by Ken Walker A recent column by money-saving blogger Jill Cataldo examined the question of whether it’s worth buying an extended warranty. While most of her discussion concerned coverage for a dryer, toward the end Cataldo mentioned an unforgettable experience at a major retailer’s outlet. The clerk asked if she wanted to buy a two-year…
by Karin Beery Very few people hope to fail at their jobs. Most people want to succeed, and many of us want to excel at what we do. I, for one, don’t just want to be a substantive fiction editor. I want to be the substantive fiction editor that writers turn to when they have…
This Excellence in Editing Award spotlight is Restoring Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti, edited by Jamie Chavez, and published by Focus on the Family/Tyndale. Christi McGuire, director of the Christian Editor Connection, which hosts the annual EIE Awards, interviewed author Cynthia Ruchti and editor Jamie Chavez. Author Cynthia Ruchti Cynthia, how did you develop the…
by Tisha Martin Most editors tend to work through the holidays, sacrificing the time with family or friends because the deadline must be met regardless. The deadline must go on. The beauty of snowfall and the children’s exclaimed glee capture our heart, but the looming deadline banishes us to the solitude of our office. When…
by Dori Harrell You work hard for your author. You edit to catch every plot hole, to note lack of characterization, to reduce redundancies, to correct errors—to help your author craft the best story for his or her readers. But when you finish, do you dash off the completed manuscript to the author, or do you…
by Karin Beery I’m not going to lie – I love this time of the year. Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing colors, and all the stores have their Christmas decorations out! In the next two months we get to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day (plus Black Friday,…
by Ken Walker Last spring, I wrote a blog for Christian PEN about the mental benefits of a clean desk. Since that time, I have made another desk discovery: downsizing an antiquated relic in favor of an updated model has enhanced my productivity by forcing me to get more organized. The same may be true…
The 2017 Excellence in Editing Awards were in June 2017. Out of dozens of entries, seven books won the EIE Award. On PEN Tips, we will be featuring the award-winning books, along with the authors and editors. This week’s EIE Award spotlight is Life Lessons from the National Parks: Meeting God in America’s Most…
This week’s EIE Award spotlight is Broken Crayons Still Color: From Our Mess to God’s Masterpiece by Shelley Hitz, edited by Deb Hall, and published by Body and Soul Publishing LLC. Christi McGuire, director of the Christian Editor Connection, which hosts the annual EIE Awards, interviewed editor Deb Hall. Deb, how did you become…
The 2017 Excellence in Editing Awards were held on June 24 at the SoCal Christian Writer’s Conference in La Mirada, California. Out of dozens of entries, seven books won the EIE Award. On PEN Tips, we will be featuring the award-winning books, along with the authors and editors. This week’s EIE Award spotlight is…
