Meet Dhea Olesen of 1-Hour Proofreading

1-Hour Proofreading is a growing start-up offering fast proofreading and copyediting services to all writers on the go. They launched this year with a team of experienced editors of diverse backgrounds. Their team can handle different types of documents, from novels to journals and even personal statements. They exist to provide quick service to people who are caught in a tight deadline or need a quick review before an important speech or public presentation. They make their system easy to navigate so users will not have a hard time making an order. Since their launch, they have worked on over 10 million words for satisfied customers and partners. Their team happily accommodates questions, and they guarantee satisfaction by reviewing returned documents for free. They look forward to creating long-lasting partnerships with bloggers, students, media, authors, self- publishers, and publishers.

Our interview today is with Dhea Olesen, the Director for Business Development of 1-Hour Proofreading. To learn more about the company, check out https://www.1hourproofreading.com as well as their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

1. What inspired you to launch 1-Hour Proofreading?

The need for a fast proofreader inspired us to launch 1-Hour Proofreading. In the years that we have been partnering with different writers, there were those with last-minute assignments and those who want a short write-up proofread quickly--and access to a professional proofreader who is immediately available is scarce. So after determining the fastest editing speed that would deliver high-quality work, we decided that we want to be there for those writers.

2. What are the differences between your proofreading and copyediting services, and for writers who want to save money with your your "no rush" option, what does the turnaround time tend to be?

The main difference between proofreading and copyediting lies in the extent of changes done to the document. In copyediting, written material is checked for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style issues before proofreading. A rewrite or revision may also be done depending on how "unfit" the manuscript is for publishing. On the other hand, proofreading involves checking for minor formatting and typographical errors to ensure that the material is good for publication. It may assume that the manuscript has undergone copyediting and is almost ready for public consumption.

Our No Rush turnaround time is 24 hours for every 6,000 words.

3. Why should self-published authors utilize your services, rather than trusting their own judgement and/or relying on friends or beta readers?

Authors are predisposed to express their ideas in a certain way because of their experiences and training. Certain tendencies could limit a writer's perspective or his or her manner of conveying his or her thoughts. That is why having one's file reviewed by someone else is important. Friends and beta readers can help, but usually they do not have the competency and professional training to be able to identify language nuances and address style issues.

4. What are some of your favorite projects to work on?

Fiction manuscripts.

5. Do you have any suggestions for how authors can make the most of their money when purchasing your services for help on a long manuscript?

For long manuscripts, we recommend that you take advantage of the combo copyediting and proofreading (no rush) service for a more thorough work and at a discounted rate.

Thanks, Dhea!

Introducing Booqla, A Versatile Self Publishing Tool

I've been interested in self-publishing for many years and have explored lots of different avenues, from handmade zines and books to ebooks and print on demand. When it comes to print on demand and ebook publishing, there are a lot of different ways to proceed. For example, you can hire a book designer for some or all of your publishing process. You can also utilize different software programs to design and format your book.

While I do know people who are talented in both writing books and completing the layout and publishing related tasks, many of us who want to write and publish aren't so comfortable in the design department. I've tried a number of different tutorials and software programs meant to simplify the process of formatting books for print or ebook downloads, and I've found some ways to complete my DIY publishing projects, but I have to admit that it's not exactly a simple process!

Enter Booqla. Booqla is a web-based, self-publishing tool which allows authors to import their manuscript in Word and instantaneously convert it to Epub format as well as Amazon's Mobi format. It also creates a print-ready PDF which can be edited to fit special requirements of printing companies (such as print on demand publishers).

The idea of Booqla is to limit the amount of steps an author has to take to publish their book, thus saving time and money compared to the price of hiring out the work of having your book formatted. Let's face it, there wouldn't be such a big market for self-publishing services for authors if everyone found it easy; Booqla fills a need in the marketplace by creating an easier to use DIY option.

Even better, Booqla stores your manuscript in their system to make it easy to edit it if you find changes that you want to make (this always happens to me, and then I have to go through different versions of my manuscript files on my computer).

Booqla also makes selling your book easier through an affiliate sales system. They have a "Minimart" which allows you to set up as many small webshops as you want, place them on any website or social media outlet you want, and use this tool to sell your books. You can easily create a share a small button to sell your books in all sorts of places, such as discussion forums on topics relevant to your book.

Developed in Sweden, Booqla is available in Europe, the Middle East, and the US. Learn more at www.booqla.com.

Introducing Englanti Editing, a Useful Site for Writers and Readers

Englanti Editing is a Finland-based business offering services for people who need documents, websites, and other materials edited. The cool thing about their website is that it also provides a variety of free resources for writers and readers.

The site showcases good writing and helps to promote the work of up and coming authors. On the Featured Books page, you can read about books from independent authors, learn about the authors themselves, and read excepts of their work. The genres/topics of the book vary, and I found some interesting selections including flash fiction, historical fiction, and a coming of age novel. Authors are invited to contact Englanti Editing to ask about having their books featured on the website as well as on Facebook.

