you struggle with feeling like the number on a scale, the number of your 401K, or the number of your platform (or the lack of numbers of your platform), you are so much more than that.

God didn’t create a number. A figure. A robot. A calculation. He created you.

You are His CREATION.

You were created by the Creator. In turn, you create. You create magic every day when you write, edit, rewrite, proofread, blog, market, sell, encourage, challenge, change, discover.

How? How can that be?

Mary DeMuth made an excellent point in a recent Webinar on how to Pinterest. She said: “It’s not who follows you that is important. It’s who follows the ones who follow you.”

Did you get that?

Your numbers may not be astronomical. That’s okay. Jesus had 12 disciples. That’s pretty pitiful in today’s Social Media terms.

But what did those 12 followers do? They changed the world. They influenced others, who influenced others, who influenced others. And today, there are millions of Christian believers around the world.

It’s not the numbers of your platform—it’s what you do on your platform and how you encourage and influence others to encourage and influence others.

numbers2

One writer friend confided that she was discouraged when she put her heart, soul, time, energy into a blog series that wasn’t getting much feedback. I understood—been there, done that! But the next day, an acquaintance from long ago commented that the blog series had encouraged her to spend more time with her son. In fact, she bought her son a Bible for them to read together.

ONE.

One person might have been the only numbered outcome of her efforts. But oh, how did my writer friend change eternity with that ONE person?

Are you looking at your writing, blogging, publishing, and marketing with earthly eyes focused on numbers?

Or are you looking at your work with eternal eyes—how you can change eternity through ONE person at a time?

God changed the world—all of eternity—with ONE person: JESUS.

Forget about being defined by your social media numbers. Focus on the power of ONE. Be encouraged that your efforts in influencing one person can multiply into big numbers—numbers you may never even know on this side of heaven.

Don’t be defined by numbers. Be defined by purpose. Your purpose. Eternal purpose. God’s purpose in you.

*  *  *  *  *

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©2011- 2016 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

Proofread with Precision

hand working business

What was one of the things your teacher always told you in school?

Do your best. Keep your hands to yourself. Practice makes perfect. Raise your hand before speaking.

Yes, these are all valid. But the particular one I am thinking about is: Double check your work.

As an editor, that’s pretty much what I do all day long: Double check other people’s work! Was it only applicable in seventh grade? Nope! Anybody who writes a letter, word, or sentence needs to double check—triple check—his or her work. Whether or not you are a grammar goddess or spelling bee queen, you need to proofread everything you write.

Proofread, proofread, proofread!

You may never be congratulated for using proper grammar, but you sure may be ridiculed if someone finds a mistake in your marketing copy, your resume, a business email, or even a restaurant menu. Incorrect copy, misspelled words, and improper sentences can cost you a sale, a job, or even your reputation.

The cure? Proofread! No matter who you are or what you do, anything you write needs to be double checked for correctness. So how can you proofread accurately to catch mistakes?

1. Take a break for at least 24 hours. Write your copy, and then leave it alone for at least a full day. Writing is like having blinders on—your brain knows what it wants to see, and it can’t always see the mistakes. Not looking at it for a while will give you fresh eyes when you pick it back up again.

2. Block out noise. Proofreading = precision. It’s hard to work precisely with noisy distractions. I can often write with music on, the TV blaring, and the kids playing. But I absolutely cannot edit when it is noisy around me. I need a quiet place to focus and concentrate on each word.

3. Read out loud. OK, I know, this seems silly. But it does work! (Although you might want to do this when nobody is around!) Read your work out loud, and you will catch the mistakes and the parts that don’t flow well, seem awkward, and not what you originally wanted to say.

4. Print a hard copy. I always edit on paper. Maybe I’m old school, but it really does help me edit better. Reading on a screen, my eyes become tired and glance over mistakes. When I print out a manuscript, article, or any other copy, it is easier and more effective to edit properly.

5. Read it backward. It may sound like Jabberwocky, but reading backward will help you catch misspelled words.

6. Use color. When you print out a copy to proof, use colored ink to make your corrections. It’ll help you as you enter in the corrections.

