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Connections Radio Part 2

What’s better than taking part in a radio show? Taking part in two radio shows. On November 16 and 23, I had the honor of being on the AM 950 Connections Radio show with host Laurie Fitz and author Michael B. Dardis. First check out the November 16 podcast, then come back for the November 23 podcast.

Both shows were fantastic, if I may say, but this second show was especially great. We began with a segment about how I got started in editing. Spoiler alert: it all began with a sixth-hour drama class. (Yep. You read that right. Drama class.)

Once again, I can’t express how wonderful it was to work with Laurie. And it was a pleasure to have this special opportunity to swap stories and insights with Michael. Be sure to listen to the second segment of the November 23 show, when Michael describes how his family history and his own service in Vietnam helped shape his novel The Dark Side of the Sun. It’s quite moving.

radio show
radio show

For anyone who wants to learn more about me, immersion editing, or writing in general, I do hope you check out these podcasts. Together, they’re a two-hour glimpse into what going deeper really means.

Again, many thanks to Rachel and Jamie Anderson of RMA Publicity for the great photos they captured of us in action.

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Connections Radio Part 1

This past Saturday, I had a blast recording part 1 of a two-part AM 950 Connections Radio show with host Laurie Fitz and author Michael B. Dardis. Check out the podcast in case you missed it live.

Let me tell you, that hour went by in a blink once we were behind the mic and the On Air sign was lit. We talked about writing, editing, whispering, kicking people under the table, bridging, and more.

Laurie is the best—she made Michael and I feel so comfortable during the show. I liken her to an editor, actually. Michael and I came in with a story to tell, and she guided us through the process of sharing it with others.

Many thanks to Rachel and Jamie Anderson of RMA Publicity for the great photos they captured of us in action. I’ll post more next week as well.

If you loved part 1, then be sure to tune back in on Saturday, November 23, for part 2. In true immersion fashion, we will go even deeper with our discussion.

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Connections Radio on AM 950

Remember “Turn Up the Radio”—that ’80s hair-metal anthem? (Bonus points if you knew it was by Autograph.)

Well, get ready to turn up the radio at 9:00 a.m. on November 16 and 23. I’ll be a guest on the AM 950 Connections Radio show with host Laurie Fitz. I’ll be joining author Michael B. Dardis for a two-part discussion about writing, editing, and the immersion magic that brings it all together.

radio microphone
radio microphone and “on air” sign

Michael and I worked together on his historical novel The Dark Side of the Sun, a sweeping tale that spans World War II and the Vietnam War. For a year, we immersed ourselves in a unique blend of developmental editing, content editing, and copyediting. It was what I call a full immersion edit.

In the true spirit of going deeper, we dove into everything from adding more poignancy to the story’s ending to verifying what album featured Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now.” (Again, bonus points if you knew it was Clouds.)

The edit was a wonderful experience for both of us, and we’re thrilled with how the book turned out. We’ll be chatting with Laurie about our collaborative process and sharing our insights and advice to other authors and editors.

So grab yourself a cup of coffee, get cozy in your favorite chair, and turn up the radio at 9:00 a.m. on November 16 and 23.

Can’t tune in to catch the shows live? Then stay tuned to my website, as I’ll be sharing the podcast recordings shortly after each show airs.

Rock on.

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Immersion in Developmental and Content Editing

Editors, by now you know that immersion editing is all about going deeper. Well, there’s no better way to go deeper than with developmental editing and content editing. So come take the plunge with Immersion in Developmental and Content Editing on Tuesday nights, April 23 through June 4.

scuba diver in water

Please allow me to continue the water analogies: Developmental editing and content editing are uncharted seas for most editors. I know many editors who have never taken on a developmental and/or content editing assignment.

Why? Perhaps because they assume they’ll be sailing into choppy, murky waters where monsters abide.

In contrast, proofreading and copyediting are (usually) crystal-clear waters with easy-breezy cruising. After all, those editing levels are about mechanics. They boil down to rules and standards someone else has established. You can lean heavily—if not fall back on—CMOS, M-W, and in-house guides.

But there are no quick lookups with developmental editing and content editing. They’re not about grammar, spelling, style, punctuation, and other surface issues. Rather, they’re about organization, clarity, flow, intention, voice, and other in-depth issues.

How do you master developmental and content editing? By going deeper with immersion editing. So come take the plunge.

