BY KATHI KAMEN GOLDMARK AND SAM BARRY

The Author Enablers are here to answer your questions about writing and publishing. Together, Kathi and Sam have more than 25 years of experience in book publishing. Kathi is an author, radio producer and former publicist; Sam is a marketing manager at a major publishing company and a freelance editor. They are also proud members of the Rock Bottom Remainders, the all-author rock band founded by Kathi in 1992.

Dotting the i's and crossing the t's

Dear Author Enablers,

I am an English major who hates reading books with spelling and grammar errors. I am wondering if it is possible to get a job proofing books for a publisher. What qualifications would I need to have? I would love to get paid for something I enjoy doing.

Jamie Harmon
Pocatello, Idaho

For a second there we thought you were an "English major who hates reading books," which could be a problem. . . .

The role that you are describing is copyediting, a service always needed by publishers, other print media and websites. Some formal training would help you to obtain this kind of work. Pick up a copy of Words into Type by Marjorie E. Skillin and Robert Malcolm Gay, a definitive text for manuscript protocol, copyediting, style, grammar and usage. Your librarian or bookseller might have other recommendations. Look around for a college class in copyediting.

Once you feel ready, check job listings for copyediting positions. To gain experience and beef up your portfolio, you can volunteer your time to the newsletter or website of a cause close to your heart. You can also advertise your freelance services to organizations or aspiring authors. But before you start down this road, beware—you are going to spend the rest of your life seeing misspellings and grammatical errors everywhere. On second thought, you're probably already doing that anyway—so best of luck!

Dear Author Enablers,

In the 1970s I published a crime novel which did modestly well and a couple of dozen stories in respectable literary magazines. I have a new body of work which I haven't a clue what to do with. The small press people I worked with are gone. I have a six-book science fiction cycle, a longish episodic novel, two novella-sized pieces of "soft postmodern" fiction. It's not mainstream but I think it falls under the rubric of quality fiction. I'm not averse to being edited and I'm sure the work would benefit from an intelligent reading. I'm now a retiree with a 40-year-old MFA and a little past all the career-building strategies I know. Do you have any suggestions?

Charles Brownson
Tempe, Arizona

It's true that the publishing world has changed in the last 20 years, and your entire body of work might be overwhelming for busy editors. We suggest that you choose ONE of your projects, and pitch it to a literary agent who specializes in your genre. Stick with the most commercially viable piece you have. Don't sell yourself short because you're a publishing veteran. You can turn a lifetime of experience into a plus, rather than feeling like an old-timer.

We're curious about "soft postmodern fiction"—is that like soft porn? It's postmodern, but it really isn't? Please mail us some in a plain, brown-paper package.

Dear Author Enablers,

I am sorry if this seems silly but is there a special program for writing a book? Do I just open Word and start typing and when the story is done, it's done? How do I know how many pages I have? Do you understand what it is I am trying to ask? It's hard to ask "this" way.

Robin Barrett
Summerville, South Carolina

Many people think they can write a book without ever sitting down and starting to type, so you're already ahead—you know the special program: "just do it!" Otherwise, all word processing programs have basic spell check, grammar check, word count and page count components. Check your help menu for more specific information.

When it comes to the writing—the communicating and storytelling—you already have the greatest tool there is: a nice glass of wine. No, really, we mean the human mind. And whatever technology you're using, whether it's a pencil (Stephen King describes the pencil as "the perfect word processor—complete with a delete function on the other end") or a fancy computer program, it is the imagination of your mind, coupled with the discipline of daily writing, that will result in a good book. Now, "apply butt to chair and write." o

Thanks for writing,
THE AUTHOR ENABLERS