What Is a Custom Story Database?

1/23/2026

Here’s the 101 on my new service! Originally, inspired by my love for making robust style sheets...

Your One-Stop Shop World-Building Archive

Basically, a custom story database (also known as a story bible) acts as a comprehensive record of every character, location, timeline event, and relationship. It’s a living document designed to help you keep track of all the world-building details referenced across your novels. And this means everything: characters (main, side, walk-ons, and mentioned), locations, timelines, relationships, magic systems, bestiary, list of world-specific vocab, and anything else relevant to your book. Essentially, if it’s mentioned, it gets catalogued. No more relying solely on your memory, or losing your focus by flipping through book 1 of the series to double-check a detail that has become relevant as you draft your sequel. Imagine having instant access to all those tiny facts you forgot you mentioned, like the meaning behind your antagonist’s tattoo, the capitals of the warring factions, or when the late Queen died.

For authors crafting complex series, especially in genres like science fiction and fantasy, a story database is the cornerstone of world-building. It keeps your universe cohesive and ensures small details never slip through the cracks as your series grows. Instead of good intentions for maintaining the story bible you half started, you have one reliable source for all the information that defines your fictional world.

How Does a Story Database Help Authors

There are two huge reasons why getting one of these babies for your book or series is a game-changer.

Maintains Consistency Across a Series

Trust me, you’re not going to remember that you described a certain location as having carpet vs. hardwood flooring. Or that a side character has a random allergy. Or all the intricacies of your magic system. It’s too much to hold all in your head, and it’s such a relief to have it documented, in full, somewhere (and by someone other than you who can see what is in the book and not just what you remember from a previous draft). A story database lets you double-check every trait, fact, and relationship so your world holds together book after book.

Consistency is key for keen readers, especially superfans. Getting a story database done for book 1 of a series will make your life easier as you continue writing in that universe. You’ll have a record of everything you established in book 1, which means as you write future books you won’t have to constantly break your writing flow to find out what you said about so-and-so, or how far away did you say the capital was from the ocean, or when did they first kiss and where? (This is where the chapter summaries can come in super handy, too.)

Saves You So Much Time (Like, So Much…)

No more chasing after details and losing track of things. As a sci-fi or fantasy author, you know this is especially important. Worlds get big. Casts get complicated. Timelines sprawl. Maybe you’ve scribbled some things in a notebook, started a wiki but never finished it, or have an elaborate system of sticky notes on your wall. By outsourcing the creation of a story database, you get a trustworthy up-to-date resource at your fingertips that serves as a “second brain” of sorts.

So, How Is a Story Database Different from a Style Sheet?

If you’ve worked with a copyeditor before, you’re probably familiar with a style sheet. And if you’ve never actually got a style sheet before, you’re not alone. Over the years, I’ve heard from so many authors that they never got a style sheet from their copyeditor, which is a big no-no. It should be a nonnegotiable part of a copyedit, but that’s a rant for a different day. A style sheet is a document your copyeditor uses to track spellings, style choices, character and location names, and other decisions made during edits. Style sheets are consistency tools too, so what’s so different about a custom story database?

The main difference is who it’s for. A style sheet is primarily for copyeditors as they do their job (and any proofreaders who might be doing a final pass after the manuscript has been formatted and designed). Always a good idea, by the way. The style sheet is a record of past decisions, which helps save your proofreader from having to redo all sorts of work looking things up to verify spellings, hyphenations, capitalization, and other mechanics. The main job of a style sheet is to record style decisions as a tool for editors and proofreaders. Granted, it’s useful for authors too, but its main job is as a tool for the editor to do their job well.

A story database, though, is specifically made for the author to use as a resource, a drafting tool. It goes deeper and broader, collecting more details with an eye to how they can be accessible to the author when they need to look something up. While a style sheet supports editing and publication, the database supports the actual writing and world-building process. Having everything laid out means you can jump back into your world months or even years later, knowing you’ll be able to find every last detail, ready for immediate inspiration. One of my clients said it’s a “helpful tool for delving series seeds” in general. I love that idea!

Bonus Ideas for Your Story Database

You can also use it to help with marketing. If you’ve ever wanted to make a book wiki, this database would let you quickly compile information your fans will love, showcasing the depth of your story in an organized, engaging way. If you ever needed at a moment’s notice a description for a cover artist or illustrator, all you’d have to do is grab the exact character profile straight from your database. That last one is from a client who raved at how easy it was to provide a character sketch to her illustrator (one that she was confident was faithful to the book).