7. Take a break. Proofreading and editing take focused, concentrated effort, so take a break every 20 minutes or so, just to give your eyes and brain a quick rest.

8. Let someone else read it. After you’ve done the previous seven tips, the last (and best) thing to do is ask a friend to read your copy. Ask them, “Does it make sense? Do you see any mistakes? Do you understand the point I am trying to make?” Someone reading a document for the first time will more likely be able to catch mistakes and give you feedback (whether positive or negative) better than you, especially when you have read the same sentence twenty-five times.

Please proofread! Make your seventh-grade teacher happy, don’t forfeit the job interview, secure the sale, and, most of all, look like an intelligent, competent person with correct copy by proofreading, proofreading, proofreading!

Follow my boards on Editing & Grammar on Pinterest!

 

©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

 

Helping People Shine

Be Shiny
I love commas.

And conjunctions.

And semicolons.

I am a grammar nerd.

As an editor, I “fix” other people’s work. I add, delete, insert, cut, strike out, and transition paragraphs, sentences, and words. I format, proofread, rewrite, reorganize, and edit, edit, edit. I know the correct usage of punctuation, what subjunctive mood is, how to detect passive voice, and when to use a comma, semicolon, or colon.

But as much as I love grammar, formatting, and writing … I love people more.

Writers, specifically.

I love encouraging writers on their publishing journey. Helping them putting together the best, most well-written manuscript and proposal.

I love helping them SHINE.

To be honest, it’s not always easy or comfortable or time efficient. Most of the time, writers have to bare their soul—to me and on the typed page. They have to become vulnerable to get at the real story. Transparent. Authentic. They have to fight me for every beloved word that I, as an editor, want to strike from their manuscript. They have to be pushed by me to write more, be more, shine more.

The writer-editor relationship is difficult. It’s a love-hate partnership. But it’s also wonderful, because in the end, after the tears and crumbled typed pages, the writers SHINE.

My good friend and talented writer Adelle Gabrielson is writing about being SHINY this month on her blog. What does SHINE even mean?

To illuminate. To lighten, or brighten. To add light, shine, glow.

Adelle says, “Being shiny isn’t about being happy and perfect all the time. It’s about telling the truth, and when we tell the truth, we light the path for someone else.”

I help light the path—through grammar and formatting query letters, manuscripts, and book proposals—for writers to SHINE.

How do you SHINE? How do you light the path for someone else? Who needs your glow today?

I encourage you to join Adelle for “31 Days to Shine.”

Go … be SHINY!

 

Follow my boards on Writing, Editing, Grammar, and Blog Tips on Pinterest!

 

©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

Safely Surfing Social Media

Surfing Safely
It wasn’t just a sniffle.

My computer had a full-blown virus (or rather, many viruses) that made it completely crash.

Computer Crashing = Blue Screen of Death = Me Panicking and Freaking Out

Now if you’re a sophisticated Mac user, perhaps last week’s post didn’t faze you one tiny bit. Perhaps you even had a smug smile on your face, mocking us PC users.

Yeah, I get it. After my computer crashed, I wish I were a Mac-user, too.

But if you do have a PC, perhaps you could empathize with me as I shared about two biggie viruses: hijacker and root kit.

The genius computer tech who saved my computer (and my life), told me something shocking:

Social media sites are the worst sites to surf because they are
breeding grounds for potential viruses.

You can imagine why. Facebook has 1 billion (with a “B”) users, most of whom let their guards down because they are so comfortable using the social network. You trust your friends, right? So naturally, you trust Facebook.

But hackers are pouncing on those billion Facebook users.

A quick click on a link, video, picture, or ad can lead to malware infection. In fact, there is a new password-swiping virus that has affected over 800,000 people (and counting) on Facebook by sending an innocent-looking video, which, once clicked on, takes you to a website to download a plug-in to watch the video. Once you do … uh-oh! The virus has access to your password and spreads the virus to even more unsuspecting, innocent victims.

But that’ll never happen to me.

Well, hopefully not. But even the most savvy users are getting doped into the vices of super-sophisticated hackers.

