Ask the Editors

Many ‘hacks’ don’t really work — but there are exceptions. Are there any writing habits that have worked for you but that you don’t see discussed often? Or maybe you are always on the lookout for the next life-hack that will give your writing an edge. Here are some strange writing tricks that the editors of The Writing Cooperative and our guest for the week, Ryan Hussey, editor of The Bigger Picture, are actually using in their daily lives.

Question: What’s your weirdest writing trick?

Ryan Hussey, editor of The Bigger Picture:

I’m not sure if other people do this, but before I hit publish, I always reread my piece at least 3–5…

Ask the Editors

There are many tips on how to edit and you’ll see various suggestions on how many times to go through your writing, what tools to use, and when to do it. This week, Brian Brewington joins the editors of The Writing Cooperative to share what’s currently working for us.

Question: What does your editing process look like?

Brian Brewington, editor of Journal of Journeys

As the owner and an editor of Journal of Journeys, my main objective is to keep other writers’ work their own and publish it as closely as possible to how it was submitted, while still putting out the best version of it possible. Typically, I let Grammarly Premium do the brunt…

Ask the Editors

Most writers are not graphic designers. But with marketing playing such an important role in any writer’s success, how important is design? Do you need to know the names of fonts? How do you decide which one to pick? When should you hire a professional? This week, Reuben Salsa, editor of The Partnered Pen and The Bad Influence, joins us to answer these questions.

Question: How important are fonts and do you have a favourite?

Reuben Salsa, editor of The Partnered Pen and The Bad Influence:

On social…fonts are unimportant. You need them to be functional and work across all platforms and devices. Don’t over-complicate things.

IRL, extremely important. They form part of your identity and brand.

Justin Cox, editor of The Writing Cooperative:

Did you know there’s a…

Ask the Editors

We’re pulling back the publishing curtain to show exactly what your article goes through after you click ‘submit’. This week, A. S. Deller, Editor-in-Chief of Predict and editor for SP8CEVC joins us to share the process behind each of our publications.

Question: What happens to my article when I submit it to your publication?

A. S. Deller, Editor-in-Chief of Predict and editor for SP8CEVC:

Each article we receive gets screened immediately on a few levels. One: Does the article fit our publication’s theme? Two: Does the article pass a cursory check for major format, spelling, and grammar problems? Three: Is there anything intentionally offensive in the submission, either in word or image? If an article gets past this, it then goes to the…

Ask the Editors

Do you need to only write on one specific subject, or a handful of related ones, to be successful? What are the pros and cons to committing to a niche? This week, Ron Dawson, editor of Film Riot, joins the editors of The Writing Cooperative to discuss how necessary having a niche really is to your writing career.

Question: Do I need a niche?

Ron Dawson, editor of Film Riot and author of Dungeons ’n’ Durags:

The simple answer to this question is “no.” You don’t need a niche. I frequently work with writers who are able to write about a good number of subjects. …

Ask the Editors

What is the best introduction method? How much information should you give about yourself before expanding on your topic? Should you include a lot of detail upfront or pepper it in slowly? This week, Brittany Jezouit, one of the editors of Better Marketing, joins Justin and Jessica as we discuss introductions.

Question: What makes a good introduction?

Brittany Jezouit, editor of Better Marketing:

A good introduction tells the reader about what they’re about to spend their time reading. It answers the question: “What will I get out of this if I keep going?” An introduction can be creative and start with a story, but that story should keep the reader’s interest, not…

Ask the Editors

Are you helping or hurting your chances of getting published by contacting the editor? When should you reach out and what’s the best way to do it? This week Stephen Moore, editor of The Post-Grad Survival Guide, joins the editors of The Writing Cooperative to share our personal experience as humans who have been on both sides of the situation.

Question: When and how should I follow up with an editor?

Stephen Moore, editor of The Post-Grad Survival Guide:

We’ve all been there; you’ve sent off your submission or pitch to an editor, and you’re confident it’s a winner. You excitedly await a response. A day goes by, then another. You start to get fed up.

“It’s been 48…

Ask the Editors

How can you give readers, publishers, and clients a positive impression — and get more writing jobs? What does it mean to be professional? This week, Ron Dawson, editor of Film Riot and author of Dungeons ’n’ Durags, joins the editors of The Writing Cooperative to share what we’ve learned.

Question: How can I come across as a professional?

Ron Dawson, editor of Film Riot and author of Dungeons ’n’ Durags:

When working as a professional writer, there are two primary ways in which you can express your professionalism. One is public, and one private.

The first is public: that is, how you come across to the people with whom you work. As the de facto managing editor for a number…