In the end, a story database houses your details, saves you time when you need to verify something, and provides the best ever breadcrumb trail for when it’s been a minute and you want to come back to a series and feel freshly immersed. On top of keeping things organized, it can also support your creativity and free you up to focus on what you do best: writing your story. ✨

Let’s see this in action!

Shared with permission from my fantasy author client. This story database is for the prequel novel of her Poisoned Kingdoms series.

Download Now

(you don't have to sign up or give your email)

This base template is from my amazing edibuddy Toni Suzuki,
who sells them on her website editsbytoni.com.

Read more:

Hi! I'm Erika.

I help sci-fi and fantasy authors publish unputdownable series. I specialize in copyediting and proofreading, and also provide custom story databases to help you keep track of all your world-building details.

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Why You Should Get a Sample Edit Before Hiring an Editor

1/11/2024

Here are 5 reasons to get a sample edit, from multiple potential editors, before you choose!

In the world of writing and publishing, finding the right editor for your manuscript is crucial. A sample edit is a portion of your manuscript that an editor will edit as they would the entire work. It serves as a preview of what to expect from the editor's approach, feedback, and communication style. In this blog post, I’ll delve into why it’s so important to get a sample edit, why it's essential for authors, and how it can help in making an informed decision when selecting an editor.

1. What Is a Sample Edit?

Sample edits look different because every editor approaches editing slightly differently. Typically it’s done on a short sample (1,000-2,000-word excerpt of your manuscript) that an editor edits for free. Some editors will ask for a sample from the middle (because the first pages are often the most polished and are not representative of the level of editing the whole book needs). Some will ask for the entire manuscript, so they can dip into bits of the beginning, middle, and end, just to get a good idea of what’s needed and provide a solid, tailored proposal. Some editors may use the opportunity to run macros to alert them of keywords and types of content they may want to avoid (in which case they would likely refer the author to other editors in their network).

Along with the sample edit, the editor will usually give the author a custom project proposal and quote. The sample edit allows us to gauge how long we think a full edit will take, and thus what sort of timeline is reasonable.

2. Making Sure You’re a Good Fit

The primary purpose of a sample edit is to provide authors with a firsthand look at an editor's editing style, communication skills, and the level of feedback they offer. (It’s also important to note that some editors charge for a sample edit, which is not a red flag, just a different approach. Some may deduct the small cost off the total of a booked project.)

Given the significant effort authors invest in their manuscripts, it’s crucial to ensure the editor understands and aligns with your expectations. Going over a sample edit allows you to gauge the editor's communication, their approach to editing, how much they intervene, and whether you find they respect your voice and vision—it’s all about getting a taste of the overall vibe before committing to a working relationship.

And it’s okay if there’s not a good fit. Before doing a sample edit for you, a savvy editor will know when it makes sense to refer you to a better-fit colleague. Maybe it’s because they don’t specialize in your genre, or maybe you actually could use a developmental or structural edit and they don’t offer that service. Or maybe you thought you were looking for “just a proofread,” but you are expecting what’s typically included in a line edit, which is a whole different service and takes substantially longer (and thus costs more).

Overall, don’t feel obliged to work with an editor just because you received a sample edit and proposal. You should feel no pressure to continue if you don’t feel well-aligned. It’s fine! Say thanks and continue your search.

3. Understanding the Types of Editing

Another great thing about getting a sample edit is that it ensures both writer and editor are on the same page regarding the specific editing services to be provided. Seeing a sample helps authors understand the differences between copyediting, line editing, and proofreading, ensuring that their expectations regarding the level of intervention are met. You get a clear picture of what the editor's proposed services mean and how they will be implemented.

Read more: Types of Editing Explained

4. Establishing Communication and Feedback

In addition to the style of editing, a sample edit also allows you to assess the editor’s communication style and feedback. It’s an opportunity to interact with the editor, ask questions, and determine if the communication channels align with your preferences. If you want someone to guide you through all stages of self-publishing, make sure the editor offers that level of guidance; if you want a certain level of feedback, make sure you express that in your initial emails or Zoom discovery call. You’ll also want to make sure they offer enough touchpoints throughout the editing process. Since editing a whole novel can often take up to a month or more depending on length, you’ll want to make sure they check in with you or provide an editorial letter with the sorts of feedback that will help you the most. These initial interactions, with no strings attached, are so important before you decide to hire an editor.