Authors can also contact Englanti Editing to ask about having one of their short stories published in its entirety on the website. The site has a nice selection of stories, all of which are suitable for readers of all ages. You can also find author interviews by clicking the Interviews and Insights link on the site. I always like to find another website which features author interviews, so it was a pleasure for me to visit this link in particular!

Writers who visit the site are invited to participate in the Leaf Writing Challenge; writers can share stories written from the perspective of "a leaf being carried on the breeze," and the editors at Englanti Editing will feature selected stories on their website and also give award certificates to the best stories received by December of 2015.

It's always nice to find a business that gives back to its community--in this case, the business gives back by providing a platform to help authors get their work out into the world, and by providing readers a place to find new authors and works to enjoy. I'll be interested to see what other literary content EnglantiEditing.com features over time!

Introducing StoryMonsters, Connecting Kids and Books

As a kid, I always remember the fun of learning about new books in print magazines like the Weekly Reader--and even in the colorful book orders we'd take home from class. I love the concept of StoryMonsters because it's a project that helps connect kids (and parents and teachers) with books.

There are a couple of websites associated with the project. StoryMonsters Ink is a monthly e-magazine with information on books, authors, and illustrators. The idea of the magazine is to help teachers, librarians, and parents choose great books for their kids. The magazine also offers useful tools for homeschoolers, including teaching aids.

StoryMonsters also has a program where authors can apply to have their books considered for a "Story Monster Approved designation" which is a "kid-approved" seal for books which not only pass the scrutiny of adult judges but also are given high scores from a panel of kids who read and judge the books. There are three age-based categories for the awards: Preschool to Kindergarten, Grades 1-3, and Grades 4-6. The awards also make distinctions between fiction and nonfiction. For more information, visit http://www.storymonsters.com.

StoryMonsters is a project of Five Star Publications, a company which has been connecting readers and authors since 1985.

Learn to Write a Novel on DaftBlogger

The e-journal DaftBlogger is featuring a special series of posts on how to write a novel by South African author Gary Smith. DaftBlogger's slogan is "Making It Accessible," and this series of posts offers clear and useful content for anyone with an interest in writing fiction.

Gary Smith is contemporary artist and art critic focusing on post-secular thought. He serves as co-editor of the South African Writers' Network (SAWN). As a visual artist he works in media like oil and pastel, and as a sculptor he works in steel, ciment fondu, and fiber glass.

The postings in this series include topics like using mind maps and other idea-generating techniques and suggestions for shaping interesting characters and settings. Smith ends the postings with brief yet thought-provoking writing exercises. By reading these posts and writing 100 words at a time as you complete the exercises, you could build some intriguing short stories and, yes, a novel.

As a writer and writing teacher, I can recommend these posts and will be sharing them with my students.

Excerpt from Reading Renee's Interview with Jennifer Yih

Reading Renee is a blog for readers, writers, and all people who love books. The blogger behind Reading Renee sent the following note about herself: "I live for books. I love my Kindle. I read romance, mysteries, chick lit, detective-type stories, and suspense. I decided to start a blog that would support the authors and not be commercial. There were many times I read something because it was recommended or rated highly, and in my opinion it was awful. So I write about books I love, and if I don't at least like them, I won't write about them. My fave series authors are Pamela Clare, Kristen Ashley, S C Stephens, and RL Mathewson. If I could pick my all time fave book, it would be Tully by Paulina Simmons or Torn by Amber Lehman. Now I have discovered so many authors that are fab and need someone to shout out their work! No matter your mood, there’s a great book to suit it. Words to live by!!"

Below is an excerpt from a recent interview with Jennifer Yih, one of the four authors of Shy Town Girls. Jennifer is the author of the first book of the Shy Town Girls series. For the full text of the interview, visit Reading Renee.

RR: How and who came up with the idea to write together? I see many books with two authors and maybe more than one POV, but this was the best and most refreshing idea I have seen in a long time.

Jennifer: "I've been working for Melissa for about three years now, and just this summer she approached me with an idea she had for a book series. It turns out, it was the wonderful idea of bringing a Sex In The City-esque series to Chicago. She asked me if I'd be interested in writing the first book, and I got started right away.

Melissa, Katie Leimkuehler, Kate Clinesmith, and myself got together and created four different female characters. We narrowed it down to what they looked like, their favorite foods, family lives, and so on. After character development, we brainstormed ideas about how we wanted the books to come off. As we developed the characters, I really got a feel for who Kate and Katie were, and how they related to their characters and vice versa."

RR: I sort of have a vision of each author being a character, or at least having their personality traits. Is that true?

Jennifer: "Absolutely each character has major similarities to the authors. Bobbie, I believe, is very much of me... more so, parts of me overtime."

RR: (I knew it!!!)