As many of us set our resolutions for the new year, we may be aspiring to finally take the time to write that great idea we’ve had for a novel or draft a memoir. Sometimes, though, our excitement can be clouded by the steps that follow the writing process, or even beyond the stages ofContinue reading “The Path to Publication”
Author Archives: Olivia Castetter
Stages of Editing
For aspiring writers and seasoned members of the writing community, the editing process is often met with a myriad of reactions. In some cases, writers are eager to begin—after all, reaching the editing milestone means a first draft has been written, and writer’s block has been conquered, at least to some extent. For others, editingContinue reading “Stages of Editing”
Editing Tips Part 13: Key Differences Between Drafting & Editing
In the writing community, you can find many conversations about recommended methods for drafting and editing your manuscript. However, for many writers, there can be difficulty identifying the difference between the two. After all, the terms are often used interchangeably, yet in practice, drafting and editing are inherently distinctive stages of the writing process. OurContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 13: Key Differences Between Drafting & Editing “
When is a First Draft “Finished”?
For many writers, the eager anticipation of typing the words “The End” on the final page of a first draft is a feeling rivaled by few others. That is, perhaps, except for the surreal sensation that follows having finally typed those very words. After working for so long toward one goal—finishing a first draft—it canContinue reading “When is a First Draft “Finished”?”
What is Creative Nonfiction?
If you have ever wanted to write a true story, you’ve probably been faced with the quandary of how to tell it. Nonfiction is a broad genre, one that spans from how-to manuals to academic and technical writing, and even journalistic articles, like weather reports or local or global events. But if what you wantContinue reading “What is Creative Nonfiction?”
Changing Identifying Details
As we discussed in last week’s post, identity can be a tricky subject for authors as they decide whether they want to publish using a pseudonym. However, it isn’t only the author’s identity that may need to be concealed, at least when it comes to memoir, which tells a portion of their life story. ButContinue reading “Changing Identifying Details”
Should I Publish Under a Pseudonym?
Whether you’re drafting a novel, short story, nonfiction, or a memoir, writing is a vulnerable experience. No matter your genre, the writing process can often surprise us as we delve into depths of our psyche and our soul to a degree perhaps we’ve never before done…let alone allowed anyone in our lives to see, either.Continue reading “Should I Publish Under a Pseudonym?”
What is a Short Story?
In the world of creative writing, the options for fiction writers are numerous. While many readers and writers alike may most commonly be familiar with novels, there is another form of popular fiction: short stories. Found in numerous civilizations dating back to antiquity, short stories appear in the form of legends, mythology, folklore, andContinue reading “What is a Short Story?”
Editing Tips Part 12: Worrying about Word Count
Whether you’re considering writing for the very first time or have been drafting for years, there’s one question that crops up with every project: how long should your manuscript be? Depending on your manuscript’s category—short story, novella, or novel—there are some industry standards to aim for, but even those standards include a wide range withContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 12: Worrying about Word Count”
Ask a Publisher: What to Do with Rejection
You’ve finished your manuscript, edited it to the best of your ability, sent out some queries, and have been anxiously waiting for a reply from publishers. Then, your email pings with a new notification, and you see that it’s in response to your query…but it isn’t the news you were hoping for at all. It’sContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: What to Do with Rejection”
What is a Plot Hole?
At some point in every writer’s self-editing process, they’ll need to check their manuscript for plot holes. Although it’s something many writers may be able to identify for themselves, it’s always possible to miss one or two…until the manuscript is in the hands of alpha or beta readers or with a developmental editor. And whileContinue reading “What is a Plot Hole?”
What’s the Difference? Plotters vs. Pantsers
If you’re a member of the online writing community, you may have seen the words “plotter” and “pantser” used to describe different approaches to drafting. Sometimes these discussions are accompanied by vocal folks who believe one approach is superior to the other, and discussions on Twitter tend to ferry writers into either the plotter orContinue reading “What’s the Difference? Plotters vs. Pantsers “
Ask a Publisher: How Can I Trust a Publisher With My Memoir?
As we addressed in a previous post, assessing whether a publisher is right for your manuscript is a process that should be completed with careful and well-researched consideration. For authors of memoirs, though, it can seem especially daunting. After all, you’ve written your life’s story—trusting someone else, let alone a company, to help you shareContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: How Can I Trust a Publisher With My Memoir?”
Should I Write My Life’s Story?
A thought that’s occurred to most of us, perhaps especially those of us who are survivors of any form of violence, is that there may be some benefit in writing a memoir. But even if it’s something we’ve considered multiple times, something we’ve bought a special notebook for or opened a Word document to do,Continue reading “Should I Write My Life’s Story?”