Another thing is that most copyeditors provide style sheets along with the marked-up manuscript. So with the sample edit, you’ll also (ideally) receive the beginnings of a style sheet. This will help you see what other value-adds you get by working with a given editor. Style sheets keep track of all sorts of details, like character names, places, and the timeline of major plot points. On top of checking grammar and punctuation, copyeditors will be keeping track of details to ensure continuity across the manuscript.

Read more: How Editors Read for Continuity

5. Making an Informed Decision

The purpose of a sample edit isn’t just to receive a brief overview of the editing style but also to ensure that the author will be happy with the final edit. It’s all about getting that right fit, choosing an editor who aligns with your vision and takes your manuscript to the next level.

Choosing the right editor for your book is one of the most important aspects of indie publishing. One of the best ways to quickly establish that is through the sample edit and (if they offer it) a discovery call via Zoom or a phone chat. However you do it, the idea is to assess the editor's editing and communication style and how they deliver feedback…before investing in professional editing services. This way you’ll make an informed decision and ensure your manuscript receives all the care and attention in the world. Your editor’s job is to uplift and polish your writing so that you feel confident and excited to publish.

How to connect with me:

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3 Podcast Appearances and a Book Launch

12/21/2023

Reflections on my biz highlights from 2023.

Last year I decided I wanted to consume less and create more. I have a tendency to hoard information, endlessly collect interesting things to read or watch (and promptly forget about them), and of course “procrasti-learn” because I never feel ready to do the thing. Just me? 😅

To remedy this, I decided that 2023 would be my year to SHARE and EXPRESS. I wanted to cultivate an outward presence and produce more content, instead of just sitting on ideas and never starting.

This meant that I re-launched my newsletter after more than three years of not emailing. I started blogging more regularly and maintained a pretty consistent social media presence. All of which are major wins for me.

But what I’m most proud of is allowing myself to say yes to being on podcasts. If you had asked me last year, I would have immediately said, “Hell no.” Being on podcasts is like public speaking, and as an introvert I’ve always been so anxious about being seen or heard. Hence my career choice of working behind the scenes as a book editor. 🤓

But this year I did the scary thing and said yes. Three times, in fact.

1. Tolerating Imperfection

In March, I chatted with Lore over on The Ugly Podcast, all about how my creative practice helps me navigate perfectionism.

BONUS: My notes that I couldn't get to in the actual interview...

2. Perfectionism as a Superpower

In July, Lore and I did a follow-up and nerded out over our twin perfectionisms… not as something to overcome, but as a sort of unique superpower. Very empowering!

3. Collaborative Editing

Then in September, I was invited onto a writing podcast (Stark Reflections) to share some thoughts as an editor who works with indie authors. And I got that opportunity because I went to a local in-person bookfair and forced myself to start conversations with people instead of lurking and being shy. So that worked out! Listen to our convo here where I emphasize how working with an editor should be a collaborative experience.

4. Launch of HOZ Journal Vol. 4 (AI edition)

And the final win of the year is the launch of Vol. 4 of the HOZ Journal of Speculative Lit, which I co-edited. If you’re into short stories and poetry about the future, namely how authors are dreaming up possibilities for AI, get your copy here!

How to connect with me:

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Copyediting Is More Than Just Checking Spelling and Grammar

10/23/2023

So much more... In this blog, I get into the weeds. 🤓

Chances are when you think about editors, you picture some version of the mean English teacher you had in seventh grade, who viciously wielded their red pen and gave you a bad grade. You might think of someone who rigidly adheres to the rules and will “slash” your manuscript to smithereens, only to rewrite your story based on their own preferences. Not cool…

I get it if that’s what comes to mind. But I’m here to help you see that copyediting is more than just fixing commas and spelling/grammar errors. There’s a much wider scope to copyediting, and it serves a crucial role in the publishing process. Plus, I promise most good editors are experienced enough to know when to apply the rules and when to let them go. That is, they’ve developed a flexible mindset that allows them to make sure the manuscript is up to professional standards while maintaining the author’s voice and vision. Yes, we follow the Chicago Manual of Style as fiction editors, but there are lots of times when author’s preferences can and should take precedence, especially in SFF manuscripts with unique languages and word choices. So let’s dive in and see what else copyediting involves.

The Essential Skills of Copyediting

First off, there’s a kernel of truth in that idea of the scary red pen (or red-lining in Word docs). It’s true that fixing overt typos and spelling and grammar errors falls within the purview of copyediting. We do those things, yes. However, like with many technical skills that can look straightforward from the outside, there’s so much more to it than meets the eye.

