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How Words Get Good

The Story of Making a Book
By Rebecca Lee
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Check link for latest rating. ( 158 ratings, 47 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
How Words Get Good follows Rebecca Lee, a professional text-improver, as she explores the journey of words from an author's mind to the printed page. The book delves into the mysterious processes behind publishing, revealing the roles of ghostwriters, literary agents, typesetting, and the intricate details like ellipses, indexes, hyphens, grammar nuances, and post-publication corrections. Filled with quirky anecdotes and insider insights, it uncovers how books are truly made and words refined—or at least improved.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for bibliophiles, writers, editors, and anyone curious about the publishing process and the craft behind refining words into books.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Catnip for booklovers - a funny, warm and fascinating insight into the world of making books, by an expert

Catnip for booklovers - a funny, warm and fascinating insight into the world of making books, by an expert

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Any bibliophile will find many enjoyable nuggets in this compendium of book chat - Stephen Poole, Guardian

An engaging little eye-opener about the publishing business, full of tasty nuggets about books, writers and their editors - Sunday Times

Enjoyable ... engaging ... insightful - Independent

Once upon a time, a writer had an idea. They wrote it down. But what happened next?

Join Rebecca Lee, professional text-improver, as she embarks on a fascinating journey to find out how words get from an author's brain to finished, printed books. She'll reveal the dark arts of ghostwriters, explore the secret world of literary agents and uncover the hidden beauty of typesetting.

Along the way, her quest will be punctuated by a litany of little-known (but often controversial) considerations that make a big impact: ellipses, indexes, hyphens, esoteric points of grammar, and juicy post-publication corrections. After all, the best stories happen when it all goes wrong.

From foot-and-note disease to the town of Index, Missouri - turn the page to discover how books get made and words get good.

Or, at least, better

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise the book as 'a fascinating and funny look at what really goes into the making of a book' (Sunday Times) and 'a masterpiece' (Daily Mail). Readers appreciate its engaging, informative, and witty style, with authors and reviewers calling it 'utterly fascinating' and 'beautifully written.' Lucy Mangan enthuses, 'Inject this straight into my veins!'

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781788166386

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 April 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Profile Books Ltd

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 384

Collections

Education & Reference Non-Fiction Rebecca Lee

About the Author

Rebecca Lee is an editorial manager at Penguin Random House. She's spent twenty years managing hundreds of high profile books from delivery of manuscript to finished copies, signing off millions of words as fit to go to print with only the occasional regret.

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