Sometimes it’s necessary to work with a freelance editor to improve your writing skills or help make your manuscript more marketable. You can find editors by searching Fiverr or Reedsy, though you need to vet them carefully and ask a lot of questions. I’ve compiled a list of editors I know who are very good at what they do. There is a link to each individual website, so that you can see what services they offer and what they charge. Our agency is NOT connected financially or any other way with these editors.

You may want to read this post: 5 Things to Do Before Hiring a Freelance Editor.

Editors

→ Gina Denny. Click here. Offers several levels of editing and proofreading.

→ Nathan Bransford. Click here. Also offers coaching and brainstorming.

→ Erin Healy. Click here. Developmental (content) editing, coaching, word crafting.

→ Noveldoctor. Click here. Edits fiction and memoirs. Also works on book proposals.

→ Karli Jackson. Click here. Developmental & line editing; jacket copy preparation; manuscript viability review.

→ Jodi Hughes. Click here. Former HarperCollins editor. Mostly fiction, some NF.

→ Lindsay Harrel. Click here. Specializes in content or developmental edits for fiction.

→ Natalie Hanemann. Click here. Also does story coaching for fiction and nonfiction.

→ Chuck Sambuchino. Click here. Also edits query letters, synopses, and proposals.

→ Ami McConnell. Click here. Also offers manuscript viability review and coaching/consulting.

→ Kristy Cambron. Click here. Offers developmental editing and coaching.

→ Dave King. Click here. Co-author of Self Editing for Fiction Writers.

→ Mike Loomis. Click here. Nonfiction developmental editing, co-writing, and ghostwriting.

→ Staci Frenes. Click here. Developmental and line editing for memoir and fiction.

→ Christina E. Boys. Click here. Developmental & line editing of both fiction and non-fiction.

→ Edit Resource. Click here. This is a company that contracts with the best fiction and non-fiction editors in the business. They have a variety of editors available and they can connect you with the right editor for your project. Look over their list, then contact them.

→ Art Lizza. Click here. Specializing in conceptual-developmental editing.

→ Susanne Lakin. Click here. Specializing in fiction.

→ Kathleen Groom. Click here. Non-fiction and memoir, editing and copywriting.

→  Robin Patchen. Click here. Offers critiques, mentoring, editing and proofreading.

The following are editors who come highly recommended, but with whom I have not worked personally.

→ Katie Wall. Specializes in fantasy and sci-fi. Click here.

→  Ken Walker. Click here.

→  Christi McGuire. Click here.

→  Michelle Schacht. Click here.

→ Jenne Acevedo. Click here.

→  Kathy Ide. Click here.

Looking for ongoing coaching and accountability? I recommend Author Accelerator for a 6-month or 12-month package.

The post Freelance Editor Recommendations appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

Who’s excited about the crappy first draft??!!

That’s what we’re shooting for. While a few writers find success through editing along the way and making everything perfect as they go, MOST are better off writing whole chapters or even whole books before going back for revisions.

Some authors use a technique called “fast drafting” in which they get the first draft of the book on the page as quickly as possible. It’s very rough, leaving out much of the detail. The magic happens in the revision stage, which takes much longer.

The key is to experiment and find what works for YOU. If you have perfectionist tendencies, definitely try to hold those at bay or you’ll find they keep you from making forward progress.

What’s YOUR preference? Edit as you go, or save it till later?

If you should decide to invest in some personalized counsel, I offer coaching for unpublished authors here: My Coaching Services

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What do sensitivity readers do?

They typically read unpublished manuscripts early in the editing process, giving feedback on sensitive cultural issues, accurate racial portrayals, and concerns about bias or stereotypes represented in the book.

Why has this become a thing?