In this seven-week course, we’ll learn how to navigate these sometimes challenging waters. We will:

  • Define developmental editing, content editing, and copyediting—and see why the lines often blur.
  • Explore how developmental and content editing are perfect opportunities to go deeper with the immersion editing approach.
  • Compare and contrast developmental and content editing across the spectrum of traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, and self-publishing.
  • Uncover the secret immersion step that sets you up for success with developmental and content editing. (Spoiler: It happens before you make a single edit.)
  • Understand why developmental editing is so much more than a beta read.
  • Discover why content editing is the most important—yet most overlooked—level of editing.
  • Learn why it’s crucial to create positive, trust-based relationships with authors, project managers, and other key collaborators.

If you’ve ever worked with me, you know my copyediting and proofreading mantra: “Look up everything—even if you know it.” But developmental and content editing are things you can’t just look up. You have to learn it, swim it, sail it.

So let’s dive in together, matey.

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Say What: An Immersion in Dialogue—April 16

Confession: editing dialogue is, without a doubt, my favorite part of the job. It’s no surprise, then, that I’ve always wanted to do a class sharing my insights on dialogue with authors and other editors. So come join me for Say What?: An Immersion in Dialogue on April 16.

man speaking into can

I’m not sure why editing dialogue is so enjoyable for me. Going deeper with dialogue is an essential part of my immersion editing approach. Perhaps it’s because I believe that voice—a writer’s unique style, expression, sound, rhythm, and flow of words—is what makes great writing great.

And what is dialogue if not voice? It’s the voice of the people (fictional or real) in your book. It’s how they speak to themselves, to others, and to the readers.

Or who knows—maybe I love working with dialogue simply because I’m a talker. I love talking. (Usually with my hands waving wildly about, as anyone who’s spent more than five seconds with me knows.) But I also love listening to other people talk, especially authors as they talk about their books. I suppose dialogue is nothing more than “talking on a page.” What’s there not to love?

Whatever the reason, I have a special passion for dialogue, and I’m excited to share it during this class. Here’s a taste of the topics we’ll address:

  • Do you really have to stick to say and ask as dialogue tags?
  • What’s the hidden secret behind one of the most common dialogue foibles?
  • How do you avoid the “tennis match” effect of back-and-forth dialogue?
  • What does “show, don’t tell” have to do with dialogue?
  • How can a trip to a coffee shop or taking a selfie help you with dialogue?
  • And what’s the advanced-level tip that few authors seem to know?

Authors, come learn the inside scoop on how to make your dialogue speak for itself. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, dialogue is no doubt a key element in your book.

Editors too, come learn the inside scoop so you can apply it to the manuscripts you edit. Helping authors improve their dialogue is a major way to bring both them and their manuscripts to the next level.

I’ll see you there! (Spoiler alert: there will be a lot of talking.)

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Two Classes This Fall

What’s better than one immersion editing class? Two immersion editing classes, of course. The fun begins on September 15 for Going Deeper: Immerse Yourself in Immersion Editing. Then join me again for Immersion in Proofreading and Copyediting on Tuesday evenings, October 9 through November 13.

Let’s take a closer look at each course.

 

Going Deeper class title

Going Deeper: Immerse Yourself in Immersion Editing

September 15

This is the foundational class for immersion editing and what it truly means to go deeper. This one-day intensive is a game-changer for editors of all levels, authors, project managers, and basically anyone who works with writing.

We’ll discuss how immersion editing is like scuba diving and what it has in common with servant leadership, emotional intelligence, and even “whispering.” It’s a whole new—and better—way to take authors, manuscripts, and your own career to the next level.

 

Immersion in Proofreading and Copyediting

Tuesdays, October 9 through November 13

Editors, this is the nitty-gritty, in-the-trenches, getting-your-hands-dirty class you’ve all been waiting for. In this in-depth six-week course, we’ll explore all sorts of “secrets” about proofreading and copyediting—from mechanics and style sheets to best practices and tips. I’ll walk through sample edits to give you a glimpse into my mind. (Scary stuff—I know.) And you’ll get plenty of hands-on exercises to practice what you’ve learned. Authors, come join us too if you’ve ever wanted to be your own first editor or perhaps get a foot in the editorial door.

 

With both courses, what excites me the most is that they bring like-minded people together in our growing network of immersion editors. It’s a bit of a revolution, and it’s incredible to see how it’s growing.

I wholeheartedly believe that editors learn best from each other. In these classes, I swear I learn more from the participants than they learn from me. It’s an enlightening experience for all.

Immersion editing is about making the world a better place for authors, manuscripts, and editors. So come take not one but two plunges with me this fall.

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Immersion Editing as a Journey

The scuba-diving analogy is of course the heart of immersion editing. It’s a great way to capture the concept of “going deeper.” But diving isn’t the only analogy for this approach. I often describe immersion editing as a journey.

