Posts Tagged Editing
Copyediting and a Kindle Deal
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Short Story, Writing on January 14, 2025
![20250105_175958[1]](https://sally-jenkins.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20250105_1759581.jpg)
Along with all the usual extra December activities and preparations, the copyedits for my third novel with ChocLit/Joffe Books landed just before Christmas with a deadline of 6th January. I spent the holiday period squeezing in as much editing time as possible – but still ensuring I got to see all the family and didn’t miss out on the turkey and wine!
Copyedits are suggested changes at sentence level (it’s assumed that the structure of the story as a whole is working by this point) to ensure clarity and a smooth read, plus continuity/timeline issues will be highlighted and the odd incorrect fact might be spotted. During this process I learned a couple of things:
The book is set at Christmas and I mention that one character is watching a rerun of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film from 1971. My editor correctly pointed out that this version of the film actually has the title, ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory‘. A few reasons have been put forward on Wikipedia for this title change, some political and one relating to product placement of the Wonka chocolate bar. Make of them what you will.
I also refer to Slade’s hit Merry Christmas Everybody, but again I had that title wrong. It should be Merry Xmas Everybody. I was grateful to have these errors pointed out to me – and it just goes to show that we should always double check everything before inclusion!
In other news, Amazon have picked one of my earlier books, A Coffee Break Story Collection: 36 Short Stories, for one of their ‘deals’. For the month of January they have reduced the Kindle edition from £2.99 to only 99p and are promoting it! This is a rare happening – so, if you enjoy a short story or 36, fill your boots (and your Kindles!) while you can.
Editing, Podcasting and a Flash Fiction Competition
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Competitions, Self-publishing, Writing on October 17, 2024
I’ve been buried deep in structural edits for the past month. 
This has involved improving character arcs, deepening internal conflict rather than relying on external conflict and trying to ensure that my secondary characters remain sympathetic throughout the book. After doing the major changes, I downloaded the document to my ancient Kindle to read, and I scribbled notes about all the additional things that needed changing. The manuscript is now covered in my scarlet Microsoft Word ‘track changes’ deletions, amendments and insertions. I wish my editor much luck in deciphering it all!
This is the third novel of my three book contract with Choc Lit and, at the moment, I don’t know what comes next. It may be time to branch out. Watch this space!
In other news, I have taken part in my first ever podcast. I chatted with Natalie from the US Fiction and Friends podcast for nearly an hour. It’s amazing how the time flies when you’re talking about reading, favourite books, authors and, of course, writing. The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple and Spotify.
I am also now part of New Street Authors and have my very own page on the NSA website. New Street Authors is a collective of indie authors with links to the Birmingham (UK) area. Regular readers of this blog will recall that I published several books independently prior to my career with Choc Lit. These books are still alive and kicking on Amazon and, therefore, I’m keeping up to date with developments in that area.
Finally, the New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2025 is now open for entries of up to 300 words. The entry fee is £10 and first prize is a generous £1,100! Second place gets £300 and the third placed writer will receive £200. £1 from every entry will be donated to the writing charity, First Story. Closing date is Friday 31st January 2025.
In my next post, crime writer Claire Sheldon will be answering five questions about writing.
What I Learned From the Copyedit and Proofread (plus a poetry competition)
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Competitions, Poetry, Writing on October 17, 2023
My second novel for ChocLit (an imprint of Joffe Books) will be released into the big wide world in a few months. The cover design and marketing plan are underway. Structural edits, copyedit and proofreading have all been done – and each one of these stages has been an education.
On a ‘Happy Walk’ with my daughter’s dog, Sam.
I thought I was pretty good at grammar, punctuation etc. but I’ve realised: I’m not! For example:
- The school subject ‘geography’ starts with a small ‘g’ rather than a capital ‘G’.
- There is no hyphen in armpit (I have habit of putting hyphens where they’re not needed).
- The novel mentions the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. I was asked to change this to the ‘royal wedding’ to avoid referring to Andrew.
- Monetary values, such as £30, should be written in full, e.g., thirty pounds.
- “I’m alright.” Should be: “I’m all right.”
The points above are just a few of the corrections. There were a lot more!
Then there were the continuity mistakes which got picked up (thank goodness). For example, there is a cat in the story called Tibby and halfway through I had inadvertently changed its sex from female to male. I mention that one of the characters will have a birthday in a fortnight but a far greater timespan elapses before the birthday celebration takes place.
Needless to say, I am very grateful to all these professional people who have read the manuscript and stopped me from making a public fool of myself!
I’ll say a bit more about the book’s actual story when I have a front cover to show you. For now I’ll tell you that, like Little Museum of Hope, it falls into the ‘uplit’ genre of literature, i.e., by the end of it you will (should!) feel uplifted and positive.
If positively improving your mental wellbeing appeals to you, you might fancy entering this FREE poetry competition from Happiful magazine:
The magazine is looking for “poems that explore the topic of mental health and wellbeing in relatable, original, and empowering ways”. The winner will receive £100, and four shortlisted poets will receive a £25 National Book Token. All five poems will be published in Happiful. Closing date is Monday 20 November 2023. There are some useful tips on how to get started with poetry on the Happiful website.
Stay happy and positive everyone!
#AmEditing
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Authors, Writing on February 3, 2023
At the end of last year, I announced that I’d signed a 3-book contract with Ruby Fiction. The first of those books will be published in a few months’ time and now the edits have landed!
Parsnip and Ginger Cake
With the edits has come a deadline, which has turned writing into a whole new kettle of fish for me. Even when I’ve written magazine articles there’s been no specified completion date. In the day job I’m used to being told when something must be finished but writing is different to work, isn’t it? Or maybe not. Every other person involved in taking my book from manuscript to publication is doing it as part of their ‘work’, therefore it makes sense that I must treat it the same way, out of respect for them and in order to get my book published in a timely and professional manner. So I’ve sadly cancelled a couple of social engagements and am also taking a day’s leave from ‘proper work’.
What is my editor asking me to change? The major theme of the edits is the creation of some lighter moments in the text. This will give the reader some respite from the more intense parts of the story and also deepen both the sad and happy moments in the book.
I can’t say too much but some of these lighter moments will involve baking – for which I’ve been doing some practical research, hence the parsnip and ginger cake in the photo (the recipe is from the latest National Trust magazine). I will be cutting it into very small pieces – in case any of you are worrying about my pre-diabetes. I also need to shorten all the chapters and look at a few other things. Plus I’m trying desperately not to panic!
The working title for the book is The Museum of Hope and I’m looking forward to sharing more information about it when I can.
A bonus of becoming part of the Choc Lit/Ruby Fiction family is the access to experienced, multi-published authors and, like the writing community in general, they are more than happy to share the writing tips and methods that work for them. Over the next couple of weeks I will have Victoria Cornwall and Marie Laval sharing advice. And that has the added advantage of freeing me up to get on with that editing!
Sally Jenkins 