My best book editing tip is just three words: Less is more. The deliverables for a developmental edit are (1) an edited manuscript and (2) a revision letter. It doesn’t get any more basic than that! Basics of Book Editing Deliver an edited manuscript and a revision letter. That’s it. Sometimes newer editors also add…
We often talk about telling stories, but how to tell a story is something of a misnomer for novelists. A novelist needs to show the story. Undoubtedly you’ve heard the old advice, “Show, don’t tell.” And you may have heard that yes, indeed, you can and should sometimes tell. For example, you don’t need to…
What are the essentials needed in a query letter? These query letter must-haves are the most important pieces a query letter needs. Tips for Query Letter Must-Haves In the course of my work (as an agent, as an acquisitions editor, now as a publishing consultant), I have found that writers often overlook a few important…
Where I share the basics of how to write a novel synopsis and what exactly it is—plus a novel synopsis example for show-and-tell. What Is a Novel Synopsis? A novel synopsis is a description of the characters and storyline of an author’s manuscript. A brief synopsis runs two or three single-spaced pages, while a longer…
The search term “Editing jobs near me” is apparently a popular one (or so my SEO guru tells me), and of course I completely understand why: people think of jobs as a thing they commute to as an employee and if they have to have one of those, they’d rather it be near them. But…
If you’re a self-publishing author, you know you’ll need to hire a freelance editor to make sure your manuscript is in tip-top shape. And if you’re seeking traditional publication, you may want to hire an editor before you submit to make sure your work has the best chance of success. So at some point in…
In my years of teaching editing to aspiring editors, I’ve noticed that taking the step between training and actually asking for pay is the hardest one for many people. In fact, a lot of people put it off for years, thinking there are just a few more things they need to do to get ready….
If you’re an author hoping to have your work traditionally published, it helps to know how publishers acquire novels so you can navigate the process successfully. Do be aware that while some publishers accept direct submissions from authors, many (especially bigger publishers) don’t, and you’ll need to find an agent first. Information on querying agents…
“Waiting for a hare to appear” is an old Taoist story. Taoism is a philosophy of the middle way, of not forcing effort, of observing nature and trying to stay in tune with it. Sometimes people take the wrong message away from Taoist teachers, and the hare story is an example. The story goes like…
Eliminating or reducing flashbacks in your story can help with the narrative flow and keep readers interested in what’s ahead – and you want your readers to keep turning the pages! Tips for Eliminating or Reducing Flashbacks in Stories Authors like to use flashbacks to show backstory. Unfortunately, flashbacks can stop the narrative flow in…