And if you never, ever, ever, click on links, are you still at risk? Yep. Because the more time you spend on Facebook, the bigger the chance you have of an attack. And if you are always logged into your Facebook account, your computer is especially exposed.

Another danger is clicking on ads, not only on Facebook but on any website, including blogs. Although you may be a devoted reader of a particular blogger, feeling as if you “know” him or her because you read the every blog post, clicking on an ad can be risky. Ads are particularly known for links that lead to malware infections.

So how can you be social and stay protected? Here are a few tips:
  • Know your own info. Hackers search your profile for answers to your security questions, such as your mother’s maiden name, hometown, first pet, favorite food, etc. Then they try to break into your account by clicking on the “Forgot your password?” link and guessing the answers to your security questions. If sites allow, make up your own security questions with answers that nobody knows and that aren’t posted in your profile.
  • Do not allow sites to scan your email address book. If you do, you give potential hackers email addresses of all your friends.
  • Type URLs directly into your browser. Don’t click on links to sites through an email, because it might redirect you to a fake site, asking for your username and password.
  • Be picky about friend requests. Be on the lookout for hackers with fake profiles wanting to get info from you by “friending” you.
  • Understand each site’s privacy policy. Yes, you should read that long 10-page document!
  • Remember that info is forever. Even if you delete a social media account, the information you have shared is permanently in cyber-space somewhere. Forever!
  • Don’t download third-party applications. This is another way hackers can steal your personal info.
  • When in doubt, don’t click! Although it’s tempting to click a link to see if it’s legit, refrain—then delete it immediately and restart your computer.

Today’s world is all about social media, especially for writers developing a platform. But the more social media infiltrates our world, so do potential hackers and their evil viruses. Be social but also be aware. Be very aware …

Join me on Facebook and Twitter!

 

©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

The Pesky, Little Dots Known as Ellipses

Ellipses
Such havoc these three little dots cause.
When writing, you most certainly need to pause.
Where do the spaces go?
Most writers just do not know.
Do the spaces go before, in-between, or after?
The wrong style sends editors into a fit of laughter.
Check your style guide before you write,
Or make you look silly, it just might!
Instead, look intelligent, smart, and clever,
When you correctly use ellipses. The wrong way? NEVER!

 final_ellipsis

I never thought three little periods would drive me crazy! Most people love to use ellipses, but the problem is creating the ellipsis properly. How do you style it? Like most things having to do with grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and the like, you must consult your style guide.

However, each style guide has its own … you guessed it … style! The AP Stylebook is comically referred to as “The Journalist’s Bible” (it has most certainly been the case for me). This guide is used mostly for writers and editors of newspapers and news magazines and is updated annually by the Associated Press.

The rival of the AP Stylebook is the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS for short), and it is the oldest style guide (first published in 1891) and the most comprehensive (over 1,000 pages) and covers everything you cannot find in other style guides. Book editors use the CMOS. However, the style guides do have their differences in style (which I’ll save for a later post).

Now back to the issue at hand … those pesky ellipses. How do you make them?

The Chicago Manual of Style defines an ellipsis as “the omission of a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a quoted passage” (13.48). Omitted material is indicated by the use of three spaced periods (or ellipsis points). Ellipses may also be used “to show a trailing off or an indecisiveness in thought or speech” (The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, page 191).

However, the ellipsis is so elusive that four pages have been devoted to its correct use in the CMH. Four pages! So apparently, I’m not the only one who is often confused on its usage.

The confusion arises not from the dots but from the spaces. Where do they go? I’ve seen writers use every combination of the dots and spaces imaginable. Which do you suppose is the correct form?

  1. I just don’t know…where do they go? (no spaces)
  2. I just don’t know… where do they go? (space on the right of the dots)
  3. I just don’t know …where do they go? (space on the left of the dots)
  4. I just don’t know . . . where do they go? (space before, after, and in-between each dot)
  5. I just don’t know … where do they go? (space before and after the dots)

If you chose #5 you are correct!

An ellipsis is created with three dots and one space before and one space after. (Although in-house style guides for particular publishers may differ—always use the appropriate style guide for your publication.)