Over the last several years, many people have (rightly) been pushing for more diversity in publishing, more books published by and about people of color, more explorations of cultures outside of the dominant Western “white” narrative, and more diverse characters in novels. This has led many authors to begin writing about characters and situations that are not only more diverse but well outside that author’s own realm of experience. When you are writing about something that you don’t deeply understand, it’s likely you’ll unknowingly rely on stereotypes or false narratives, or simply fail to accurately portray a certain kind of character or cultural reality. By hiring sensitivity readers, you can receive feedback and fix any issues before the book goes to publication.

Why is it controversial?

Personally, I don’t find it controversial. I think it’s a smart thing to do, especially for white authors who are including people of color as characters in their story. However, the use of sensitivity readers has led to concerns about censorship in some circles, and other find their use to be overly “politically correct.” They feel the author has the right to convey their story in a way that reflects their own knowledge and experience of the world.

I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to keep increasing our understanding of the world, especially of those from different backgrounds or cultures than our own. I think using a sensitivity reader can help an author not only learn how to better portray the people and environments about whom they write, but also avoid making an ignorant mistake that can have negative and painful consequences when readers and critics start posting reviews.

How do you find sensitivity readers?

The best way, right now, is to ask around among your writing community. Many authors, editors, and agents will be able to get you some names.

Working with sensitivity readers.

It’s usually sufficient to have 2 or 3 readers on a project; that way, you’ll get varying perspectives and you’ll also know if something in your manuscript is so glaring that all of your readers noted it.

The starting rate for a reader is about $250-$300, but more experienced readers and longer books will be more expensive.

If you’re giving your readers the whole manuscript to read at once, which is the most common way to do it, you’ll want to give them enough time, usually about a month. Some readers can do it in two weeks, other may need six weeks. If you’d like to do it another way, such as give your readers a few chapters at a time as you write them, you’ll need to work it out with them individually.

The most important part about working with sensitivity readers, of course, is being able to hear their feedback and revise accordingly. You may find this an easy and fun process as you increase your own understanding of another race or culture; or you may find the feedback goes against the story you’d envisioned or the character’s personality or arc that you’d planned. Be ready for this, and keep your mind as open as possible and your defenses low, so that this process can work for you.

So… do you need sensitivity readers?

If you’re writing about a character or setting that is foreign to you, and you feel it runs the risk of being offensive if you got any details wrong, then definitely consider it. I’ve had a couple of fiction authors use them and I thought it was a very good decision. If your book is under contract, talk with your agent & publisher, because the publisher may be willing to absorb the cost.

If you should decide to invest in some personalized counsel, I offer coaching for unpublished authors here: My Coaching Services

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(1) Get objective feedback.

It’s best to have a critique group or partner, if possible. Try to get the most honest feedback you can—not on grammar and punctuation, but on the overall content of your book. Are readers finding the book engaging? Are they reading to the end? Are they confused?

(2) Edit & revise your book using reputable sources.

Find fiction resources HERE. My favorites for the revision phase are Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne & King, and Revision and Self-Editing for Publication by James Scott Bell.

Non-fiction resources HERE. Writing a memoir or personal story? Click HERE.

(3) Understand and follow 3-act structure.

This is for fiction and memoir. PLEASE don’t underestimate the importance of story structure. If your editor has to spend the bulk of their time fixing your structure and educating you about it, you won’t get the best value for your editing money. You can learn structure on your own—and seriously, your book won’t work without it. A couple of helpful resources are Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland, and Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell.

(4) Read your book out loud to catch awkwardness and poor phrasing.

This is especially helpful to make sure fiction dialogue is snappy and believable. But it helps with any kind of writing. Often when you read it aloud, you’ll catch problems you’d never spot by reading silently.

(5) Make sure your editor has edited published books.

It’s difficult to verify the legitimacy and credentials of each editor. So do your best to verify that they’ve edited books that have been published by traditional publishers. It’s your best bet for getting a good edit.

Here are some freelance editors. There are a lot more out there in internet-land! Do your research.

Late breaking update! Robin Patchen contributed a perfect analogy in the comments, so I want to include it here. Hope you find it as helpful as I did!