Release Day: Madly Deeply Wildly
At the risk of utilizing more puns than professionalism, I have to say, my excitement for today’s new release is madly overflowing from deeply within, and I am wildly anticipating the experience our readers will have as they receive their copies of Katherine Turner’s latest book, Madly Deeply Wildly. To all of us at Josha,Continue reading “Release Day: Madly Deeply Wildly”
Ask a Publisher: Why Do Submissions Sometimes Close?
From searching for the right agent or publisher to preparing your query to their specifications, the publishing process requires a tremendous amount of patience for every writer. Even once you have everything ready to submit and you’re confident in who you’ve chosen to hopefully review your submission, there can still be yet another hurdle toContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: Why Do Submissions Sometimes Close?”
What Are Sub-Genres?
In literature, a genre is a specific category of writing, which is determined by the style of the prose, its tone, and whether or not the story told is true or fictitious. In a technical sense, there are four primary genres: poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama; you can read more about these genres byContinue reading “What Are Sub-Genres?”
Editing Tips Part 11: Plotting, Outlining, & Writing it Out
It can happen in a flash. One minute, you’re going about your daily life, and the next, a glimpse of a new story zips through your imagination: characters and their lives and a world you never previously imagined take over your mind. Before you even realize what’s happening, these fragments start to take shape asContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 11: Plotting, Outlining, & Writing it Out”
Books on the Go: Summertime Reading & Writing
It’s almost summertime, and if you’re anything like me, that notion holds almost as much promise as an adult as it did in high school—weeks of sunshine bliss, a little bit of a break from the exhausting routine of the rest of the year, and, of course, hopefully some bonus time to read. But whatContinue reading “Books on the Go: Summertime Reading & Writing”
What’s the Difference: Copy Editing vs Line Editing
Finding the right editor can be a tricky process, just like understanding all of the different forms of editing. For that matter, every author needs to perform their own self-edits of their manuscript at each stage of editing. And once the developmental editing stages are complete and the story’s structure and character development are solidified,Continue reading “What’s the Difference: Copy Editing vs Line Editing”
Ask a Publisher: What Does Revise and Resubmit Mean?
The publishing process is oftentimes a long one, from the time you begin querying and searching for the right publisher to your first full manuscript request. And when you receive that first full manuscript request from a publisher or an agent, it can feel as though the stars are finally starting to align. Then, severalContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: What Does Revise and Resubmit Mean?”
The Future is Feminist
Guest post by Olivia Castetter I was recently having a conversation with an older gentleman about reading when he asked who my favorite author was. Picking favorites has never been my forte, so I had to think for a moment. While I did, he listed his favorites—Hemingway, Twain, Steinbeck, and Orwell. Of course, I knewContinue reading “The Future is Feminist”
Editing Tips Part 10: Showing vs Telling
In the realm of self-editing and receiving alpha and beta reader feedback, there’s one discussion that’s almost always present: showing versus telling. An element of both developmental editing as well as copy editing, a writer’s ability to know when to implement showing a reader what’s unfolding as opposed to outright telling them can be aContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 10: Showing vs Telling”
What’s the Difference? Literary Agents vs. Acquisitions Editors
In the world of querying, there can be some confusion about the difference between literary agents—and if an agent is necessary—and acquisitions editors. Ultimately, these professionals have completely different roles. Both may receive a query in some form, though the angle with which they approach, consider, and respond to it will be different. And ifContinue reading “What’s the Difference? Literary Agents vs. Acquisitions Editors”
Ask a Publisher: How Do I Choose The Right Publisher?
Congratulations! You’ve finished your manuscript, it’s been through multiple rounds of self-edits and reviews by editorial professionals, and now you’re ready to begin submitting your manuscript to agents and publishers! But wait…how do you know if a publisher is the right house for your book? Is it possible to know if they’re right for yourContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: How Do I Choose The Right Publisher?”
All About Printed Proofs
After all the developmental editing, copy and line editing, formatting, and digital proofreading is completed, there is yet another step to take: reviewing printed proofs. And while this step is crucial, tedious, and sometimes a bit overwhelming, it’s also incredibly exciting. For many authors, reviewing a printed proof is the first time they’ll get toContinue reading “All About Printed Proofs”
Release Day: Wildflower Promise
If you’ve been a fan of Josha books for any length of time, you may know that I, Olivia Castetter, have a special relationship with author Katherine Turner. We met in late 2019 when Katherine was looking for a proofreader for her first book, Finding Annie, the first in the Life Imperfect series. She contactedContinue reading “Release Day: Wildflower Promise”
Ask a Publisher: How Does the Publishing Process Work?