Technically (and we are getting way technical here), the truly appropriate way to create an ellipses is with a teeny-tiny space in-between each dot; however, a “space” is too much space. How do you solve that problem? I found a fantastic blog with the answer!

“9 Months with the Chicago Manual of Style” is a very in-depth blog about “one man’s quest to read the Chicago Manual of Style from cover to cover in nine months and discuss points of grammar along the way.” How fantastic is that?

I know, I know … only for people like me who care about these tiny little dots and lie awake at night thinking about them. But Peter, the man behind the blog who is enduring the 9 months of dissecting the CMH, has saved my life … editorially speaking. I never, ever knew the secret to ellipses. Peter shares from his blog on May 6, 2011: “I’ve found a shortcut in Word whereby you type CTRL+ALT+period to get three (slightly different-looking ellipsis points).”

Can you say FAB-U-LOUS?

Thanks, Peter! Now there is no more worry about where the spaces around the dots go. We can all sleep at night knowing this valuable shortcut to creating the ellipses. And I can guarantee you all … I will be using this shortcut with devotion for the rest of my life!

Elusive ellipsis? No more! Ellipses no longer have to create havoc in your life! No more sleepless nights! However, now that you know how to properly create them, my next post will be a few do’s and don’ts in using them … do … stay … tuned!

(Part of this post was originally published as “The Elusive Ellipsis” at Witty Words on July 27, 2011.)

Do you need a professional editor? Click to see the editing and consulting services that I offer. Visit me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

  ©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

Verbs Are Moody, Too

Are You Moody FInal.jpg

Moody.

I’ve been called that a time or two.

Or three or four.

But who realized that like me, verbs are also moody?

I encountered this when I wrote my blog post, “I Wish Life Were Like Candy Crush.” I typed the title, stopped, looked at it, deleted “were” and typed in “was,” doubted myself, deleted “was,” and retyped “were.”

Which past tense verb was correct? In the very back of my cluttered editing mind, I vaguely remembered a rule about subjunctive verbs.

Subjunctive verbs are used to express a command, a wish, a suggestion, or a condition that is contrary to fact. Basically, if you wish something would happen, that is subjunctive mood. If it is a fact, then it is not subjunctive mood.

For example:

  • I wish I were a rich girl. [subjunctive mood]
  • I was a rich girl before I spent all my money. [not subjunctive mood]
  • If I were to win the lottery, I’d buy a new car.
  • I was going to buy a car when I win the lottery.

Use “were” when you are talking about things that aren’t true, aren’t fact, and didn’t happen but you just wish they would happen or wonder what would happen if things were different from the way they are.

Clues you need to use “were” include:

  • I wish …
  • If I …
  • Could/would …

Use “was” when you are talking about something that did happen, is likely to happen, is true, or is likely to be true. When you aren’t wishing for unicorns and clouds to rain down candy corn, use “was.”

So am I saying you have to pay attention to meaning?

Yep! Use your context clues (think back to second grade) and determine what the implied meaning is. For example, either of the sentences below could be true depending on the meaning:

  • If Channing Tatum was to knock on my door, I would faint. (Use “was” because I entered a contest where the prize was a visit from Mr. Magic Mike himself, so it could actually happen.)
  • If Channing Tatum were to knock on my door, I would faint. (Let’s face it—cutie pie is never going to knock on my door, so this is totally wishful thinking.)

So next time you use a “be” verb, ask yourself whether or not it is moody. Is it living in reality, dealing with facts? Or is it wishing upon a star and hoping for unicorns and Channing Tatum knocking on the door?

And you thought your own moods were difficult to handle!

 

Do you need a professional editor? Click to see the editing and consulting services that I offer. Visit me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

  ©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

Your Writing Voice: Personality on the Printed Page

Whatcha Saying
I have a confession to make.

A guilty pleasure, really.

I like Donny Osmond. Actually, his voice. I love his voice. I think it’s the best male singing voice of all time.

I know, I know. It’s a stiff competition—Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublè. So why would I love Donny above all of them?

I don’t know! I just do. Maybe because I love Broadway tunes, and he has a perfect voice for that. Perhaps because I saw him in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” musical as a teenager and he was pretty cute in his loin cloth.

