I’m a book editor of fiction and memoir, and after editing more than 500 novels and memoirs over the past 14 years, I’ve noticed patterns in almost every unpublished novel. (And no, it’s not better grammar, fancier vocabulary, or “more showing, less telling.”) It’s a… Read More »I Edited More Than 500 Books: Here Are the 10 Mistakes I See in Almost Every Unpublished Novel
If you’ve finished writing your fiction novel, congratulations! Reaching “The End” is an accomplishment many aspiring authors never achieve. Now comes the next step: editing, which means finding a fiction book editor. Finding the right fiction book editor can feel overwhelming. Thousands of editors offer… Read More »How to Choose a Fiction Book Editor
I’ve been editing for a long time, and unfortunately I’ve seen countless (countless!) cases of authors coming to me after previously being “burned” by a bad editor. There are a lot of underexperienced editors out there—or even worse, people posing as editors who are in… Read More »How to Choose the Right Editor
In a word: YES. And here’s why… Most writers think that because they write well, they haven’t made any mistakes in their manuscript…WRONG! Even the best writers make plenty of mistakes. They leave out crucial details. They use confusing and wrong word choices. They spell words… Read More »Do You REALLY Need an Editor?
If you’re in the process of finding the right editor for you and your book, you may ask: Should you choose a larger company that offers editing services or should you opt for an independent book editor? Large Editing Companies Choosing a large company gives… Read More »Pros and Cons of Using an Editing Company vs. An Independent Book Editor
I’ve got competition for your business from two major sources: other book editors (particularly cheaper, quick-job editors) and artificial intelligence. 1. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BOOK EDITORS OUT THERE. (No, really!) Especially since the pandemic, it seems that everyone wants to work from home. Honestly,… Read More »Choose Me! 5 Reasons Why You Should Hire Me
How much does book editing cost? The Editorial Freelancers Association’s Editorial Rates Chart is the gold standard for how much editing should cost. The EFA’s rates (originally from 2015) were displayed in hourly rates, which I converted to my standard per-word rate. But with the EFA’s updated… Read More »How Much Should Editing Cost?
Many of my clients start with a manuscript critique, a process in which I read your entire manuscript to get a feel for its potential for success. The deliverable is an evaluation report (generally about 10 pages) in which I point out any issues in: In… Read More »Manuscript Critique
In my first chapter critique service, I read your book’s first chapter (up to 4,000 words), adding comments for suggestion/improvement along the way. I focus on areas of confusing or vague writing, inconsistencies, or issues that I have as a first-time reader, and big-picture issues with your story’s conflict,… Read More »First Chapter Critique
Developmental editing is a high-level evaluation, one step above a manuscript critique, with a focus on the book as a whole. In this process, I read your entire manuscript to get a feel for its potential for success, adding comments with specific advice and feedback… Read More »Developmental Editing