Editing as a journey has special meaning for me. I love hiking, especially in the mountains. Something magical happens the moment I lace up my boots (or better yet, have my husband lace them up because I never remember how to do the special ankle-lock tie). I love setting out with my poles, my pack, and my camera, breathing in the cedar-scented air.

Before long, I find myself huffing and puffing, trudging my way up steep inclines and winding switchbacks. I need to be surefooted and fearless up there in those heights, so I repeat my mantra: “Mountain goat. Mountain goat. Mountain goat.” Sometimes I even catch a glimpse of those agile animals, and they steel my resolve.

Most trails lead to beautiful vistas that serve as worthy rewards for all those miles. Really, though, the reward is the satisfaction of knowing I pushed myself to the limit and made it there and back again, just like Bilbo. (By the way, ever notice that the “back again” is the hardest? You’d think going downhill would be a cinch, but it kills the ol’ knee joints.)

Uphill, downhill, and in between, hiking is invigorating, challenging, and sometimes even arduous. But it’s worth every moment. It makes me feel alive as nothing else can.

 

So imagine, if you will, immersion editing as a journey. As your editor, I’ll be your trusty trail guide. I’ll walk right alongside you, taking every step with you. With positive encouragement and real understanding, I’ll help you achieve feats you maybe couldn’t achieve alone. I’ll help you see your book and yourself in new ways as we go deeper and deeper on our path.

Yes, it may be challenging at times. It can be a long process. This is a journey, after all—not a jaunt. (Be sure to pack some water and protein bars. Maybe some jerky.)

But again, it’ll be worth every moment. Every step will reveal something new and exciting. Every step will be meaningful. Together, we’ll reach our destination. That is, both you and your manuscript will reach full potential. Your book will transform, and so will you as a writer and a person.

Actually, the journey of immersion editing is the journey of servant leadership. Servant leadership, as the name suggests, is a bit of a paradox. How can you serve and lead?

The key is in the leader’s mind-set. A trail guide may stand out front with the map and the compass, but she isn’t concerned about wielding power, control, and authority. It’s not about her. She just wants to help you get up that mountain because she knows how much this journey means to you. It’s all about you. She leads you with her knowledge, experience, and insight in order to serve you. And first and foremost, she understands that she needs to earn your trust and rapport before you take step one.

The true measure of servant leadership is whether a leader can inspire growth. For sure, the true measure of immersion editing is the growth and transformation of the manuscript and the author. That’s the destination of the journey.

In contrast, there’s no journey, no serving, no leading, no growth with run-of-the-mill editing experiences, which I call surface editing. You hand your manuscript over to someone, he finds typos and wrangles commas, then he hands it back to you before walking away.

It’s the equivalent of a trail guide snatching your camera from your hands, hiking up the mountain on his own, returning a while later with your camera, and leaving you to flip through a couple of photos he took on your behalf. Or it’s the equivalent of the trail guide giving you a crummy map, pointing you in the general direction of the trailhead, and wishing you luck before he goes back to the lodge to take a nap.

Authors, what kind of experience do you want? Are you ready and eager to take a journey? Wouldn’t you like the company of a guide who’s ready and eager to climb that mountain with you?

And editors, what kind of experience do you want? Do you want to journey alongside authors? Do you understand the paradox of servant leadership and how it relates to editing? (Stay tuned, as I have a few editing classes launching this fall.)

Immersion editing is a journey, and it’s one I enjoy taking. I hope to see you out on the trail.

 

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Immersion Editing vs. Surface Editing

I’m thrilled to report that the Going Deeper class on February 24 was a smashing success. By immersing ourselves in immersion editing, we uncovered what the mantra of “going deeper” really means. For starters, “going deeper” begs the question, “Deeper than . . . what?”

The short answer is, immersion editing goes deeper than surface editing.

For the long answer, let’s imagine we’re on an ocean excursion to check out a coral reef forty feet below the surface.

When the boat comes to a stop above the reef, many people roll up their pant cuffs, dangle their legs over the edge, and dip their toes into the water.

dipping toes in water

Maybe they look down every now and then, squinting and trying to peer through the blindly bright sun bouncing off the surface. Honestly, they can’t see a thing. They have no clue whether a reef is even down there. They might as well be back on land.

Meanwhile, a few other people eagerly don scuba gear and flip into the water. They are properly trained and properly equipped to dive deep and explore the reef up close and in-depth. They see firsthand that it’s teeming with exotic marine life. When they eventually reemerge, they’re bursting with incredible details about being in this amazing underwater world. Just from the way they talk and the expressions on their faces, you can tell it was a meaningful, transformative experience.