I have worked with freelance editors, and I am a freelance editor, so I’ve seen both sides of this. I often say hiring an editor is like hiring a housekeeper. You don’t hire someone to pick up your socks and put away your dishes. In fact, before the housekeeper comes, most of us pick run around like crazy picking up the easy & obvious, because we want to pay the housekeeper to do the hard stuff. The “cleaner” your manuscript is, the more your editor can help you make it really shine. -Robin Patchen

The post 5 Things To Do Before Hiring a Freelance Editor appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

1. The Content Edit (developmental, substantive, or macro edit; sometimes simply called revisions.) This is where the editor gives big-picture notes. Fiction: plot, characterization, scene crafting, POV’s, and all the other elements of your story. Non-fiction: logical flow of ideas, readability, strength of argument, interest level. The editor doesn’t actually edit your work in this stage, they usually give you a set of notes and send you back to work on your revisions.

2. The Line Edit. The editor works directly in your manuscript document, using Track Changes and Comments in Word. She suggests word, sentence and paragraph changes, looks for discrepancies, asks questions about things that don’t make sense, highlights inconsistencies or POV breaks, and looks for anything else that needs to be smoothed out. The line editor is responsible for seeing that the manuscript conforms to house style guidelines.

3. The Copy Edit. This is the most detailed editing, dealing with typos, spelling, punctuation, word use. Sometimes fact checking is done; permissions are checked; footnotes are verified.

At some houses, editing is a long and involved process, where at others, it hardly takes any time at all. Some publishers place a high priority on editorial excellence and put a lot of time and money into it, while others basically print what the author wrote.

If you’re self-publishing and looking for an editor, you can use the above terminology to ensure you’re getting the level of editing you need.

Happy Editing!

The post What Does a Book Edit Look Like? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

Using a freelance editor can be a great idea – if you use it as a learning experience. You need to do most of the work yourself. I think it’s wasted money if you’re counting on someone to fix your manuscript for you. The point is to get an experienced set of eyes on it to help you identify problems and figure out how to fix them.

Prior to being represented or having a contracted book, the best way to work with an editor is to have them give you notes on your book, but not make changes themselves in the manuscript. Then you can go back to your manuscript, grasp the reasons for the changes they’re suggesting, and implement them, all the while learning how to make your book stronger. Hopefully you’re going to take that new knowledge with you into writing the next book.

It can be very helpful for an editor to give you an evaluation of your first few chapters, so that you can then rework the entire manuscript according to what you learned. It’s a terrific learning experience and can help you grow as a writer. It’s almost like having a writing tutor.

If you get an agent and/or sell your first book based on a manuscript that has been heavily edited by others (or is the product of intense critique group feedback), plan to do the same thing with your second book before submitting to your agent or publisher. And your third book, etc. Over time you’ll grow as a writer and become less dependent on outside help.

Many agents and editors are uncomfortable with writers having too much outside editorial help prior to being contracted, because it can mask a writer’s true abilities. I’d hate to get you a 3-book contract with a publisher based on that stellar first book, only to find out that you had a ton of help with it and are not able to deliver that quality of book a second time.

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/en/creative-writing-editing-library-108545/

Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent

The post Should I Hire a Freelance Editor? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

It does, however, mean I’m aware of the ways a book could have been better, had the author availed themselves of the best assistance available, whether in design, writing, editing, cover, or even title.

I was excited to read this book—a memoir—and it started out promising. But it quickly devolved into a self-focused, rambling hodgepodge of preaching interspersed with bragging. I did finish the book (luckily it was rather short) but I ended up with strongly negative feelings toward the author. Since this was a memoir, I doubt that’s what the author was going for.

I think the author got some friends to edit the book, maybe even somebody with writing experience. But it’s clear he never consulted a professional book editor, especially not one with expertise in memoir. This is a genre that is notoriously difficult to pull off. The author needed a strong memoir editor, but since he didn’t have one, I can’t recommend the book to anyone.

