Behind the Red Pen: What to Look for When Vetting an Editor

By Jaire Sims, @JaireSims

Part of the Indie Authors Series

JH: Choosing the right editor for your manuscript is more than just picking the first name on a list or result page. Jaire Sims shares what you need to know when vetting an editor for your novel.

Jaire Sims lives, works, and writes where he was born and raised, Chicago. After spending years with social anxiety and undergoing counseling, he was eventually diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Still, he overcame the challenges before him, graduating from Monmouth College with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies. Off and on, he worked on and eventually published his debut novel, Getting By, named a finalist in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Jaire hopes to inspire and nurture aspiring authors and, through his work, champion marginalized voices facing similar struggles to him.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

Take it away Jaire…

Editorial Feedback: Friend or Foe?

By Sherry Howard, @SherLHoward

Part of The Writer's Life Series

JH: Feedback is a valuable part of the writing process, but it can also be intimidating. Sherry Howard discusses why you don't need to be afraid of what people think of your writing.

Sherry Howard lives with her children and silly dogs in Middletown, Kentucky. Sherry is the author of the picture book ROCK AND ROLL WOODS, with a starred Kirkus review. Her poems and stories have appeared in multiple journals and anthologies. She also writes for the educational market, with about a dozen books. Her middle grade book, SPIRITS AMONG US, released in October.

Sherry Howard | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Take it away Sherry...

Working with a Freelance Editor (Part Two)

Editor Mollie Traver

By Jana Oliver, @crazyauthorgirl

Part of the Indie Authors Series

JH: Part One of my Q&A with freelance editor Mollie Traver is available here where we discuss her time at St. Martin’s Griffin, the different types of editing and how she made the transition from Big Five editor to freelancer.

Purely by chance, Mollie and I reconnected at the perfect time for both of us: She was launching her editorial business and I was in need of a topnotch professional. I'd just worked with an editor who'd offered good work in the past, but this time they rushed the proofing and it went bad in a heartbeat. Bad like me receiving a note from a NY Times bestselling author, who'd I'd ask to blurb the first book in my Chandler Steele series, kindly informing me there were typos in the finished manuscript. Same with one of my critique partners who reported there were no less than ten typos in the first twenty-five pages.

Ugh. (I used much stronger language than this.)

Simultaneously I was in contact with St. Martin's (who published my first four Demon Trappers books) on a separate matter and learned that Mollie was no longer with the publishing house. A bit of GoogleFu located her on Facebook and I asked if she was editing freelance. I rejoiced when the answer was yes. Since then she's offered full editorial control on the Chandler Series (developmental edits all the way through) as well as editing and proofreading for a number of other projects, including the last three books in my Demon Trappers series.

So let's dig in....

How to Save a Bundle on Editing Costs – Without Sacrificing Quality

By Jodie Renner, @JodieRennerEd

Part of the Indie Author Series

We indie authors need all the help we can get to produce a polished product worthy of competing well in the market place. Once you’ve revised your novel or short story a few times and have incorporated any input from trusted beta readers, it’s a good idea (essential, really) to get your manuscript edited by a respected freelance fiction editor, preferably one who reads and edits your genre.

Below you’ll find lots of advice for significantly reducing your editing costs, with additional links at the end to concrete tips for approaching the revision process and for reducing your word count without losing any of the good stuff.

How to Save Money on Editing Your Book

By Marcy Kennedy, @MarcyKennedy

Part of the Indie Author Series

Self-publishing your work means all the profits are yours, but it also means all the costs are yours. The two universally accepted areas where you shouldn’t skimp on quality are your cover and editing.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your costs to a minimum when it comes to editing without sacrificing quality. Today I’m going give you tips that can help you save money no matter what level or levels of editing you need.

(I’ve written about the types of edits before, so I’ll direct you there if you need a refresher on the differences between a developmental edit, line edit, copy edit, and proofread.)

Hiring an Editor - Yay or Nay?

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Getting published is a hard thing, and it's very competitive. You can have a good book and still not land an agent or an editor, which is incredibly frustrating. The pressure is tectonic plate-quality sometimes, and many a writer has thought about finding outside, professional help.

But should you?

This discussion is purely for writers going the traditional publishing route. If you're self publishing, then hiring an editor and a copy editor are vital for putting out a quality product.