Tag Archives | fiction editing services

What is an Extreme Book Makeover?

By on January 20, 2014 in 1. Discover your story, 2. Create Your Story, 3. Publish your Story, Author Mistakes, Extreme Book Makeover

I remember the first time I got feedback on a story I’d written.

“Overwriting.” “Flat characters.” “Unbelievable plot.” “Doesn’t draw me in.”

I stared at the rejection letter, baffled. (While wiping my tears). I hadn’t a clue how to decipher the words on the page – let alone fix my story.

But, if I wanted to be published, I had to figure it out. So, I “unpacked the criticism” as my friend literary agent Chip MacGregor would say and learned how to give my writing – and my books – an extreme book makeover.

I love Extreme Home Makeover. I know it’s off the air now, but I used to be glued to it, curious how these professionals would tear down and rebuild a home to suit a family’s needs. They assessed each problem, got a vision for the project and worked in their skill area to create an Aha! Effect.

This is the task facing every aspiring (and published!) author. We must learn to step back from our stories, look at them with a critical eye, figure out what a good manuscript looks like, and then use our unique voice to make that happen.

But how does an author look at their book objectively and give it a makeover?

This year on the Monday MBT blog, we’ll be covering the 5-Step process of an Extreme Book Makeover.

Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Real Time Book Therapy

By on December 12, 2013 in Book Therapist, Rachel Hauck

I’m working with a My Book Therapy premium member and she sent me this excerpt from her first chapter. She’s doing a great job of using the right tools — showing a hint of the want, wound, lie and fear, but the journey is a bit bumpy.

With her permission, I’m using our exchange to give you all some real time book therapy.

The story is a Biblical account set in the time of Elijah. The hero, is the son of a high priestess of a pagan god and expected to follow in her footsteps. But he’s starting to realize this is not what he was born to do.

At dawn on Preparation Day, Aban pulled on the threadbare tunic he’d purchased from the rag seller and climbed out a rear window, the very one he guarded during the nightly rituals to keep freeloaders from climbing into the temple of Melqart.

Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Therapist Thought about writing a book by Rachel Hauck

By on February 3, 2009 in Want to see a book in Action? Read the Blog-a-Book Series

Check out this great video about My Book Therapy, featuring Therapist Rachel Hauck!

Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 2 }

She’s a Star!

By on February 2, 2009 in Want to see a book in Action? Read the Blog-a-Book Series

Or, at least a celebrity! Great job, Voices in picking a Heroine for our Romantic-Suspense Blog-a-Book. I love the sparks of an everyday hero falling for a well-known (and beautiful, no doubt) woman. Can anyone say Notting Hill? Yay! There’s been some riveting discussion on both our Hero and Heroine over on the VOICES forum…one in particular really nailed the questions before us: >>>The word Celebrity usually comes with negative connotation, because of the lifestyle we often hear about in the news or magazines…. but what if she is a strong Christian who grew up in East Tennessee and moved to L.A., N.Y. or Vancouver (there is film industry there as well). She is still the same person, but our hero doesn’t want anything to do with a “High maintenance” […]

Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }
MBT Menu