So, how could an editor have improved the book? Here are my thoughts:

A good editor would have coached the author to find his main theme, and to focus tightly on it, cutting out rabbit trails and eliminating entertaining stories that didn’t fit in this book. The editor could have helped decide which stories should stay and which should go (often difficult for a memoirist, because they’re so close to the material).

An editor would have conveyed that teaching and preaching don’t belong in a memoir. Save that for another book — a how-to or self-help. The memoir is your story and your reflections on your story, but should avoid the self-help vibe.

An editor would have eliminated bragging, and suggested ways to convey moments of success or triumph without sounding arrogant.

An editor would have brought out the importance of a humble tone, of admitting the journey isn’t over and you’re still learning, a sort of “fellow pilgrim” approach. When your story is nothing but triumph and “look what a great thing I did,” real people don’t tend to relate to your message.

An editor would have challenged the author to truly let the reader in. Authenticity and vulnerability are hallmarks of powerful memoirs, and this one has neither. I had the feeling of skimming over the surface, never quite being allowed in.

An editor would have ensured readers didn’t feel like complete losers if they don’t currently share the author’s lifestyle.

An editor would have protected the author’s reputation.  The author conveyed a message he may not have intended by including certain observations and behaviors unrelated to the theme of the book, but which made him seem like a womanizer and a bit of a sexist. A savvy editor would have gently inquired if this was really what the author wanted readers to take away.

* * *

With regard to editors, it boils down to the importance of objective, qualified feedback. Businesses spent over $1oo billion on leadership development last year. Why? Because it’s really hard to see yourself clearly and commit to change, and companies want their leaders to learn and grow and be the best they can be. This requires coaching and objective feedback. Authors are no different. A good editor has the courage to give you the feedback your buddies won’t. It’s their job. And they make your writing better as a result.

Have you ever had the experience of working with an editor who improved your work and helped you say exactly what you wanted to say?

Image copyright: lamaip / 123RF Stock Photo

The post Trust Me, You Need a Good Editor appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

I know it’s tiring for them, and sometimes frustrating to be pushed to go over it again and again, especially when they know they’ll go through more edits with their publisher. I admire every writer who does whatever is necessary, who keeps pushing through, who remains dedicated to making the work the best it can be.

This is what it takes to be good. When an editor pushes you to be your best, or when you push yourself, you’re doing exactly what’s necessary to rise above the hordes of regular writers to become a good writer. Along those lines, I read this powerful piece in the book Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University.*

No one, not even the greatest writers, creates good first drafts. “I have to write crap before I can write anything that is not crap,” says Walt Harrington, who has been writing well for thirty years. “Writing is thinking. It is an extension of the reporting process.” A first draft might have promising sentences or paragraphs, a brilliant conceptualization, a few surprising turns of phrase, or a sturdy framework. All that, however, will probably be barely visible, entangled in the general messiness of half-formed ideas. Those promising elements will reveal themselves as the writer begins to tease apart the mess with the next draft and the one after that.

Still, as you read through a flawed first draft, remember that the hardest work is behind you. You have moved closer to defining the topic and developed strategies for explaining it…. You have stared down the blank page and begun building something on it.

Good writing is far too complex to get right in one draft or two or five. Good writers are most often plain ol’ writers who go the extra mile and then a few more.

If you are struggling through draft after draft, trying to get it right, take heart. You’re going the extra mile, and then a few more. Keep putting in the work, and you will become a good writer.

Are you pushing yourself hard enough? Are you going through enough drafts to push yourself to be a good writer?

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

*Quote from Telling True Stories, p. 97, by Mark Kramer & Wendy Call.

