The Concierge (Blog)

One of the first things I teach newer developmental/story editors is to focus on the big picture. That means looking for problems with a novel manuscript’s plot, character development, and setting. It means noticing perspective/point-of-view problems, flabby scenes, and unnecessary exposition. It does not mean pointing out every unnecessary adverb or overused word. Don’t Overwhelm…

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 Shauna McIntyre. Here’s our Q&A: How long have you been freelancing as an editor? I’ve been freelance editing and writing on and off for almost twenty years but…

As a developmental editor, you need to be able to help authors understand where their plots are falling down. This means you need to trace the story arc. What is a story arc? It’s what happens in a story and why it happens. The Details: What Is a Story Arc Exactly? Of course, the what…

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 Sam Keir, who notes that he’s worked with words since 2013, “in various roles of editor, educator (secondary and tertiary), and author, but which one or three depends…

A question I’m frequently asked is “Should freelance editors put their rates on their website?” My answer? Yes. It’s important for potential clients to have some idea of what you charge. Part of what a potential client is evaluating when they are deciding if you’ll be a good fit is whether they have the budget…

I’ve been asking newer editors for insights into how they find clients and deal with the ups and downs of freelancing. This week’s editor is Shannon Scott, who has been self-employed since July 2021, going full-time in December 2023. This is our Q&A: Tell me a little about your background and the kind of editing…

I asked a number of freelance editors how they’re addressing AI in their businesses—how they use it (if they do) and how they respond to authors using AI in their work. My Approach to AI For myself, I don’t use AI for any part of the editorial or teaching process, and I don’t work with…

I’ve been speaking with a few newer editors about how they find clients and how they cope with the ups and downs of freelancing. This week’s interview is with Maria Georgiou, who has been a freelance developmental editor and beta reader specializing in romance for two years. Here’s our Q&A: 1. Tell me a little…

A few years back, I ran a class called Naked Editing for newer freelance editors who wanted to follow along as I did an actual manuscript edit. I’m a developmental editor, so people were curious to see how I identified developmental problems and how I addressed them in the edit. It’s a very different process…