Maybe you’ve decided to query Josha, or maybe you’re considering doing so when our submissions open again, but there’s one burning question in your mind: what’s the publishing process like? You can find answers to some specific questions on our FAQ page, but we’ll go into a bit more detail here on what you canContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: How Does the Publishing Process Work?”
From Silent to Speaking: Josha’s Focus on Survivor Stories
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and at Josha, it’s a month that holds significant meaning to us—both because of book anniversaries and new releases, and because of what survivors’ voices mean to us. Our first book, Finding Annie by Katherine Turner,was released on April 10, 2020. In April of 2022, its sequel, Willow Wishes,Continue reading “From Silent to Speaking: Josha’s Focus on Survivor Stories”
Writing Without Experience
Writing a book—it’s an endeavor many people entertain at some point in their lives, one that is commonly followed by a concern about their writing abilities. For many hopeful authors, they wonder if they even can write a book without any writing experience. And while there’s much discussion in the Writing Community about so-called “must-have”Continue reading “Writing Without Experience”
Editing Tips Part 9: Finding the Right Editor
As we mentioned in the seventh installment of our Editing Tips series, there are many different types of editors. Many writers wonder if they really need every type of editor, and our answer is that while every manuscript needs each stage of editing, it’s not strictly necessary for each book to be edited by everyContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 9: Finding the Right Editor”
What is Autofiction?
If you’ve perused our submissions guidelines or FAQs, you may be aware that Josha considers a wide variety of genres for publication. There’s one sub-genre of fiction, though, that we especially like to read, and it’s the same sub-genre as the very first book we published in 2020, Finding Annie. This sub-genre is known asContinue reading “What is Autofiction?”
Editing Tips Part 8: Sensitivity Reading
Sensitivity reading is a term becoming more common in the writing community, but what does it mean? A sensitivity reader is someone who has experience in a certain situation or condition and understands and is able to communicate areas of misunderstanding, stereotyping, or bias regarding a particular topic. These situations, conditions, or topics could rangeContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 8: Sensitivity Reading”
Ask a Publisher: Is My Writing Ready to Submit?
Congratulations—you’ve finished your draft! Now that you have a finished draft, the excitement of receiving a book contract or agent representation can seem like the very next step. But it isn’t quite that simple; there are still several steps between your finished draft and a submission-ready document. Of course, we recognize that many writers second-guessContinue reading “Ask a Publisher: Is My Writing Ready to Submit?”
What’s the Difference: Alpha vs Beta Drafts
Throughout our editing tips series, we’ve shared tips and tricks for self-editing your manuscript at various stages. However, it’s important to note that before editing really begins—and once it commences—there are two terms to describe your draft. These are called the alpha draft and beta draft. These are called the alpha draft and beta draft.Continue reading “What’s the Difference: Alpha vs Beta Drafts”
Representation Matters
When I stop and think about the job I have, my mind struggles to process it. Growing up, I wanted to work with books somehow; for a while, I even dreamed I’d work for a publisher, helping sort through submitted manuscripts to find the ones I wanted to publish. I thought it’d be amazing toContinue reading “Representation Matters”
What’s the Difference? Memoir & Autobiography
You’re considering writing about your life—congratulations! While exciting, it also takes courage to do so, and describing what you want to do can be intimidating. You may also be wondering if what you’re aspiring to write is a memoir or an autobiography. While there are some similarities between these two subtypes of the nonfiction genre,Continue reading “What’s the Difference? Memoir & Autobiography”
Editing Tips Part 7: Types of Editors
So far in our editing tips series, we’ve shared some tips and tricks for how you can self-edit your manuscript. However, we always recommend working with a professional editor prior to querying if you’re aiming to acquire a contract with an independent or traditional publisher; if you’re planning to self-publish, we absolutely encourage you toContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 7: Types of Editors”
Me, Too: Voicing My Story – A Year in Review
This one is for the silent survivors. Our voices are ours. Our stories are ours. We don’t have to hide what they did, because to hide what they did is to cloak our strength. Those four sentences are the dedication in my first book, Me, Too: Voicing My Story. I chose that dedication because asContinue reading “Me, Too: Voicing My Story – A Year in Review”
Editing Tips Part 4: Developmental Editing
When it comes to editing a manuscript, what most people readily think of are the classic red marks that correct grammar or typos: copy editing. And while copy editing is crucial, before you reach that stage, there’s another phase of editing: developmental editing. In our previous two posts in our editing series, we’ve shared someContinue reading “Editing Tips Part 4: Developmental Editing”
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