The post The First Draft is Just the Beginning appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

Guest blogger: Natalie Hanneman, Freelance Editor

Working with new novelists is one part of my job as a freelance editor that can bring the highest highs and the lowest lows. I am privileged to work with many authors who have never been published, much less edited, and plowing this new territory together is hard work for both of us, but also rewarding.

What I most admire about writers is their courage. It takes someone with fortitude to sit down and write a novel. I recall one author friend saying to me, “Why don’t you write a book, Natalie, you’d be so good at it.” I told her that, unlike her, I don’t have people in my head telling me their life stories. I am not creative in this way. The complexity of novel writing, character building, storytelling…it’s hard work—and it’s an artform.

My creativity shows itself, though, when writing editorial letters. I consider writing editorial letters its own artform, as they, too, have their highs and lows, and if an editor is worth her salt, she’s been strategic with how she’s ordered the letter and diplomatic with her wording.

In this post I want to share some tips addressing the mistakes I most often see from new novelists. By paying attention to these mechanics, your writing will be tighter and your presentation more polished. Writing and revising will still be hard work, but by applying these tips, you and your editor will be able to examine your story at a deeper level because these errors won’t be clouding the language.

• Be concise: say what you have to say in as few words as possible. For example, “After giving his mom an update…” can be shortened to “After updating his mom…”
• Avoid passive voice: It had gotten lost. If you aren’t sure what passive voice is, this website does a great job explaining it.
• Don’t repeat a word in a sentence. These word echoes happen more often than you might think. Many times this happens when the same word is used as two different parts of speech. “I suggested setting a different temperature setting.”
• Attributions are important in dialog, but use them sparingly. If there are two characters talking, you don’t need to have an attribution after each character speaks. Another way to reduce attribution usage is to give your characters unique styles of speaking so that readers know automatically who is talking.
• Here’s a trick I use sometimes. Instead of writing: “I know it’s a lot to ask,” Madison said, checking her teeth in the mirror. Write it this way: “I know it’s a lot to ask.” Madison checked her teeth in the mirror. It’s a small adjustment but it makes it clear who is speaking without tagging on an attribution.
• Just use “said.” When you use attributions, unlike in nonfiction, don’t try to use a variety of words for “said” like “noted”; “spoke”; or “commented.” Fiction readers are reading fast and words like “said” don’t register in their minds. But if you use another word instead of “said,” it creates a little speedbump and they must slow down to actually read the word. Let’s do whatever we can to avoid slowing readers down!
• Sometimes authors share what’s about to happen right before it happens. For example: Rosemary was about to let him have it. “What do you mean you didn’t pick any up for me?” You don’t need that first sentence. Just show Rosemary letting him have it! This will tighten up the scene and increase the pacing.
• Beware of using certain words too often. Authors commonly repeat words such as: chuckled; smiled; or looked. Do a search in your current WIP and see how many times you used the word “laugh.” (Don’t worry, we won’t make you tell us.) I find that each writer has their own pet words they tend to overuse.
• Help the reader keep track of time by adding periodic mentions of the day of the week/month, etc., especially in stories where the timing is important. For example, if the protagonist and hero only have a week together, don’t just let each day run into the next. Related to this, I usually suggest authors write out the timeline of their book. They can put a comment in the manuscript document whenever a new day begins, and if the book doesn’t span many days, then note if it’s morning, lunchtime, afternoon, or evening. You’d be shocked by how many errors an author can avoid or correct by having a written timeline.
• Don’t rehash an event the reader has already experienced. Authors may be tempted to put a conversation on-stage where one character is filling in another character about something that happened, but don’t make the reader sit through it a second time. Instead, have the character summarize what happened. For example: Helen told Michael what happened at the beach.
• Don’t use the words “very” or “really.” Strengthen your adjectives and verbs instead.

Have you worked with an editor? What do you think are your own editorial trouble spots?

Natalie Hanemann is an award-winning editor who has worked for more than fifteen years in book publishing. In 2012, she left her position as an in-house editor at a book publisher to stay home with her four children and began her freelance editing business.

