Metadata feels like a nebulous term, and for many writers, it’s components seem hard to pin down. However, it’s vital that your book has...

You’ve written your book and edited the heck out of it, and you don’t want to deal with it anymore. Sounds about right? But then you...

Book titles and subtitles feel pretty basic—every book has a title (at least), and I don’t think it’s controversial to say that your book...

If you think no one is judging books by their covers, then you’d be wrong about this oft-underutilized aspect of book marketing. The book cover and spine or the book cover thumbnail will be the first aspects of your book that catch a potential reader’s attention. It’s pivotal that your book cover is professional and that the cover image file is sized appropriately. The last thing you want, before you even consider all of the other implications for book cover design, is a grai

What every writer should know Confusion about intellectual property, copyright, and permissions abound in the self-publishing world. It...

I’ve received quite a few questions about my new manuscript review service. First, I want to say, no, this is not a review like you might...

In the past, I’ve talked about how freelance editors might charge for their services. There are many ways professionals might do this, but one way I discussed was using the sample edit to determine how many hours a project is estimated to take, applying an hourly rate, and then charging a full project fee. Time is, therefore, money, as the saying goes. Logically, it makes sense then that saving time will also save you money. Now, before anyone objects, let me explain what I m

Finding a best-fit editor for your project can be a chore. There’s a sea full of editor-fish but not one of them are alike! A writer must...

Beta readers are a pivotal part of the self-publishing process. They read your manuscript with the eye of an “average” reader, helping to identify areas of improvement. What beta readers do Beta readers are essentially test readers. While some may comment on obvious grammar or spelling mistakes, the bulk of a beta reader’s feedback should be focused on their level of engagement with and reactions to the text. They may also comment on the effectiveness of world-building, chara

In the editing world, time really is money. Editors have to strike a balance between setting a rate they can live on and completing work in a timely, methodical, and conscientious way, while keeping a good flow and not letting projects stagnate. So, the longer a manuscript takes to edit (no matter how long it is), the higher the cost for authors. Some editors may offer a flat or fixed rate, but many will adjust their per word, hourly, or project rates based on how long they p

It’s a wide world of freelance editors out there, and not every editor provides the same types, or levels, of editing. Start your search by determining what you think your manuscript needs. Levels of editing Traditional phases of editing come in four flavors: Developmental, story, or structural edits look at the “big picture”: character arcs, plot, pacing, creating action sequences, dialogue, narrative tense, and point of view. Line editing is editing at the sentence level, f

One of the first things I learned about that was new to me as a freelance proofreader and editor was style sheet creation. Yet, it’s probably the least heard of aspect of the editing and proofreading process for my clients. What is a style sheet? A style sheet is like the Wikipedia page for your book. While the name is usually singular (style sheet), a style sheet is typically much more than one page. Style sheets come in many different formats and … styles. They are as uniqu

Independent authors are faced with many decisions during the self-publishing process, not least of which is determining what type of editing their manuscript needs. The decision to hire a professional editor, in itself, introduces a whole host of choices that can lead very quickly to decision fatigue. The editing trend There is a temptation, especially if one frequents writer Facebook groups and other corners of the Internet, to skimp on editing and instead rely on the help o

There are quite a few articles and blogs circulating around amongst indie author and editor Facebook groups on what goes into the cost of professional editing. I don’t know if it’s fueled by frustration from indie editors, a simple desire to educate, or both. Regardless, it’s a relevant topic and one that every editor with a blog should probably write about at some point. I can imagine the situation for indie authors searching for an editor. It’s probably bewildering to put f

Self-publishing is no simple feat. It requires a lot of time, research, and yes, money. It's easy for hopeful authors to become bogged...

With the whole wide world of the internet out there, it can be a bit daunting to put your book into the hands of total strangers. How can...

Pat yourself on the back, first of all. You wrote a book! Let that realization wash over you, then set your novel aside. It's time to...

Hi there! As this is my first blog, an introduction seemed to be the way to start. Welcome to the blog! My name is Sarah Fraps, and I am...