The average person might think that the more experienced an editor is, the more edits that editor is going to make, but the opposite is often true. Sure, experienced editors are typically more knowledgeable about what to look out for in a manuscript, but they also know what NOT to edit, when to leave things […]
Editorial Restraint Read More »
I bill myself as a fiction editor, but I occasionally accept nonfiction projects, and the nonfiction project I recently wrapped up was a doozy. The subject of the manuscript was the Twelve-Day War. For those who don’t know, this was an armed conflict between Israel and Iran back in June 2025. There were loads of
Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone Read More »
Editors love what they do. One becomes an editor for any number of reasons. They enjoy helping creatives. They have a passion for books/stories. They’re word nerds. The list goes on. Editors do not love turning down work due to already being booked and their client not giving them proper notice. There are only so
Something important to remember is that your editor isn’t the god of style choices in your manuscript, you are, especially if you’re self-publishing. An editor can advise you based on their knowledge of industry standards, suggest edits they believe benefit the reader, and ensure your style choices are consistent, but ultimately your manuscript is your
Your Editor Isn’t Your Manuscript’s God, You Are Read More »
Do you marinade something or marinate something? According to Merriam-Webster, both are correct. “Marinade” and “marinate” are both acceptable verbs, but only “marinade” is a noun. Even though you can use either verb in your writing, a piece of work will be stronger if you stick to one, and an editor can help spot those
Marinade or Marinate? Read More »
Freelancers in the US pay quarterly taxes to both the federal government and their state of residence (because we don’t get W2s). Taxes for the first quarter of 2026 were due in the middle of April, and as I was paying them I was reminded of how well things have been going in the last
Human Editors > AI Read More »
I fill my life with stories. I copyedit and proofread novels for a living. I also read a lot in my free time. My favorite nonreading hobby is video games, and I mostly stick to story-focused, single-player experiences. Every evening, my wife and I unwind by watching TV. On weekends we often opt for movies,
Did you know you can do this? “Will you be finished by the end of today? tomorrow? perhaps Friday?” Nope, I didn’t forget any capitalization. It’s actually okay to use lowercase letters in a series of short questions. If I encountered a series of short questions while working on a copyedit and the author did
Capitals in a Series of Short Questions Read More »
There’s nothing like receiving a complimentary stack of books you worked on. These are the titles I copyedited for Vine Leaves Press last year. For fans of pop culture, comedy, and all things nerdy: Carcrash Parker and the Haven of the Larpers by Ian M. Rogers For fans of conspiracy theories and dark comedy: HearRational
I’m lucky enough to work on lots of wonderful manuscripts that delight me, but occasionally I get something that transcends pure entertainment, which is what happened when I edited Broken Chocolate by Rachel Miranda. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but Broken Chocolate is a deeply moving narrative about a