Here’s a proofreading tip for you. If you’re working with text that has dialogue (or really any quotation marks), make sure each opening quotation mark has an accompanying closing quotation mark, and vice versa. Each time you encounter an opening quotation mark, remind your brain to check for a closing quotation mark as well, even […]
Quotation Marks: Make Sure They Open and Close Read More »
Did you know that Merriam-Webster lists “goose bumps” as an open compound? This isn’t a terribly common word I come across, but whenever I do, it’s quite often misspelled. I attribute this to the massively popular Goosebumps children’s book series. As a child of the ’90s, these books were everywhere. They also had the coolest
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.
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
Should You Capitalize Professional Titles? Read More »
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
Different Levels of Editing Read More »
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
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
Why I Don’t Charge Per Hour Read More »
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
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
The First Quarter of 2024 Read More »
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,
Fiancée or Fiancé? Read More »