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Why Freelance Editors Decline Manuscripts
It’s one thing to receive a rejection from an agent or a publishing house—few writers win the publishing lottery immediately. Your prospective agent may have hit their quota for urban robot romance, or maybe they’re just not buying what you’re selling.[i] But rejection from a freelance editor can feel worse: what does it say about…
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What’s a “Reasonable” Rate?
When I quote on a project, I prefer to offer a total package price. It’s easier for me, and it reduces surprise fees for the writer. That’s why a large part of my quote is based on word count. However, I find that it’s easier to explain costs in terms of hourly fees. How come?…
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Ask An Editor: Kitty, Catty, Cater?
Kitty-corner/catty-corner. I know it’s regional. But a story I edited a few nights ago had cater-corner. Which is best? First, a disclaimer: I am neither a linguist nor a lexicographer—I’m just an editor who likes to understand where words come from and how best to use them. The short answer about kitty-cornered, cater-cornered, and catty-cornered…
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8 Ways to Vet Potential Editors
A self-published writer recently confessed that while he doesn’t mind investing in a good editor, he finds it difficult to determine what constitutes a “good editor” before writing the check. I get it. Why fork over hundreds or thousands of dollars to someone who will only skim your work and correct glaring grammatical errors? Why…
