Back in episode 286, I set out a list of things that editors hate and how to avoid them. Apparently that was very helpful, but lots of people have suggested that I needed to do a more positively focused companion episode, so here it is: what makes editors' hearts sing? 

These ten tips come partly from my own experience of nearly 30 years as an editor (ahem), but also from the Practical Inspiration Publishing development editors and other editors who responded to my call on social media. 

From pitching a great proposal to delivering your manuscript to responding to feedback, here are some practical tips straight from the horse's mouth to help you get the best out of the relationship with your editor, the person who can, if you let them, take your book from good to great. 

"We knew that a handbook had to be incredibly practical... we tried to help people to really work through the stages that you need to think about." There could hardly be a more important topic for businesses to engage with today than sustainability, and yet most businesses are still at the very early stages of formulating their sustainability strategy. So when David Grayson, Chris Coulter and Mark Lee were invited to write The Sustainable Business Handbook, they knew it had to be a practical tool that any business leader could use to get their own sustainability initiatives off the ground. 

In this conversation we talk about what that meant in practice for structure and style, and how three authors in three different time zones can collaborate without tears... 

'It starts off as me working out what I think, and then it becomes something I'm going to share with other people... The point at which I allow myself to start imagining a reader is really important.'

Writing isn't just a tool for communication, and your book isn't just a product. In this thoughtful and practical conversation, best-selling author Cathy Rentzenbrink reveals how she approaches both life writing and how-to writing, and charts the looping, iterative progress that allows you to develop your ideas from exploration to exposition.

She also shares her own writer's tricks for managing energy and getting unstuck, and explains the importance of avoiding kitchen-sinking...

And if you're thinking that you're not a writer, there's good news for you: your business communication skills may be more transferable than you think. 

They told Christian Busch that it would be 'academic suicide' to do a PhD on the science of luck. But it turns out that luck isn't a random force at all: the results may be unpredictable, but the process of becoming luckier is a simple matter of creating more connections and joining the dots more effectively. 

In this conversation, he explains more about how to become luckier by adopting a 'serendipity mindset', and also how you can benefit from 'peak-hour writing' to get your own book written. 

This just might be your lucky day... 

A great way to celebrate a new year and a tricentenary episode: a 'best bits' compilation of wisdom from recent guests talking about one of the most important and rewarding aspects of writing a business book. 

Whether you need to focus on building your following or your partnerships, or simply be a bit braver at making new connections, there's inspiration and ideas for you here.

Hear from:

• Eloise Cook on why publishers look for a following
• Sonya Barlow on creating serendipity
• Michael Buckworth on the value of talking about your idea
• Dorie Clark on professional communities, aka 'making friends as an adult'
• Trevor Thrall on collaborating with trust
• Michael Leckie on reaching out to your heroes
• Lucy Ryan on finding writing buddies
• Jo Bottrill on finding the right publishing skills.