Walking the Tightrope of Editing a Respected Writer

By Joanne Kim, MAI intern Sitting across from a highly respected and older author in your office, you hesitate to begin the conversation as a younger editor. What if I offend the writer? What if the writer thinks I am being rude? Editors face multiple challenges in working with well-known writers, especially in non-Western contexts.
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MAI Training Booklets Now in E-books!

Free shipping, no snail mail, and you save a tree! You’ll find our practical training booklets and bestsellers now available in digital formats for Kindle, Apple and Nook products: How to Write Missionary Letters by Alvera Mickelson: Kindle, Apple, Nook The Christian Publisher: Strong in the Storm by Ramon Rocha III: Kindle, Apple, Nook Your
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Invisible Handwriting: What editors need

By Julie Ackerman Link The role of an editor is to correct an author’s writing, which introduces the potential for conflict. Editors must convey to authors that the manuscript they worked so hard to write still has areas of imperfection. They must then show authors how to fix the flaws. Some authors are eager to
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A Big Idea Book That Changes Lives

Alice Crider is an editor, an author, and an author coach. Since 2011, she has combined her life coaching skills with her writing and 15 years of publishing experience. Here she offers writers advice on how to create a book that results in changed lives. Alice shared these ideas at LittWorld 2012, gathering many of
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How to Critique Manuscripts in Languages You Do Not Read

By Miriam Adeney  Working with writers using languages you don’t read can be tricky. However, even if you cannot read every word of every piece, with a little help you can still provide critique.  Here are a few hints on how to help writers make the most of workshops. 1. For your first public critique,
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First Steps in Editing Christian Fiction

We are pleased to introduce a series of 3-5 minute teaching videos based on workshops led by top international Christian publishing professionals at LittWorld 2012 in Kenya. We give thanks for the dozens of dedicated men and women who serve as our volunteer trainers, many of whom shared their expertise in these videos. These mini
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Before You Approach a Publisher: 21 most important questions

Before writers approach a publisher, Alice Crider suggests you consider these 21 most important questions that editors ask. An editor, an author, and an author coach, she has combined her life coaching skills with her writing and 15 years of publishing experience since 2011. Alice shared this material at LittWorld 2012, pulling much of it from
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Drafting a Mission Statement for Successful Publication

Plan more effectively for your upcoming publication by dusting off and sharpening your mission statement or producing a new one. This brief exercise can help you define your purpose and audience, saving much time and resources. To create a solid mission statement, you need to: 1) define a specific audience and get to know that audience well; 2)
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Serving the Guest of Honor: Editing as housecleaning

By Dawn J. Anderson I think of editing as housecleaning. Someone else’s house. To prepare it for a party. A party where the guests need to be treated to nothing but the best. To go away satisfied in every way. As we consider all that editing entails—so much more than just dusting for spelling errors
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Ways to Help Authors Grow: Building strong relationships with your authors, Part III

As an editor, have you ever wondered how to encourage your authors?  How to inspire them to produce their best work?  MAI President John Maust collected tips from top editors around the world explaining their methods to build strong editor-author relationships. Part 3 of 3. Challenge the author to pursue excellence    “[Harold Wallace Ross]
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