 Whether your manuscript is self-published, traditionally published, or independently published, you need to know that it's ready for the next phase before it can be published and offered for sale. Along with our colleague, Karen Lynn Maher of LegacyOne Authors, we have defined the three phases of manuscript readiness and what you need to do to move ahead to get your book published. Phase 1 - Content Ready Karen works with authors as a coach to help them with much of this phase. We work with Six-Word Lessons authors to help them through this phase as well. Here are the main steps you need to have your content ready:
Phase 2 - Manuscript Ready In this phase, you will work with peers and professionals to contribute to preparing the book for publication.
Phase 3 - Production Ready In this final phase, your publisher will work with you to make decisions about the final physical book product and help produce it and get it up for sale. Whether you do it yourself or use various teams of publishers or vendors, the goal is to make the book look like a traditionally-published book. The Independent Book Publishers Association has an Industry Standards Checklist for a Professional Published Book that will help in this phase.
For help or advice with any of these phases, please contact us at Pacelli Publishing, or Karen Lynn Maher at Karen@legacyoneauthors.com or 206-913-8883 and we would be happy to answer questions or discuss in more detail. Good luck with your writing and publishing!  Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.  Karen Lynn Maher is a top authority on mentoring CEOs and other executives through the self-publishing process. She is founder and CEO of LegacyONE Executive Communications, a Seattle-based leadership communications firm. LegacyONE clients emerge as thought leaders by writing compelling nonfiction books, articles, and other publications that broaden their visibility and credibility to attract their perfect client.
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 Every fall and spring I devote some time to cleaning out my closet. When it's done, I love peeking in the closet and seeing so much space. I can literally breathe better when not looking past a lot of visual clutter to decide what to wear. I actually feel like I have MORE to wear. How did I get my closet to this point and get ready for fall? With about three and a half hours of concentrated effort which, oddly enough, was fun for me. This photo is the end result of one section of the closet. Here is what I did:  Step 1: Prepare. I started laundry so everything would be clean by the time I finished the job, made the bed and removed extra pillows for plenty of room to lay out clothes, and got some black garbage bags from the garage. I wore my workout clothes, so I could work quickly, with energy, and sort of consider it a workout! Step 2: Remove Clothes from Closet. I started at one end of the hanging clothes, gathered up items, keeping them on the hangers, and laid them in stacks on the bed. My closet was already organized into types of clothing. If yours is not, start categorizing as you lay it on the bed in these groups: Jackets, Cardigans, Tops (Sleeveless, Short-Sleeve, Long-Sleeve), Dress Pants, Jeans, Dresses, Skirts, and whatever other categories work for you. When the bed was full, I started evaluating each item, one category at a time, to easily see the number of jackets or skirts and the colors and types. If I didn't like it anymore, hadn't worn it at all, it didn't fit, or looked pilled or worn out, I threw it in a pile on the bedroom floor, and put the hangers in another pile. I tried on as needed, and as I finished a category, I hung everything back in the closet
This is the entire pile of clothes I later donated to Goodwill, and the hangers, which I later put back in the closet, some in a bin on a top shelf, and some hanging at the end of one of the rods to use as needed. Step 3--Drawers. I followed the same process with everything in my drawers. I put the contents of my drawers on the bed, again in categories, and made decisions on whether to keep each item. This included t-shirts, sweaters, camisoles, workout wear, socks, tights, underwear, bras, scarves and a few miscellaneous things like sentimental items. I put everything back, a little differently, because of new extra space and how I will use things for the fall and winter. Step 4--Shoes. The shoe sorting went quickly. I put away summer sandals and got out my boots, which were in bins on the top shelf, found a place for everything and got rid of maybe one pair. Step 5--Purses and Tote Bags. My weakness. I had a lot of purses that I didn't really use or like anymore, so added those to the pile. I stored the rest on shelves with dividers. I even had extra room to put some boots on the shelves with the dividers. I ended up with three more piles: (1) Things my daughter might want, (2) Need mending or altered, and (3) Summer clothes to be stored. Step 6--The End. Lastly, I put the items to donate in the black garbage bags, put the summer items in the same bins I had taken my winter boots and shoes from, and set aside the pile for my daughter. I also ended the process with a list of things to shop for, which was surprisingly short. I hope you have a great time editing your closet, and please let me know if you have questions or need help!
 Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.
 Now that Fall is coming, layering will add those needed changes to your wardrobe. It's also a great way to mix colors and prints to show your creativity. Although it might seem like you need to buy more items to layer, it actually helps you use more of the pieces you already have, because you are combining them in different ways. Scarves are the most obvious addition to your fall outfits. Try a lightweight cotton or linen one in a contrasting color or print to add a little warmth to a late summer top. Tank tops or camisoles always add a layer of warmth, which can extend the use of your lightweight summer tops, especially when combined with a light sweater or denim jacket. Have fun with layering and stay warm and stylish!  Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.
