A common structural problem you’ll encounter in fiction development is ineffective scene construction: scenes that start before they should, drag on far too long, and don’t establish key information right away. A good scene includes the meat of a plot event – whether that event is an emotional discussion over coffee, a decision to take…
One of the curious conundrums I’ve experienced as a book editor is encountering characters that the author clearly has contempt for but expects readers to be interested in engaging with. Contempt is as poisonous in writing as it is in relationships. The goal of the author should not be to judge character but to explore…
Authors often create characters who are perfectly suited for the story that is being told. The brilliant detective is put to the task of finding out whodunnit, the brilliant surgeon must operate on the life-threatening tumor, the brilliant commando must rescue the hostage. If these characters have suitable antagonists to oppose them, then enough conflict…
I’ve worked with a number of book publisher and book packager clients over the years and I’ve found a few basic rules help ensure that I complete each project satisfactorily. You may find them helpful, too. #1. Understand your role. If an author has asked whether the plot entertains you and you tell them they…
Editors often want to freelance for book publishers and packagers as a way to have reliable clients who provide ongoing work. But there are some differences in working directly for the client (as with an indie author) and working for a publisher. When I’m doing a developmental edit for a book publisher, I usually have…
As a teacher of developmental editing, I want students to get comfortable with being able to advise big solutions to big problems. Often this is the best way to truly help an author produce superior work. It is also an invaluable method for stepping back to see the big picture (a poorly constructed conflict, for…
NEW! Starts January 4, 2021 $50 4 weeks (through January 31), instructor-led This class is intended for editors, new and experienced, who are interested in following along as an experienced editor performs a developmental edit on a complete fiction manuscript. It is a reading-intensive class and the more you participate in the online discussions, the…
For problems that recur throughout a series of paragraphs, a scene, a chapter, or an entire ms, developmental editors will sometimes use a shortcut: “You do a lot of info-dumping throughout; I recommend cutting it back.” The problem with this approach is that if the author could identify where the info-dumping is occurring, they wouldn’t…
As Club Ed adds new classes, I’m frequently asked, “What class should I take?” or “What class should I take next?” so I wanted to provide some answers. These are my recommendations for the new instructor-led classes (self-paced classes are organized by skill level on the Club Ed site): For Anyone For anyone interested in…
$249, 4 weeks (through February 7), instructor-led. This new class is for freelance editors who have hit a slump or who have been away from the field for a while but want to get back in the game. Maybe the pandemic has impacted your clientele and you’ve lost the indie clients you’ve relied on, or…