As the scuba divers rave on and on, you can’t help but look over at those who never left the boat. The whole point of this excursion was to explore the reef. So why didn’t they dive in too? Do they not know how to scuba dive? Or do they know how to scuba dive, yet they choose not to? If so . . . why not? It’s hard not to draw some bleak conclusions about their motives.

Now let’s translate this little allegory into reality. As I’m sure you’ve already figured out, the coral reef represents a manuscript that needs editing. But what you might not realize is that it also represents the author behind the manuscript, the person who wants a positive connection with the editor, one built on trust.

The people with their toes in the water are surface editors. They barely engage themselves with manuscripts. They typically do the bare minimum—if that. They exert little to no energy on connecting with authors. I’ve seen surface editing’s effects on manuscripts and authors. It’s heartbreaking. And maddening.

As for the scuba divers, they are immersion editors. Immersion editing is my special approach because I know authors and manuscripts deserve much more.

Yep, you guessed it: immersion editing is about going deeper. I know that truly great editing can only be achieved if I immerse myself in the manuscript, truly understand it and its message. I also immerse myself in a relationship with the author because I know the entire edit is built on rapport and trust.

If you’re an author, what do you want for your manuscript? (And let’s be frank: for your time and money?) Which type of editor do you want to work with: someone who’s ready and able to dive down deep to discover the wonders below, or someone who barely breaks the surface and hardly gets wet? If immersion editing sounds like a fit for you, let’s chat about your project and your goals.

If you’re an editor, what do you want for your career? Do you want to just sit there with your toes skimming the surface, never knowing the amazing underwater world below? Or do you want to take the plunge and go deeper? If immersion editing sounds like a fit for you too, stay tuned, as I have more classes planned for the spring and summer. My goal is to train and equip more editors to dive in and go deeper.

Now, who’s ready to check out that reef?

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Immersion Editing Class: February 24

So, are you ready to take the plunge? I’m proud to announce my next class—Going Deeper: An Immersion in Immersion Editing. In this one-day intensive, I’ll share the secrets of the immersion editing approach.

Going Deeper class title

Editors, come unlock your power to take your career and craft to real depths. Authors, don’t feel left out. This is a great chance to explore the other side of the editing experience and learn how to deepen your own critique skills.

Come join us too if you’re a project manager or designer or if you work with writers in virtually any way. Whatever your experience, this class will inspire and challenge you to go deeper. It’s a fun time, if I do say so myself.

We won’t talk about serial commas and who versus whom. Rather, we’ll discuss how immersion editing is like scuba diving and what it has in common with servant leadership, emotional intelligence, and even “whispering.”

If you are indeed ready to take the plunge—and I hope you are—then check out the Eventbrite listing for Going Deeper: An Immersion in Immersion Editing. Seats are limited, so sign up today.

I hope to see you there!

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Welcome to Immersion Editing

Hello and welcome! Today I proudly launch AngelaWiechmann.com out into the wild blue yonder of the internet.

Light through water

This momentous occasion has been a long time coming. I’ve never had a website before. Truth be told, outside of a simple LinkedIn page, I’ve had zero online presence until this moment. I know, I know—it’s 2018. It’s ridiculous that it’s taken me this long. (If you’ve seen my phone, though, you understand.)

So, however overdue this may be, I’m eager to share my website with you now. More importantly, I’m eager to share my vision of immersion editing.

We’ll explore immersion editing in blog posts to come, so stay tuned. In a nutshell, though, I can sum it up with the mantra-slash-tagline: Let’s go deeper.

You see, most editors skim the surface, dipping their toes into their work. For them, it’s about commas and typos and barely knowing their authors’ names. They’re in and out, and authors are left to slog through manuscripts full of track changes on their own.

But truly great editing can only be accomplished if you go deeper. Me, I immerse myself in the manuscript and in a relationship with the author. I dive down to reach a deeper understanding that helps both the manuscript and the author reach full potential. My goal is to make every editing project meaningful—meaningful edits, meaningful guidance, meaningful connection, meaningful results. This is the editing all authors and all books deserve.

If you’re one of my authors, you know firsthand what immersion editing is all about. You and your books are the proof in the pudding. The amazing, humbling testimonials speak louder than I ever could about this approach.

If you’re a new author lucky enough to have found your way to my site, I hope it piques your interest. Please drop me a line if you’d like to learn more about me, immersion editing, and how I can help you.

If you’re an editor yourself, I’d love to connect with you too. I offer classes on immersion editing and other topics, and I hope you can join me sometime. (Keep an eye on the blog posts for updates about the next class starting soon.)

So yes, AngelaWiechmann.com is finally here at long last. All good things are worth waiting for, right? And no matter how long it took me to get online, I can’t express how excited I am to share this moment with you. Welcome to the immersion experience.

Let’s go deeper.