Authors often use beta readers to give them feedback on their work and I think this can be a great way for them to get a sense of a reader’s experience of the novel. But unpaid beta readers often flake out and never provide feedback. This is the number one complaint I hear from authors…
Once upon a time, ten key by touch was one of the most sought-after skills I possessed. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s basically being able to quickly enter numerical data into a computer. I’m sure there are still jobs where it’s a helpful skill to have, but…
Readers like to see character change, even if the change is small, and even if the change is negative. Often a character will be just the same at the start of the story as at the finish, and generally this is less satisfying to the reader than when a character is confronted with the need…
In my teaching, I focus a lot on helping editors understand how character, plot, and setting work together. These are the tools with which authors build stories. But there’s another we shouldn’t overlook: theme. Readers read stories not merely to find out what happens but to understand what it means. Causes Create Meaning I often…
I’ve been talking with newer and more established freelance editors about how they find clients and deal with ups and downs in freelancing. This week’s editor is Miranda Darrow, who has been editing part-time for a little over ten years. Here’s our Q&A: Tell me a little about your background and the kind of editing…
One of the common questions I’m asked by newer editors is “How much should I charge for editing?” Some editors undervalue their work in an attempt to stay competitive. This approach can lead to exhaustion and potentially compromise the quality of your work. How to Price Editing Services My hair stylist moved to Indiana from…
I’ve been talking with newer and more established freelance editors about how they find clients and deal with ups and downs in freelancing. This week’s editor is Shellah Inman, who has been editing part-time for four years. Here’s our Q&A: Tell me a little about your background and the kind of editing you do. I’ve…
A few years ago, two students started taking classes at Club Ed. Both had solid backgrounds that helped them quickly grasp the principles of developmental editing – one had a teaching background and the other had a journalism background. One of these students recently celebrated their first $10,000 month. The other student got bogged down…
I’ve been talking with newer and more established freelance editors about how they find clients and deal with ups and downs in freelancing. This week’s editor is Andrew Hodges. Here’s our Q&A: How long have you been freelancing as an editor? I’ve been running a full-time editorial business since 2019, and I edited for five…
It happened again this week: a writer got in touch with me, told me some information about their book, and asked for some guidance about next steps. They weren’t asking about my editorial services, they were just asking what happens next in the writing process. This is a very common ask, and I have a…