The Concierge (Blog)

Newer editors are often unsure of how to stand out from other editors. So they’ll do things that are the equivalent of wearing a fedora or a monocle. “Notice me!” these efforts say. But I have a tip to share for how to stand out as an editor! My #1 Tip to Stand Out as…

Are you seeking direction on how to be a novel editor? For those who love words, the question of how to become a novel editor can be an exciting start or an overwhelming obstacle. Here I share some tips on how to make it happen! I quit smoking more than twenty years ago. This doesn’t…

Let’s talk about the fine art of copyediting fiction, what it means and insight into perfecting the art with integrity. Fine Art of Copyediting: When the Editor & Author’s Opinions Differ When copyediting fiction, it’s common to run up against issues that pit author preference against standard editing approaches. For example, in a story I…

In order to attract the right kind of clients for you, you have to understand what indie authors look for in editors. Some authors want you to do all the work. (These are often nonfiction authors, but some novelists do this, too.) If you’ve identified a plot problem, they want you to rewrite the story…

A book editor needs to get comfortable making editorial decisions in a copyedit. Don’t shift the editorial burden back to the author. Copyediting requires decision-making Obviously, we can’t ask the author to make decisions about every question we have when we’re editing. This is inefficient as it takes time to ask the question and get…

One of a book editor’s services is editing for timeline consistency, a common developmental concern. Here are some tips for tracking story timelines! Problems with Editing for Timeline Consistency A common developmental concern is a problem or error in the timeline of a story. Usually the copy editor is expected to track the timeline very…

What is line editing from a character’s viewpoint? A line editor has to learn to look at what is happening in a scene from the viewpoint character’s perspective in order to catch errors in how the story is conveyed. Here’s an example. Lois, the narrator (“I”), is hiding in a bathroom at an urgent care…

Need ideas for additional services for a book editing business? Freelance editors often want to expand their services to meet client needs or just to add some variety to their day. I sympathize completely! I started out as a copy editor and while I enjoyed applying a specific style guide consistently across 80,000 words, it…

Copyediting vs line editing: Let’s talk about the basic difference. Copyediting and line editing both focus on the sentence level, but they are not the same thing. Copyediting is about ensuring consistency across a manuscript, correcting egregious errors, making sure the manuscript conforms to a specific style guide, and otherwise smoothing the prose so the…