This morning, I happened across an online group of writers who caught my attention with a particular conversation. One person asked the group about an estimate from an editor. He mentioned a dollar figure without details concerning the length of the book or the type of editing he sought. Then he asked if that […]
Transformational Editing
Writer “A” or Writer “B”: Which Are You?
Over the years I’ve edited books and coached writers, I’ve discovered most writers fall into one of two categories. As soon as I begin interacting with a writer, I get a good idea which type he is, and an indication of how much I’m going to enjoy working with him. Writer “A” Doesn’t: Ask […]
Your Biggest Fear About Editors Debunked
If you’ve ever completed a story or a longer manuscript you’ve experienced a freeing rush of relief. You’ve invested days, or at least hours, in the writing. Endured the anguish of writing your hero into an inescapable corner. Perhaps you even shed a few tears over your hopes of ever finishing the piece and getting […]
What’s Your Biggest Fear About Editors?
Unless you’re an editor, you can’t imagine the glow of delight created when a client says they love what I’ve helped them do with their words. That feeling not only strengthens my resolve to help other writers but empowers my client to continue writing. Without a solid base of story, character, and plot, there would […]
Your Biggest Question About Editors Answered
Who knew all you writers out there were so shy? No one wanted to ask a question this week. So, here’s the number one biggest question I get in person when someone asks what I do. “Why should I pay a professional editor for something my spouse/friend/next door neighbor/pastor/librarian can do for free?” (Or I […]
What’s Your Biggest Question About Editors?
I’m grateful to each of you who show up, read my posts, and occasionally even leave a comment. So, in the spirit of National Reading Month, I’m asking my readers “What’s your biggest question about working with an editor?” Are you having trouble figuring out what type of editor you need at this stage of […]
The Courage to Throw It All Out – And to Start Again
Have you ever had one of those days, weeks, or months when nothing you write seems to work? Have you ever been stuck on one sentence, one paragraph, or one or more chapters that go nowhere? Maybe your agent or editor has called your attention to uneven passages in your manuscript and asked you to […]
Your First Draft is a Baby Step
When is your manuscript ready for publication? Oh, how I hope I did not just hear someone say as soon as you finish your first draft. That’s the first teensiest step on the way to publication. Once you complete your first draft, the real fun begins. And it continues for a while… because you wouldn’t […]
Curse of the Friendly Beta Reader
Imagine that you bought an expensive ticket to a play. This play has won some recognition in a few festivals, and you are eager to experience what the judges have praised. You enter the theatre to discover that every other seat has been turned to face the back of the theatre. As you hand over […]
Show Me the Feelings!
Okay, you’re writing a scene for your main character. He’s returning to his hometown – he hasn’t been back since he ran away at age sixteen. “Mason drove down Main Street. It looked the same as it had the day he left town. The druggist had painted the front […]