One Space
One space makes all the difference. “I can’t eat any more.” >>> I’m full. “I can’t eat anymore.” >>> I’ll never eat again.
Should You Capitalize Professional Titles?
You’re writing your book and you have characters with professional titles. Do you know when to properly capitalize or lowercase them? If you’re following the Chicago Manual of Style, you should capitalize professional titles when they immediately precede a personal name and are thus used as part of the name (traditionally replacing the title holder’s
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Different Levels of Editing
A very common thing people ask me about is what the various levels of editing entail. While different editors have different definitions of each level of editing, this is how I usually explain things to people. Developmental editing (sometimes called structural editing) should be done first. This examines the big picture and structure of a
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It’s All Included
I recently had someone reach out to me and ask if they could get a discount on my proofreading services if they hire me to first copyedit their manuscript. Here’s the thing about how my services work: If you pay for copyediting, you automatically get proofreading at no additional charge. It’s all included in the
Why I Don’t Charge Per Hour
I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a slow editor, but I don’t believe that clients should have to pay more just because I’m taking my time to provide better work. I’ve learned over the years that reading the text slowly, carefully, and multiple times yields better results. I read through manuscripts three times before
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Turnaround Times
I was recently chatting with an author searching for an editor for her debut novel. One of the questions she asked was what she could expect an average turnaround time to be for her manuscript. I thought sharing some of what I told her could be helpful to other new authors who may have never
The First Quarter of 2024
I realize it’s been a while since I’ve posted, but here’s what I was up to in the first quarter of 2024. I did a copyedit on the first book in a planned fantasy series. These are my favorite projects to work on, and I’m really looking forward to books 2 and 3, which are
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Fiancée or Fiancé?
Do you know the difference between a “fiancée” and a “fiancé”? As an editor I’m always learning new things. For instance, did you know that a “fiancée” is a woman engaged to be married, whereas a “fiancé” is a man engaged to be married? According to Merriam-Webster these two words are pronounced the same way,
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Merry Christmas
As the year approaches its end, I find myself looking back on all the projects I’ve worked on in the past twelve months, and I want to send out a quick thank-you to those I’ve worked with. If you’re a client who has hired me to edit your book this year, thank you. If you’re
Dashes
One of the first things I check when receiving a manuscript is my client’s use of dashes. Here are the three I look at. 1. Hyphens. The simplest dash, usually used in compound words such as “self-sustaining.” If my client wants me to follow CMOS guidelines (most do), I consult those tables at the end