The post Avoid Common Writing Mistakes appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

1. You’ve previously written a book that was at least mildly successful… maybe something like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

2. You have a recognizable name. For instance, Bradley Cooper. Or Oprah.

3. You are currently a top candidate for President of the United States.

4. You have recently won several gold medals in the Olympics. In a sport people care about.

5. You have come up with a life-changing, magical method of organizing people’s stuff. And it involves talking to your stuff.

6. You are the founder of Microsoft.

7. You are the…. what’s that? you don’t like this list?

(Hey, Bill Gates might be reading this blog, you never know.)

Okay fine, here’s a list that might help you a little more.

10 Things Editors Look For in Nonfiction

(The dead serious version.)

1. Established platform (built-in fans and potential bookbuyers).

2. Expertise and/or credentials in the subject area of your book.

3. A new and exciting idea, with a terrific title. (Yes, they do exist.)

4. A fresh take on a familiar idea. (How many parenting books do we need? Make yours uniquely compelling, and it’s possible we’ll need at least one more.)

5. A strong writing voice that compels readers. Yes, the craft of writing counts, even when your message is primary.

6. Felt-need takeaways that matter to the reader. Answer the question: What will I get out of this book? What’s in it for me?

7. A sellable concept – something people can’t already get for free elsewhere. This can be a tough one considering everything that’s on the Internet.

8. An author’s availability and commitment to playing a strong role in the marketing process.

9. A concept that could birth logical, sellable ancillary products, should the book take off. (Study guides, DVDs, specialized editions, etc.)

10. An author who is already famous (at least in his/her niche or subculture), or knows the right famous people who will offer endorsements or write the foreword.

How many can you check off your list?

The post 10 Things Editors Look for in Nonfiction appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

You could create an Editorial Style Sheet. This is what editors do when they line-edit or copyedit your book. It’s ultimately their responsibility to see that everything is as correct and consistent as possible throughout your book, so as they’re editing, they write down details; names of people, places, businesses and all proper nouns; unusual spellings; and style rules that will apply to your manuscript.

Your style sheet doesn’t need to be formal or detailed, but a simple one that you create as you write or revise could help you define and keep track of the elements that are important to you.

When editors create style sheets, they usually include the following elements:

1) A list of important style rules that will be followed throughout the manuscript. Note which dictionary and style guide you’re using (usually CMS or AP). The important thing is consistency and a pleasant reading experience, so this section will address things like whether or not the serial comma is used; under what circumstances kinship or pet names (“mama” or “sweetheart”) are capitalized or lowercased; whether inner thoughts are set in italics or roman type; rules for whether to spell out numbers or use numerals; and countless other issues that come up in editing.

2) The book’s setting (if it’s a novel)—time frame and location on the map.

3) A list of all the places and street names, to insure consistency in spelling and capitalization. For instance, is it Babies ‘R’ Us… or Babies R Us? Is it Wal-Mart? WalMart? Walmart?

4) A list of all the people in the book with the correct spellings of their names. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, you’d be amazed how often a writer spells the same name three different ways throughout a book. If personal details about the person are included, you may want to note those also, such as age, relationship to another person (i.e. “wife of John”), hair color, eye color, height and any other available information.

5) A long list of words whose spellings could be easily mistaken or challenged. For example, “blonde” and “blond” are typically confused and the rules for usage have evolved over the years. A nicely edited manuscript requires a rule so the word is spelled consistently, i.e. blonde for female and blond for male; or blonde for noun and blond for adjective. Sometimes a word is only used once, but is included in the style sheet to show that an intentional decision has been made to go with a certain spelling; or to show that the spelling has been verified through an external source (i.e. “Walmart” is verified by the company’s website.)

If you’re self-publishing, it’s pretty important to keep a style sheet, so you can communicate your choices to the editor you hire. But even in traditional publishing,  it’s a good idea because it helps you stay consistent, and it will also help your publisher see that you’ve made intentional style decisions that they shouldn’t change.