 Several comfort shoe brands, such as Sofft, Born and Munro, make shoes that are fashionable as well as comfortable. They don't look the same as a stiletto pump, but can work with most work outfits. Many regular shoe brands also make comfortable shoes, and there are a variety of inserts and accessories that make shoes more cushiony and comfortable. Something as simple as adding a no-show sock can make shoes more comfortable and long-wearing. When my shoes and feet feel good, I am more likely to walk somewhere instead of driving, and feel better overall. There are so many shoe brands and specialty shoe stores, not to mention the variety found online and in department stores. Don't give up, the right shoes for you are out there!  Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.
 In Lesson 85 of my book, I talk about what a big difference accessories make when dressing for a special, formal occasion. You can even sometimes use those same pieces when dressing for every day. Shoes - Metallic heels, including sandals, are always right for formal occasions, but can also be worn for daytime weddings, and many metallic flats go with almost any outfit. Black patent leather is even more versatile, and is dressy enough for the most formal attire. Outerwear - Please invest in a presentable, dressy coat to have for formal occasions, or brave the cold without one. Black always makes a coat or jacket more formal, so consider buying something black, fitted and long enough to cover a dress. It will go with more casual outfits as well. Handbag - A small clutch or shoulder purse (about 5 x 7 inches) is much better for evening than your everyday large leather bag. It can be sparkly, metallic or more simple black or a colored fabric. Jewelry - You don't need expensive fine jewelry. Larger costume jewelry pieces, such as those found at J. Crew, make a statement and highlight your outfit. A little black dress with big, bold, jewel-toned jewelry looks striking and makes a strong statement. Use both necklaces and bracelets, and don't match everything. They should coordinate, but not be from a matched set. You'll find these can be worn with a lot of your more casual outfits as well. You don't have to spend a lot on any of these accessories. I like to keep my special occasions in mind all year when I'm shopping and if I see a beautiful piece of jewelry on sale, or a fun clutch bag, I'll go ahead and get it, then work it into my outfit when the right time comes. Meanwhile, I try to use sparkly and metallic pieces in my regular wardrobe. Get more tips on dressing for all occasions and for your everyday life in my newly updated book, Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best.  Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.
 I recently met a woman business owner at a networking meeting who was around 60 years old. She had a short, stylish haircut, bold, modern earrings and necklace, an up-to-date gray tunic sweater, black leggings and black boots. She was carrying an orange leather tote bag and wearing well-done make-up. Her nails were short and polished a dark color. I realized the importance of her entire, overall image, and how she truly looked like a business owner with whom I would want to do business. I couldn't say the same thing about every woman in the room. I saw over-grown hair styles, ill-fitting clothing, too-long nails and other details that made some of the women look less impressive. They probably had knowledge and competence equal to the first woman, but it wasn't obvious by how they presented themselves. The differences in these women is in both their clothing and the little things. Every detail counts, especially in a business setting. Even if you don' t notice the small things, when they are combined to present an overall image, they send a clear message--good or bad. Women who don't update their style in even the smallest ways appear to be behind the times and might cause others to question their abilities or relevance in the job market.  Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.
 As our son Trevor reached about 18 months, we noticed he had stronger than normal reactions to certain happenings in his day. He got extremely upset at anything that interrupted the schedule that he had formed in his mind. He couldn't verbalize his feelings or thoughts at that age, so he would cry, scream and throw himself on the floor. Even when he became more verbal, at about 4, it was still difficult for him to explain what was wrong, and to control his emotions. He exhibited these behaviors in settings such as church and preschool, so on the way to church in the car we would coach him and have him repeat, "No yelling, no hitting, no falling down." We aren't sure how much that helped, but he remembered the words. At the time, he hadn't been diagnosed with anything other than speech delay, so we didn't know for sure what was causing these behaviors. We later learned these were early signs of autism. The difference from his older sister's behavior at the same age, was that he had different reasons for the tantrums, and less communication about those reasons. He got especially upset when something didn't happen the way he expected. It was so upsetting to him that he would throw himself on the ground even if it was something he loved, such as going to the zoo. The other big reason for his tantrums was being forced to switch quickly from one activity to another. Most kids that age love surprises, and distracting them from one thing with another is usually a good strategy to keep them happy. It was the opposite with Trevor. He had to have a lot of warning about any changes, and still was sometimes upset. He explains in his book, Six-Word Lessons on Growing Up Autistic, in the chapter, Sudden Changes are a Big Challenge, that he often had his whole day planned out, even as young as 4 or 5, so anything that changed or interrupted that was extremely upsetting. These reactions also sometimes led to occasional hitting, toy-grabbing, or other rude behaviors toward other children. Trevor's Dad, Lonnie Pacelli, created a one-minute video about the importance of keeping a schedule for people of all ages with autism spectrum disorders. Because of these extreme reactions, and the reasons for those reactions, combined with the speech and language delays discussed in a previous blog post, we were not surprised to receive the diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder when Trevor was in kindergarten.  Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife and mother of two adult children, Briana and Trevor. She is the co-creator of the Six-Word Lessons Series along with her husband Lonnie. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons to Look Your Best and Six-Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces.
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