Category Archives: Editing

Tips on Getting Published

  By Arial Burnz | March 8, 2013 - 10:00 am | , , ,
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Improving your grammar skills will help you get publishedCAN One Increase Their Chances of Getting Published?

Absolutely!! I’m putting on my editor’s hat today to share some tips on how to increase your chances of getting published. One of the first is to study your craft…and I can tell you there are MANY writers who don’t do this. This alone can help you stand out above the rest and get you published.

I’m appalled at the crap that comes flooding through submissions. And I STILL–OMG STILL–get authors asking, “Do we have to send in a polished manuscript, even to an agent?” Seriously????? Why would you want to send anything less? If these authors think getting their manuscript cleaned up for submissions is time-consuming, then they are definitely not ready for the editing process. And then, after so many rejections, they become self-published. It breaks the heart!! Writing should be taken seriously as a career, which means LEARNING YOUR CRAFT! Never stop studying and always strive to improve.

Here’s an excellent resource for some FREE grammar assistance: Writer’s Digest – Grammatically Correct by Anne Stillman. This link is to a free download excerpt of the book and worth the view. Lots of great advice in this snippet.

Another way to improve your writing and your chances of getting published is (more…)

Direct Access to Editors

  By Arial Burnz | September 1, 2012 - 1:12 pm | , ,
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Grand Opening

It is with GREAT pleasure and much excitement that I announce my new business endeavor with my dear friend/fellow editor pal AJ Nuest. Today is the first day of our Grand Opening celebration and this is the announcement we’re lucky enough to post as guests on several upcoming blogs:

September 1-15th marks the official
Grand Opening of Mystical Press Services!!!

This means 50% Off all our classes
and services through September 15th!

http://mysticalpress.com 

In case you haven’t yet heard about our website, allow me to introduce you to a place where you just might find the fulfillment of your dreams. That’s right! The talented folks at Mystical Press want to help you reach your publishing goals!

How do we do that? I’m glad you asked!

Mystical Press is the culmination of an idea that came from two authors and professionally trained editors—AJ Nuest and Arial Burnz—where we help authors bridge the gap between the form-letter rejection and publication. In fact, we believe in this venture so passionately, our tagline is “Helping authors achieve their dreams.”

At Mystical Press our primary goal is to help writers. As authors, we understand the frustration of not receiving constructive and useful feedback, the aggravation of navigating the murky depths of the publishing industry and that, sometimes, authors just need a place to vent. Well, we’re here to tell you, the insanity can end! (more…)

Arial Burnz – Editor at The Wild Rose Press

  By Arial Burnz | May 8, 2012 - 11:52 am | ,
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I’m happy to announce that I am now an editor at The Wild Rose Press, which is the same company I do book covers for. Woot!! It’s good to be a Rose Pruner in the Garden. Rhonda Penders and RJ Morris have been such wonderful people to work with, along with everyone else in the Garden, and I’m glad to be a part of the team in this new capacity. The Wild Rose Press publishes ROMANCE and they also have a more risque line of books at their Wilder Roses catalogue where they publish erotic romance. Considering my experience, I may be starting out there.

I was formerly an editor at Ellora’s Cave Publishing and provided content editing for historical, paranormal and fantasy, as well as contemporary stories – from erotica and BDSM to erotic romance and even sweetheart stories in their Blush line, so my experience runs the gambit. I’m happy I can offer my experience to such a wonderful team of editors and writers at TWRP. I will be editing under my author and artistic name Arial Burnz. The Garden already knows me under that name, so I’m happy to stick with it.

I tell ya…the publishing industry loves aliases, but it’s given me an identity crisis. Since I include erotic sex in my paranormal and fantasy stories for adults, I can’t have the same name for my Young Adult stories. I write those with my husband, and we’re using the name C.G. Henderson. But since those will have some sensual elements to them, I have to use a different name for my children’s books: Christine Davies. Then EC wanted me to edit under a different name, so I chose Kahli Reid (Kahli is the name of my main characters for the MMORPGs I play – Everquest 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic – and since I was already answering to that name, I thought it was a good choice). It doesn’t really bother me until someone asks the dreaded question: “What do you want me to call you?” I think I’m going to start giving a standard answer: “As long as you aren’t using 4-letter words, you can call me whatever you want.” Although, Sarah Grimm calls me Arial, her Sexy Graphics Bitch, and I’m rather fond of that title. ;)

If you’re an author looking for a publisher, don’t be afraid to drop me a line at the Garden: arial (at) thewildrosepress (dot) com. Be sure to follow The Wild Rose Press Submission Guidelines before submitting to me. You can send the query to the e-mail address they have on the guidelines page and cc me if you’d like or send directly to me. I’ll inform the submissions department of the direct submission. We respond within 30 days – request for more or rejection.

Update on MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE – Book 2 of BBB Vampire Chronicles

  By Arial Burnz | February 10, 2012 - 11:00 am | , , , ,
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I’ve had a few of my readers begging me for Book 2 of my Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles, so I thought I would post an update on where I am with it.

I’m so sorry! I should have listened toAmanda Hocking and NOT put a release date on future projects until the book was near completion. I stated at the end of Book 1 that Book 2 would be done in October 2011. My day job (editing) picked up and I just have not had the time to write.

I did put a lot of effort into the novel in December and was about three-quarters of the way done with the first draft…and then the holidays hit and then Star Wars: The Old Republic came out and I also got sick (see previous spew about that). Read more…

Qualities of a Good Critique Partner

  By Arial Burnz | March 29, 2011 - 9:54 am | , , ,
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I’ve heard a lot of comments by many in the publishing industry that the occupation of a writer is a lonely one. You sit at the computer (typewriter or yellow legal pad, for you nostalgic types), alone with your thoughts and the voices you hear, crafting your tales. Though that part of the process may be a solitary experience, there’s a bigger picture. I’ve been writing for many years and along the journey, there are many people a writer needs to further their career along: beta readers, critique partners, editors, publishers, cheering section, readers and more. The journey to getting published is rarely done without others and they all have their place and importance. Since I recently found my critique partner, that’s the one I’ll focus on today. (Click on the links above if you’re interested in learning more about the other people that contribute to a writer’s journey.) (more…)