Every editor, whether freelance or working with a team of editors at a publishing house, will have a slightly different process for editing and proofreading a book. For indie authors, this process will largely depend on what they have hired the editor to do. This blog post provides the what-it-looks-like snapshot of each key moment during editing (as I experience it with clients). Most of these moments should carry over, in a broad sense, to just about any editor you work wit

Stealing this from dev editor Kourtney Spak's Substack . Check her out! My intention for this post is not just to shout about how great 2023 was for my business; rather, I want it to be an honest reflection on where I struggled personally and professionally with forward-thinking, hopeful thoughts for the year ahead. 1. What were my top 3 wins this year? This is the easiest question to answer. In no particular order: Meeting my project goal of 50 completed projects by the end

"Passes" and "rounds" are common terms used in book publishing, but their meanings can often become confused. There are, in general,...

(And why they have nothing to do with editing.) Whether you’re a writer or an editor, putting yourself and your writing in front of...

A grammar miniblog Most writers are familiar with the basics of formatting dialogue in fiction such as in the following examples: “I...

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...

Writers have a lot to consider when they choose the narrative tense of their novel. Deciding on the right tense for your story has a direct impact on world-building, character development, and creating an immersive story. A well-written story pulls the reader in, avoiding clunky writing or language that keeps readers at just the right level of closeness and intimacy with the characters. Tenses: past, present, and future Nowadays, writers can write in just about any tense they

Sometimes, it can be difficult to keep the stages of editing straight and remember exactly what each one includes. From my experience, copyediting and proofreading seem to cause the most confusion. In the business world, "proofreading" and "copyediting" are often used interchangeably. The differences, however, are distinct, and if you wish to self-publish, knowing the difference between the two is important. Stages of editing The most important part about any discussion of th

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

In an unregulated industry that primarily takes place over the Internet, scammers abound. Indie authors often save for professional editing, and it can be a costly mistake to hire the “wrong one.” How do you know you’re hiring a reputable professional editor? More important, how do you know you’re hiring the right kind of editor for your manuscript? From an editor’s perspective, there are a few standard cues to look for when vetting your editor. Do they have a professional bu

There’s no beating around the bush here. Of course, I’m going to tell you that you can’t rely on grammar checking and proofreading software alone for editing your novel. If I didn’t, I’d be out of business! And I’m not going to discuss what I have talked about numerous times before about the importance of having another set of eyes on your manuscript. That’s a given at this point. Finding the “best” software, however, is a perennial favorite topic in writing groups across the

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...