Authors often use beta readers to give them feedback on their work and I think this can be a great way to get a sense of a reader’s experience of the novel. A thoughtful reader can tell you what they liked, where they got confused, plot events that struck them as implausible, or scenes where…
One of the best ways to dip your toe into the developmental editing waters is by beta reading. This is basically reading a manuscript and responding to it: where you were confused, where you lost interest, what character you enjoyed the most. How to Beta Read When you’re doing a beta read, you’re not trying…
Let’s talk about the two biggest publishing mistakes writers make. I see these over and over again. Are you making these mistakes? Publish Mistakes Writers Make: The 2 Biggest In my many years as a book author, agent, and editor, I’ve met thousands of writers, professional and aspiring, and it has struck me that we…
How can someone effectively combine writing and editing skills to make a good living? By establishing what I call a “hyphenated career”: becoming a writer-editor! Combine Writing and Editing Skills In my book The Business of Storytelling, I talk about how to create a writer-editor career, where you use what you learn as a writer…
One of the challenges writers often face is not knowing whether their work is on the right track. How do you know if your novel is any good? We often only vaguely understand what we mean by “Is my work any good?” And we often ask others for input – friends, family, beta readers, freelance…
My best book editing tip is just three words: Less is more. The deliverables for a developmental edit are (1) an edited manuscript and (2) a revision letter. It doesn’t get any more basic than that! Basics of Book Editing Deliver an edited manuscript and a revision letter. That’s it. Sometimes newer editors also add…
We often talk about telling stories, but how to tell a story is something of a misnomer for novelists. A novelist needs to show the story. Undoubtedly you’ve heard the old advice, “Show, don’t tell.” And you may have heard that yes, indeed, you can and should sometimes tell. For example, you don’t need to…
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…
What are the essentials needed in a query letter? These query letter must-haves are the most important pieces a query letter needs. Tips for Query Letter Must-Haves In the course of my work (as an agent, as an acquisitions editor, now as a publishing consultant), I have found that writers often overlook a few important…
If you’re trying to build your freelance business, you’d probably like to know how to make more money as an editor. One way to do that is to offer a wider variety of services to meet client needs. Expanding the services you offer is also a great way to add some variety to your day….