Even if you never use a formal style sheet, hopefully this opens your eyes to the detailed scrutiny your manuscript may someday undergo.

Do you have any system for keeping track of details in your manuscript?

Tweetables

How do you keep track of the details in your manuscript? Create a Style Sheet! Click to Tweet.

With a Style Sheet, your blue-eyed hero won’t mysteriously acquire green eyes.  Click to Tweet.

Self-pubbing or traditional – create a Style Sheet to keep track of MS details.  Click to Tweet.

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1. The Macro Edit (developmental, substantive, or content edit; often simply called revisions.) This is where the editor gives big-picture notes on plot, characterization, scene crafting, POV’s, and all the other elements of your story. They don’t actually edit your work, they simply give you a set of notes and send you back to work on your revisions.

2. The Line Edit. The editor works directly in your manuscript document, using Track Changes and Comments in Word. She suggests word changes, looks for discrepancies, asks questions about things that don’t make sense, highlights inconsistencies or POV breaks, and looks for anything else that needs to be smoothed out. The line editor is responsible for seeing that the manuscript conforms to house style guidelines.

3. The Copy Edit. This is the most detailed editing, dealing with typos, spelling, punctuation, word use, etc. Sometimes fact checking is done; permissions are checked; footnotes are verified.

At some houses, this is a long and involved process, where at other publishers, it hardly takes any time at all. Some publishers place a high priority on editorial excellence and put a lot of time and money into it, while others basically print what the author wrote. From this, you can extrapolate the idea that some publishers are more open to signing contracts with authors who show great potential but need some help getting there; and others need the author to be immediately publishable.

Where do freelancers fit into the picture?

At many houses, the editors are swamped and don’t have enough time to edit all their books, so the publishing house has a list of freelancers they regularly use. For authors with multiple books, they do their best to give the author the same editor each time, so good working relationships are built. Freelancers may be used at all three of the above stages in the editorial process.

If a freelancer is doing the macro edit, she will usually confer with the in-house editor prior to the edit. The in-house editor will convey her general thoughts and impressions to the freelancer so they can be incorporated. When the author receives the notes, they’ll all be together in one place. Authors aren’t left to decipher multiple sets of notes at one time!

Hope that doesn’t make things even more confusing!

Let me know if you have more questions about editing.

The post What Does the Editing Process Look Like? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

The message was powerful; it conveyed, “We care so much about producing the highest quality wine that we refuse to rush the process. We won’t try to bring it out faster to increase profit. We won’t skimp on the craftsmanship that makes our wine so good. It takes time, and we will give our wine the time it needs.”

I couldn’t help thinking about that as I considered what I wanted to say today about the time and craftsmanship it takes to write a high quality book. I’m not talking about a book that everyone has to love. I’m talking about a book that has the basics: a solid story, well-developed characters, conflict that engages the reader, a satisfying resolution, well-crafted sentences and paragraphs, literate use of words, and a lack of typos and other egregious, noticeable errors. Even if it’s non-fiction, the basics apply except instead of characters, we need well-developed ideas.

With the proliferation of self-pub, online retailers are flooded with books that contain almost none of those basics. Books that scream “vanity” and “I just wanted to get rich quick.” Books that say, “I was too impatient, or too arrogant, or too ignorant, to either learn the very most basic writing techniques, or to get an editor’s eyes on this before it went public.”

I’ve said many times — I’m in favor of self-pub and e-pub and all the various ways writers now have to get their words out there.

But here’s the truth:

If you don’t pay attention to the quality control of your work, you’ll kill your writing career before it even starts.

Readers are not stupid. They may be downloading 99¢ e-books like crazy right now. But they’re already starting to figure out that something’s not right. Many of these books are poorly written and desperately need editing. (Even Amanda Hocking’s Trylle series, originally self-published, went through extensive editing at St. Martin’s before they re-released it.)