Whatever the reason, I like his voice. It’s distinct. When you hear it, you know it’s him.

The same is true for any singer you like. As soon as you hear the first note, that person’s voice is unique and you know it’s him or her.

The same is also true for writers.

Your voice as a writer should be distinct. Unique. It should be you. When people read the first line of your novel, your aura should be in every syllable. When readers pick up one of your works, they should think, “Oh, I love this author—I can’t wait to read this!” Having a distinctive voice in writing allows readers to get to know you. To fall in love with you and your words.

Think of your favorite author. What is his or her “voice” like? Are they encouraging? Mystifying? Informative? Does she make you feel good? Does he have a way with words like no other author you’ve ever read? How does her personality come across on the printed page?

One of my clients and dear friends is the talented and successful “Hands Free Mama.” She has a very unique voice in her writing. I can distinguish her writing from all others by one sentence. She writes beautiful lyrical sentences, almost like poetry. Her words flow with emotion and encouragement.

With Beth Vogt’s first novel, To Catch a Falling Star, I was captivated by her voice. Her upbeat dialogue, quirky sentences, and humorous lines had me laughing out loud as I read. Although I’ve read many contemporary romances, her voice distinguishes her from other novelists.

Adelle Gabrielson, a boy mom who writes about motherhood and the need for great shoes, also has a unique voice. Snarky and fun. Authentic and honest. I love to read her writing, because it not only encourages me, but it relaxes me, soothes my soul, and helps me realize “we’re all this parenting thing together.”

Think about your favorite bloggers, authors, novelists, magazine writers. Why do you love them? What is unique about their writing that when you turn the page, you know the words are theirs?

Find that distinctness and uniqueness in your writing. Write down adjectives that you think describe your writing or that you’d like your writing to be. Allow a group of readers to help you define your voice so that can be consistent in your tone, your message, and your voice in your writing.

Your voice is your personality on the printed page.
Find your personality and let it shine!

 

Do you need a professional editor? Click to see the editing and consulting services that I offer. Visit me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

  ©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

Getting Rejected as a Writer

rejection
“Go out there and get rejected!”

My co-leader’s advice seemed quite unorthodox. And depressing. Rejection is the worst thing a writer can experience. Why go looking for it?

We were leading a “Publishing 101” workshop to aspiring writers, and my co-leader shared her story of 721 rejections.

Yes … seven HUNDRED and twenty-one.

I think I would have given up after the first seven!

But her advice struck a chord with these eager writers who were ready to dive into the world of publishing. They left the workshop feeling charged, chanting “Rejection! Rejection!”

Why get rejected? Why get a slap in the face that says you’re not good enough? We don’t want you. Your writing doesn’t cut it.

Because the lessons you learn along the journey to publishing are what’s going to make you into a superb writer.

Getting rejected means:

  • You are trying.
  • You are not giving up.
  • You are learning the market, the industry, the standards.
  • You are discovering new publications to submit to.
  • You are following different writer guidelines.
  • You are learning how to write emails, query letters, proposals.
  • You are becoming a better writer.
  • You are figuring out which genre you fit in.
  • You are deciding what agents and publishing houses would be a good fit for you.
  • You are honing your craft.
  • You are marketing yourself.
  • You are meeting people in the industry.
  • You are shadowing those who are successful.
  • You are connecting with fellow writers.
  • You are gaining a platform.
  • You are mastering social media.
  • You are on your unique journey to publication.

No writer gets by without rejection. Some of the best writers of all time suffered rejections.

  • Stephen King’s first published novel Carrie was rejected 30 times before selling 350 million copies worldwide.
  • Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind was rejected 38 times before winning her the Pulitzer Prize in 1937 and becoming one of the most classic movies of all time.
  • J.K. Rowling was rejected by over a dozen publishers.
  • Louisa May Alcott was rejected and told to stop trying to be a writer.
  • Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were rejected 140 times for Chicken Soup for the Soul, which has turned into a series of over 100 books selling over 100 million copies.
  • Beatrix Potter had to self publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
  • John Grisham’s A Time to Kill was rejected by 16 publishers.
  • James Patterson was rejected by more than a dozen publishers.
  • Judy Blume received rejections for two years.

