Tag-Archive for ◊ editor ◊

What IS Claudia Suzanne?
Monday, February 02nd, 2009 | Author:

Good question, ’cause originally, there was only a “Who” to the question of Claudia Suzanne. Since last year, though, Claudia Suzanne has also became a “What.”

Egads, I’m a “What!”

I started life as Claudia Suzanne, a professional ghostwriter, editor, and literary consultant with a personal quest to raise the literacy bar of the book industry, one author at a time. (Okay, I started life as Claudia Suzanne, infant, toddler, etc., but jump ahead and stay with me, will ya?)

Then I became Claudia Suzanne, speaker, teacher, and guest lecturer with the same quest but a broader scope: to also raise the literacy bar for college students by helping them get better grades on their papers.

Then I became “Boss Lady” (a.k.a. BL) OF Claudia Suzanne, a division of Wambtac and the manifestation of Wambtac Communications with a small staff of writers and techs along with assorted ghostwriting and editing interns.

Ergo, Claudia Suzanne is both me, a person, and her, BL of “It,” a company that bears my name.

And yet, my quest remains the same: to raise the literacy bar for writers of all ilk– student, corporate, freelance, newcomer, and everyone in-between–only now a bunch of other people are helping me toward that goal.

My/Our methodology is as simple and complex as my/our mission:

  • Teach substantive and line editing, which can make or break a paper or a manuscript
  • Ghostwrite well-crafted manuscripts for non-writing authors in their voice
  • Train experienced writers in the specific skills, theory, and politics of ghostwriting

That’s what Claudia Suzanne the person does, and that’s what Claudia Suzanne, the Communications division of Wambtac does, too. I/We also:

  • Write and edit web content
  • Write and edit white papers, business documents, complaint letters, promotional materials, submission materials and all other written communications
  • Mentor new writers
  • Consult for transitioning professionals and new authors
  • Give presentations and talks on writing, editing, “expert” books, and the 21st Century book industry

So the next time someone asks “What on earth is a Claudia Suzanne” — a question that probably comes up in conversation too often to be ignored — you can say:

“Ghostwriter. Read a whole long thing that rambled on forever but all I remember is the word “ghostwriter.”

And if that’s all you remember, then my fingers have not typed in vain.

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Editing v. Editing v. Editing
Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 | Author:

Yup, that’s right there are three different stages of editing essential to producing a clean, viable manuscript. My BEFORE COPY EDITING online workshop (click the link in the left column) covers the two most often overlooked stages: substantive and line editing. But what do terms mean?

Substantive Editing, also called content editing, addresses the manuscript’s structure and content problems. Nonfiction substantive editing may rearrange sections, chapters, paragraphs–even lines within paragraphs–to ensure the material reads in a logical, slinky flow of information without non-transitioned digressions, redundancies,  or gaps.

FACT: most nonfiction rejections are due to structure and content problems
that can be resolved with a substantive edit
.

Fiction substantive edit uncovers plot, subplot, and characterization problems and provides an easily followed map to correct those issues. The knowledge gained from learning nonfiction substantive editing is extremely useful when editing fiction.

FACT: many novel rejections are due to plot and character implausibilities and contrivances
that can be resolved with a substantive edit.

Line Editing, the mid-stage edit, can make all the difference in the world in a otherwise well-crafted manuscript. Nonfiction line editing addresses not only passive voice (leaving it alone where appropriate, changing it where appropriate) but the even-more-important issue of static voice

FACT: deal-breaking pacing and reader comprehension issues
are resolved by line editing.

Fiction line editing converts excessive narration (“tell”) to action and dialogue (“show”) where appropriate and converts excessive action and dialogue (“show”) to narration (“tell”) where appropriate.

FACT: deal-breaking pacing (tell v show) and comprehension (show v tell)
are resolved by line editing.

Copy Editing, the stage most people think of when they hear the term “edit,” addresses spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, and so forth. Nonfiction copy editing also addresses academic and publication style guides.

Fiction copy editing requires an understanding of when to NOT apply standard nonfiction grammar and syntax rules.

FACT: poor or absent copy editing is seldom a deal-breaker for a
well-conceived, well-structured, and well-written manuscript.

The only places to learn the fast, easy techniques of substantive and line editing is in my BEFORE COPY EDITING online workshop or my GHOSTWRITER TRAINING class. Click the  link in the left column.

You’ll never look at writing and editing the same way again!

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