Book Formatting
Mary Jane Humes is taking book formatting to a whole new level. When your words are edited, proofread, and ready to go, Mary Jane is available to writers who need help creating a presentable file for publishers.
My husband and I live in eastern Pennsylvania. Currently, I work as a home health caregiver. I also operate an Airbnb with my husband, which is a seasonal job. This was made possible because our AirBnBis close to Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, America’s largest free-admission theme park.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/24397050?source_impression_id=p3_1678466747_%2F%2BvW6jdgXQ9PvngF
Why did you decide to start writing?
I began writing 30-day Bible study devotionals that are targeted for women after I started teaching Sunday school. My helper was a lady in her late sixties who wanted to be in my class since she did not know simple Bible stories. First, I taught the life of David to my 10- to 12-year-olds and my adult helper. Not only did I want to teach the Bible in a livelier manner, but I also wanted to take the events from King David’s life and make practical, present-day applications with the information for my students. Part of my teaching was encouraging my students to practice personal Bible reading and prayer daily.
After we finished David, I taught the same group of students the Book of Esther using a similar method. My best student was my adult helper. I realised that there were many other ladies who, like my helper, neither knew Bible stories or didn’t understand the lessons God was teaching. Since I created all my teaching material, I realised I had the makings for a book. So, I outlined my lessons and converted them into a month-long devotional. “David’s Faith” was my first book, and “Esther’s Faith” my second.
I have devotionals published on David, Esther, Joseph, Abraham, and a free 8-day devotional on Naaman (based on 2 Kings 5). The e-version is totally free. (link below)
What sparked your interest in book formatting?
In my opinion, the most important part of a published book is that it has been professionally edited. Editing is more important than formatting. If you have a friend or family member read and make corrections to your book, that is a great first start. Then, when you are satisfied and think your book is ready to meet the world, hire a professional, objective editor who edits books in your genre. Formatting a book is necessary (And makes it look great!). Still, it does not undo grammatical mistakes, poor sentence construction, weak character/plot development, misspelt words, repeating ideas, poor research, and a host of other writing problems. As good as AI grammar programs such as Pro Writing Aid and Grammarly are, you still need a human editor for that subtle but vitally important personal touch since humans, not machines, will buy and read your books.
What is the average price for a 35,000-word book to be formatted?
At this point, to format a 35,000-word book, I charge $100 for each format. I offer two formats: PDF (for paperback books) and E-pub (for the e-book version). I can also offer a .docx if requested. When I return the files to the author, they can immediately take them and upload them to the publisher of their choice. (excluding picture books at this time).
https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/ae062d04-7650-11ed-bd98-77d75e50620a
Thank you for reading about me. I hope that you will pick up your free copy of Naaman’s Faith at:
https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/ae062d04-7650-11ed-bd98-77d75e50620a