If you are a writer and you’re not being rejected, you’re not putting yourself out there, you’re not learning the craft, the industry, and you’re not traveling the journey to publishing.

So what should you do?

Go get REJECTED!

Do you need a professional editor? Click to see the editing and consulting services that I offer. Visit me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

  ©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

From Strangers to Friends to San Jose

friends forever

There are no strangers; only friends you haven’t yet met.
~ William Butler Yeats

 

Do you know the way to San Jose? I’m hopping on a plane this week to find my way there! I’ve never been to California before, but I’m going to visit a stranger.

A stranger turned into a friend!

William Butler Yeats was right! A year ago Adelle Gabrielson, fellow writer, boy-mom, and lover of shoes, was a total stranger. But in a few days we’re going to meet face-to-face for the first time and attend the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference together.

Two writers on the opposite sides of the country meet online, become friends, and are going to have a “Thelma and Louise” type of weekend. Well, with a better ending, of course!

Isn’t God crazy?

It amazes me, this social media stuff. Reluctantly, I entered into the blogging world almost two years ago. What’s the point? I thought. I just don’t get it.

Good thing God gets it.

God has allowed me to meet awesome people all over the world. Fellow believers and bloggers I’ve met and chatted with over coffee, worked with on publishing projects, met for play dates at the park, comforted over the phone, and rejoiced with them over good news. In return, they have taught me, inspired me, encouraged me, and supported me.

All because of blogging. That is crazy to me!

The Internet has allowed strangers to become friends with a click of the mouse.

And it has spurred on a friendship that includes a long plane flight and two nervous first-timers at a conference in the Santa Cruz mountains. Eeek! If you hear a “boom-bada-boom” don’t worry … it’s just my racing heartbeat as I step on the plane to San Jose. It’s just my breathing into a paper bag as I meet new friends and launch into a new phase of being a writer.

The Mount Hermon Writer’s Conference is one of the premier conferences for Christian writers. As writers we’ll be challenged, taught, inspired, encouraged by fellow writers, editors, agents, and professionals in the publishing biz. I’m excited, nervous, scared, and anxious!

But I get to experirence it all with a friend. Because months ago, God used blogs and Facebook to bring two strangers together as friends. Thank you, God! And thank you, Adelle!

I’ll update on Twitter and Facebook about the conference and our adventures in the  S anta Cruz mountains!

I hope the song is true: “I’ve got lots of friends in San Jose … Do you know the way to San Jose?
Can’t wait to get back to San Jose.”

 

Join me on Facebook and Twitter!

 

©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit

A Sneaky Writing Tip to Trick Your Brain

If you’re a writer, most likely you’ve been working on a manuscript of some sort. Fiction, non-fiction, short story, or a magazine article—your ideas have been percolating in your brain and swirling around on paper for a while.

Sometimes a looong while.

You are sick of opening that document with the same title. The same unpublished title of the same unfinished, unpublished book.

The solution? Trick your brain! This tip sounds corny (well, it is!) but it helps to trick your brain and put a smile on your face each time you open that document to work on your manuscript … again.

One of my clients and good friends taught me this trick: rename your document with something goofy, silly, funny—anything but the real title of your manuscript.

For example, my above-mentioned client and friend has worked on a manuscript for many years. She got sick and tired (and tired and sick) of seeing the same title. So she changed it to “Scooby Doo.” Every time she saw the document in her folder, she smiled. Even giggled. It was enough to get her brain rejuvenated and inspire more creativity.

Seeing the title of your book in the document name yet again can be discouraging and set off your writing time with negative thoughts. Instead, bring humor to it. My client’s document soon became Scooby Doo 1, Scooby Doo 2, and so on.

Silly? Maybe. Easy? Definitely!

Bring a smile to your face each time you open that document!

I renamed my book manuscript “Tinkerbell” because it reminds me my youngest daughter flitting around with her wings, wand, and slippers. Always brings a smile to my face!

What are some crazy title names you can create for your manuscript?

Join me on Facebook and Twitter!

©2011- 2012 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.