The Concierge (Blog)
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Let the manuscript teach you how to edit it
One of the lessons I’ve learned over many years of editing is that you have to let the manuscript teach you how to edit it. Every manuscript is different and every manuscript needs a different touch. Even when an author does something I’ve seen many times before, I have to edit for that particular manuscript,…
How to use basic editing resources
If you’re interested in editing – whether copyediting or developmental editing – it pays to become used to a few basic editing resouces. What’s Your Style? Most of my clients have wanted me to follow The Chicago Manual of Style with some variations, and that is standard for book publishing, so it pays to become…
What to do when an edit turns into book doctoring
As a developmental editor, you’ll occasionally (maybe even frequently) encounter clients who need more than what you can offer in a developmental edit. Sometimes they don’t have the skill to do the necessary revision or they simply don’t have the time to do the writing. In these cases, instead of sending the client off to…
5 tips for evaluating prospective clients
Occasionally I hear from editors who’ve gotten stiffed by a new client (and sometimes by a returning client!) and want to know how to avoid it. Because my publisher clients are all reliable, the main thing I do to prevent problems is to expect full payment in advance from indie authors. Not everyone can do…
The fine art of copyediting fiction
Some years ago, I taught copyediting for the University of California San Diego (long before I ever moved to sunny California myself) and often I would get students who asked, “So, does this apply to copyediting fiction, too?” And the answer was, “Yes, but no.” Yes, you need to apply consistent standards throughout the manuscript….
Finding a middle way
The other day, I reached out to a company that offered a product priced for (a) nonprofit companies and (b) corporations with up to 15,000 employees. As you can imagine, (a) was cheaper than (b) by a significant degree—think $250 versus $2000. As a small business owner who uses a few subcontractors to handle things…
Judging your editorial skills
One of the challenges with working with indie author clients is they aren’t always the best judges of what constitutes good editing. They may think that because an editor has left very few comments on their manuscript, the editing is fine and their manuscript must be in good shape. But maybe the editor is just…
How to start freelancing
A question I’m commonly asked is “how do I get started in freelancing?” I never answer this question because it’s so complicated whole books have been written on the subject. But today I’m going to answer it because once I’ve done so, I’ll just start sending people the link. Here are the basic steps to…
How do you know if you’re a good editor?
I was lucky enough to learn to edit from staff editors who gave me encouraging but useful feedback on how I was doing my work. And over the years I’ve worked with a lot of colleagues who aren’t shy about saying what I’m doing well and what I’m not doing so well. But not all…