Publishing / Writing / Writers Support Group

Completing the first draft of your book can be the most daunting thing about writing a book — the revising and editing can be difficult, but first getting the whole draft on the page can be even trickier. How can writers ease this process? We’ve got some tips to help you check that task off your to-do list.     Commit to It   Finishing a first draft is a great accomplishment, but...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

Here at TEC, we receive calls from potential clients who are new to the writing process. The usual questions are about our services and rates, and about the work we do. In explaining what we do, we naturally ask the caller about their projects. Since we only work on nonfiction content, this is important for us to know. We have noted with some curiosity a rather...

Publishing / Writing / Writers Support Group

Writing can be an incredibly rewarding career, but it can also be, at times, a lonely one. If you are like most writers, you probably work from home (or from your local coffee shop/café/library) and don’t go into an office on a regular basis where you can interact with other likeminded individuals.   So, sometimes you have to get creative when it comes to building communities for yourself to participate...

Publishing

This week, we took a look at some of our popular archived posts and decided to share this one with you one more time! We hope it helps you achieve your publishing goals, and remember, you can always give us a call if you need guidance.   *****   So, you've finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, it's time to think about next steps. If your dream is to be traditionally published,...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

As an author, you probably think about the relationship you want to have with your readers. After all, you are writing to appeal to your audience, and that fact will influence many decisions you make along your writing journey. But how often do you stop to consider the relationship you may have with your publisher? What if you submit your manuscript to a traditional publisher (rather than choosing...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

This week, we took a look at some of our popular archived posts and decided to share this one with you one more time! We hope it helps you achieve your publishing goals, and remember, you can always give us a call if you need guidance.   *****   So, you've finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, it's time to think about next steps. If your dream is to be traditionally published,...

Publishing

New Canadian authors working without the benefit of representation are probably familiar with House of Anansi and Douglas & McIntyre as being Canadian publishers that continue to accept unsolicited manuscripts. But if you’ve already received rejections from these two houses, don’t give up: there are many independent Canadian publishers that accept unsolicited work. The following list features five up-and-coming Canadian publishers that publish groundbreaking work in a variety...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

So you’ve finished your book — congratulations! If you want to pursue the route of traditional publishing, it’s time to start thinking of how to put together your submission information. One part of that process (for both fiction and non-fiction) is crafting what’s known as “the hook. ” The hook is an important part of the marketing process, and it’s a step you don’t want to rush.   The Hook:...

Publishing

Different publishers have different demands. One doesn’t submit the same article to both The New Yorker and the Toronto Sun. These two periodicals have wildly different editorial standards and wildly different readerships. Similarly, writers must make important formal considerations when writing online content, rather than print.   Writers who fail to take advantage of the unique opportunities that online publication present could be stunting the editorial development of...

Publishing / Event / Language & Editing

On June 7, a perfect, sunny, 20 degree day, I arrived in Halifax. I breathed in the sea air after many months of life in Toronto, headed straight to the waterfront to say hello to my favourite ocean, and then prepared for the actual reason I’d arrived — the Editors Canada 40th Anniversary Conference.   Each year, the Editors’ Association of Canada (or Editors Canada, for short) hosts a conference...

Publishing / Books And Reading

When I moved to Toronto three years ago to become a part of Canada’s publishing scene, I got a job working at the Anansi Bookshop, and it was surreal. “Anansi publishes very good books” is their slogan, and my time at the bookshop has shown me how and why.      Anansi at a Glance House of Anansi Press was founded in 1967 by writers Dennis Lee and Dave Godfrey. ...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

 So, you've finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, it's time to think about next steps. If your dream is to be traditionally published, then you have a bit more work in your future — creating submission packages. If you're not sure where to start with this process, read on!  We'll help you through it step by step.   Do Your Research   This step can entail quite a bit of work. ...

