The differences in editing fiction and nonfiction are distinct, and it is important for editors to know these differences so that relevant manuscripts are edited appropriately. Differences in Editing Fiction and Nonfiction In nonfiction (with the exception of some categories, such as memoir or narrative nonfiction), what matters is the content – the facts. So,…
I have some tips to get the creative juices flowing when thinking up ideas for story settings, starting with my suggested hierarchy of settings. The Russian Nesting Doll of Settings The setting of a novel consists of multiple elements, big and small, that nest inside each other. We might show this hierarchy of settings like…
Learning how freelancers can use the Pareto Principle to level up their marketing game offers great business-building wisdom. How Freelancers Can Use the Pareto Principle The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a ratio used to describe certain economic and business situations, such as 20 percent of the people have 80 percent…
So what do book editors do? If you’re new to editing, you may not be familiar with the various roles different types of editors play. What Do Book Editors Do? If you’re planning to work as a freelancer, it pays to understand who does what at a publishing company. This list is intended to help…
I’m sharing some thoughts on the characteristics of satire, including the message, characters, and plots—helpful to authors and editors! Characteristics of Satire: The Message Matters Most I have previously mentioned how some of our assumptions about fiction don’t always hold, and I gave an example of the anti-hero of a comic novel. Which made me…
Setting client expectations at the very beginning of a working relationship is necessary to provide the best editing services when working with authors. Setting Client Expectations: What Does the Client Want? Because editorial functions can go by different names, the first rule of freelance editing (whether developmental or otherwise) is to figure out what your…
Understanding the differences in the various types of book editing will help editors fine-tune their craft. Types of Book Editing It’s important to distinguish the different types of book editing—an edit that is largely intended to deal with big-picture problems (the developmental edit) and one that is meant to catch sentence-level problems (a copyedit). It’s…
If you’re an author hoping to have your work published, it helps to know how publishers acquire novels so you can navigate the process. The Basics of How Publishers Acquire Novels I shared some basic information in this post on traditional publication, but I wanted to share some thoughts from the perspective of an acquisitions…
Whether you’re a developmental editor, a copyeditor, or a line editor, avoiding scope creep is necessary so you can deliver your best work to clients. Avoiding Scope Creep for Editors When we edit novels, much of our work involves evaluating the problems in the manuscript and suggesting possible revisions for the author. If Joe’s character…
As a developmental editor, you won’t be copyediting, but you do need to be familiar with the authoritative editing style guides copy editors use. Basic Editing Style Guides Most of my clients have wanted me to follow The Chicago Manual of Style with some variations. That is standard for book publishing, so it pays to…