Do You Need an Editor for Your Book?
Several weeks ago, I wrote that every writer will need an editor at some point. The question today is, do you need an editor right now? The short answer is, it depends. The long answer is a little too long for just one post, so I’m going to break it down over the next couple [...]
The Things You Don’t Think About
All editors have certain little tricks that they’ve learned from experience (sometimes from bad experience). For example, we all know that running a final spell-check is a good idea, but it’s never enough. Certain pesky little words can still lurk within your document, perhaps with embarrassing results. That’s why I always like to do one [...]
8 Tips for Formatting Your Manuscript for Your Editor, Agent, or Publisher
Formatting is one of the first things a reader will notice about your manuscript. In fact, except perhaps for the title, formatting—the way the writing appears on the page—is the first thing a reader will notice. If that reader happens to be an agent or acquisitions editor and your manuscript has a sloppy, unprofessional appearance, [...]
Everyone Needs an Editor Sometime
Everyone needs an editor sometime… Were I a salesy person, that would be my slogan. I would plaster it all over my car and put it on t-shirts and baseball caps. I would write my slogan on a banner and hire an airplane to tow it around above a crowded beach. And of course I [...]
Caring About Every Comma
Recently, I wrote a post about journalist Gene Weingarten’s comment on writers who care enough to agonize over every word (“Caring About Every Word”). Are those writers obsessive? Maybe. But they’re also likely to mature into very skilled writers. I think something similar is true for editors. When you care enough to agonize over every [...]
5 Things Your Editor Needs to Know
Often I receive queries or see online job postings that include only minimal information about what the writer actually needs. Queries like “How much to edit my 100-page book?” are not unusual. They are, however, difficult to answer accurately. Including the following five specific bits of information in your query or job post will help [...]
Oop’s! London Borough Decides It’s Cheaper to Be Wrong
It must have seemed like a good idea at the time: Place some nice posters in bus stops to promote local schools. Brag a little about how those schools are some of the best in the country. Unfortunately, Barnet, the North London borough responsible for the posters, forgot to hire an editor and the posters [...]
Caring About Every Word
Several weeks ago, I heard Washington Post journalist and funnyman Gene Weingarten on the radio* talking about journalism, comic strips, and other things. At one point, speaking about writing, Weingarten said something like this: “If you care enough to agonize over every word, you will be a good writer.” I think that’s true. Over the [...]
Dear Editor: Don’t Be a Rude Idiot
What’s with all the rude behavior going on online? I’ve come to expect a certain number of snarky, mean-spirited comments on popular sites, but lately I’ve been noticing rudeness in some comments made by alleged editing professionals on freelance job sites. A few examples: In the public question/discussion area of one editing job posted on [...]
Learning to Love APA
I almost titled this post “I Was a CMS* Snob,” but at the last second I decided I’m not quite ready to own up to my former life as a style snob—and love is so much more appealing. And the truth is, I do love APA (the style, that is), with all my editorial heart. [...]
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