Publishing / Writing / Writers Support Group / Social Media / Editing & Marketing

What is a publishing plan? Here at TEC, we’ve created many publishing plans for our non-fiction authors who have contracted us for our Publishing Consulting services.   A publishing plan is exactly what it sounds like: it involves scheduling and planning for the writing and publishing of your manuscript, from start to finish. Publishing can be an amazing journey, but also an overwhelming one. A well thought out plan...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing / Social Media / Editing & Marketing

From its role in political elections, influencing fashion and beauty standards, launching careers, and empowering the activists of today, social media has become a tool that is powerful, fascinating, and sometimes quite daunting. As a writer or editor, social media gives you a lot of room to experiment, connect, build, and grow. If you are working in the literary fields and are still feeling hesitant about dipping into...

Editing / Editor/writer / Publishing

A famous editor might sound like a contradiction in terms to some, but for those plugged into the literary world there are a few names that pop up time and again. In the past, as with many professions, most well-known editors’ names have historically been those of men, but thanks in part to the pioneering efforts of some very intelligent and driven women, there are now more well-known editorial...

Publishing

  So, you’re moving into the finishing stages of writing your book and you’re beginning to think about acquiring an agent. At TEC, we work with non-fiction writers, academic and business writers, and recently I worked with an author on her memoir to help her shape her manuscript before sending to an agent.   Finding yourself an agent can be a huge step forward in getting your book...

Publishing

So you've decided to self-publish a book. That's great! Self-publishing a book can be quite the journey, and it can also be incredibly rewarding. Here are a few helpful tips to keep you on the right track during the publishing process. Know the Purpose of Your Book Ask yourself, what is the purpose of my book? Do I want to sell lots of books online? Use the book...

Publishing

As someone who likes to see writers get into print, I am particularly interested in the growth of the self-publishing community and the opportunities it offers for both authors and editors.   Arlene Prunkl, an editor with many years of experience, works almost exclusively with authors who self-publish. At EAC's Editing Goes Global conference this year, Prunkl presented an inspiring workshop on the agonies, ecstasies, and pitfalls of working with...

Publishing

  Are you thinking about self-publishing a book? Many people feel they have a book idea rattling around in their head, just waiting to be written. If you are one of those people and you decide that now is the time to get that book onto the page, I have some things you might want to think about.     First, if you would like to write this book just for the...

Publishing

I had the absolute pleasure of attending the eighth annual New York Art Book Fair a couple of weekends ago, an event I’ve been wanting to go to for some years now but never had the chance. The fair was organized by Printed Matter, the New York–based arts organization founded in the 1970s with the mandate of promoting artist publications. This year’s fair featured 283 exhibitors, over 60...

Publishing

Print is dead. We've been warned about this for years. I can trace back my anxiety over the impending death of paper books to at least 2007, when I drafted this master plan to my friend Vincenzo (sent via email, ironically enough):   There must be some way to ensure preservation of the printed word . As far as I can tell, sense of smell is one of the...

Publishing

Slipping singly from my fingers, lettuce seeds drop like punctuation marks, organic ellipses marking the start of a new season of cultivation. Onion sets, diminutive bulbs the shape of Russian domes, stand to attention before being buried alive, later to emerge as vibrant, blue-green blades. On a neighbouring farm, in a hot-house fired by a wood-burning stove, under the watchful eyes of the farmers' children, cheddar and purple...

Publishing

I just came back from a short vacation to Jacksonville, Florida. Or JAX, for short. I was visiting family and touring the Floridian countryside, seeing firsthand how hot and dry it is. Draught is a serious problem for the southern U. S. right now. My sister told me that in June and July there were over 300 fires burning in Florida, including a fire in...

Publishing

In early June, Michael Redhill announced his departure from Brick. After over 10 years of editorial involvement with the literary magazine, #87—which is already on newsstands—is Michael’s last issue as the proprietor and publisher. This news left me feeling a bit sad but also hopeful. The sadness comes from the sentiment that Michael’s exit marks the end of an era. Under his direction, Brick has built up a...