So why should you care? It seems many have the attitude of, “Why should I spend all that extra time and money on editing when people are going to buy it anyway?” Here’s why I think you should care:

If you self-publish a book that sucks, you may permanently lose potential readers. They pick up the book, it’s poorly crafted, they don’t like it — and they cross your name off their mental list of good authors. Down the road, perhaps you’ve become a better writer, perhaps you’ve finally decided to work with an editor, but unfortunately it’s too late for all those readers who are already convinced your books aren’t worth buying. Why risk that? Why not take the time to make sure your work is ready?

This idea of taking the time to properly craft a book applies to those in traditional publishing as well. Many of my clients become frustrated with me because I push them to make their proposals better and better; I may push them to write more chapters of their non-fiction books, I may push them to do a complete revision on a novel before submission. They’re anxious. They just want to get it out there. But I don’t work that way. I will sell no wine before its time.

I believe we need to keep holding books to a high standard. I want us all to keep insisting on quality reading material, not settling for whatever someone could slap together and impatiently upload to Kindle with barely a lick and a promise.

One of the main arguments writers use for self-publishing is the speed at which they can get their books up for sale. They’re proud of themselves for circumventing the laborious publishing system that — yes — takes forever. But many of them have nothing to be proud of. I’ve bought and read numerous self-pubbed books now, and in general the quality is noticeably inferior to what most traditional publishers are putting out. (And all of those self-pubbers who are doing it poorly are giving a very bad name to the handful who are doing it well.) Many are sacrificing craftsmanship for speed.

It’s a trade-off that diminishes us all.

I say, let’s commit to selling no books before their time. Are you with me?

Update: Since so many people are mentioning in the comments that it’s hard to know how to find an editor, I wanted to give you a couple of resources. The latest post by Victoria Strauss on Writer Beware is about how to vet an independent editor. Also, I have a list of freelance editors here on my site.

The post Quality Books Take Time appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

Is your book too long? Does it feel a bit wordy, perhaps slightly bloated?

Or . . . does it feel perfect but it’s a little high in word count?

There comes a time in every writer’s life when they need to reduce their word count. Ack! Not my precious words! Even if your word count is fine, most writers would benefit from tightening up their manuscripts before submission. (I, for one, would appreciate it.) But how do you do this?

Most writers can significantly shorten their manuscript simply by eliminating extraneous adverbs, adjectives, gerunds, and passive verbs, i.e. things you don’t need anyway. If you cut 10 words per page in a 350-page manuscript, you’ve already shortened it by 3,500 (unnecessary) words.

So how do we do this? Here’s a checklist of things to consider cutting:

→ Adverbs, especially those with “ly” endings. Ask yourself if they’re necessary.
→ Adjectives. Often people use two or three when one or none is better.
→ Gerunds. Words that end in “ing.”
→ Passive voice: Over-use of words like “was,” “were” and “that” indicate your writing may be too passive. Reconstruct in active voice.
→ Passages that are overly descriptive.
→ Passages that describe characters’ thoughts and feelings in too much detail (i.e. long sections of narrative or interior monologue).
→ Passages that tell the reader what they already know.
→ Unnecessary backstory.

Here’s a list of words to watch for. Carefully consider their necessity and effectiveness:

about, actually, almost, almost, like, appears, approximately, basically, close to, even, eventually, exactly, finally, just, just then, kind of, nearly, practically, really, seems, simply, somehow, somewhat, sort of, suddenly, truly, utterly, were.

(Make use of the “search and replace” function in Word to help with this process if there are specific words you tend to overuse.)

Once you go through this exercise, you’ll find your manuscript remarkably cleaner. Try to have fun with it!

And remember, no matter how many words you’re able to cut, your editor will always find more.

What are your secrets for reducing word count?

The post How to Cut Thousands of Words Without Shedding a Tear appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.