The 4 Cs

Copyeditors are trained to focus on the 4 Cs: clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness—all in the service of communication. (That’s from The Copyeditors’ Handbook by Amy Einsohn, which is one of the main copyediting textbooks used in a lot of editing certificate programs and online courses.) It’s best practice that copyediting happens after the big-picture stuff, like plot, characters, theme, scene order, etc., is all settled. Now it’s time for the copyeditor to come in at the sentence level and do their detailed work.

3 Types of Editing

For more on the different levels of editing, check out my blog post about it. It’s also important to remember that copyediting can include slightly different things within a traditional publishing or indie publishing context, so be sure to discuss with your editor exactly what they include in their copyediting service.

Many editors who work with indie authors do some version of a combined line and copyedit, which goes a bit deeper into sentence length/rhythm, cadence, and suggestions on how to avoid info dumps, too much stage direction, overuse of filter words, and problems with showing vs. telling. Line editing can also include strengthening action beats and making sure dialogue is grounded in the environment (and characters are not just talking heads).

Here are other things copyeditors will be looking for as they edit your manuscript (other than adding or deleting commas :P):

Suggest how to remove excessive filter words. Line editors suggest how to revise sentences with words like “noticed,” “realized,” “felt,” “thought,” and “wondered” to make the writing more immediate and immersive for the reader. Filter words filter the experience through the viewpoint character, instead of letting the reader experience what’s happening as the character experiences it. Check out this blog post (scroll down to #2) for more examples.

Tighten up sentences for better flow. Editors point out places with lots of stage direction that bog down scenes. Sometimes too much detail about where characters are looking or how they get from A to B can make the reading experience less immersive (therefore potentially more boring). Next time you’re reading a novel, take note of how the author moves the characters. Sometimes scenes will end and pick up somewhere else! You don’t always have to explain how the character moved from place to place. Editors also look for any extra words or redundant expressions that can weigh down writing.

both alike --> both
chief protagonist --> protagonist
collaborate together --> collaborate
complete monopoly --> monopoly
descend down --> descend
erode away --> erode
few in number --> few
heavy in weight --> heavy
period in time --> period
honest in character --> honest

extreme in degree --> extreme
gather up --> gather
lift up --> lift
reduce down --> reduce
repeat again --> repeat
revert back --> revert
swoop down --> swoop
visible to the eye --> visible
shrug shoulders --> shrug
grab with hand --> grab
nod your head --> nod

Copyeditors keep track of details in a style sheet to ensure consistency from start to finish. Think of a style sheet as a ‘second brain’ for all the style decisions and details that make up every character, location, and main plot point of your book. It’s the document that allows us to keep track of spellings, characteristics like hair/eye color, tattoos, timeline details—all in an effort to make sure everything is consistent.

Anything that can be contradicted later is tracked, so that the details, capitalization, hyphenations, and so on are consistently applied over the course of the manuscript. It’s hard to keep all that straight without writing it down. That’s what the style sheet is for, and it’s invaluable especially for a series! Ask your prospective editor if they will be providing you a style sheet.

Details, Details, and More Details!

Copy and line editors are serious about technical details! Our job requires a fine-tuned attention and ability to focus, well-honed curiosity to track down information in style and reference guides, and the ability to ask important questions and deliver feedback tactfully and constructively in our editorial letters. As you can see, many overlapping skill sets converge in a good copyeditor that go far beyond their knowledge of punctuation.

The myriad of small checks we do is hard to list out of context, but think of it like reading while notifications are going off all over the place: ping, look that word up in Merriam-Webster; ping, that word is hyphenated but double-check in the Hyphenation Table in the Chicago Manual of Style; ping, front-load this sentence for clarity; ping, make note of this character’s hair color in the style sheet. And on and on.

The copyeditor is that curious, inquisitive person who works behind the scenes to check on spellings, grammar rules, but also word choice, sentence structure, cadence and syntax. They notice word echoes, repetition, and gnarly run-on sentences or points of confusion. They ask astute questions and pinpoint inconsistencies that can add up over the course of the manuscript, taking the reader out of the story.

They manage all those details and decisions by tracking them in a style sheet so they can be applied consistently throughout the document. Like I mentioned in my last blog post, copyeditors act like continuity directors “on set.” It’s an important task that is especially foregrounded when things are missed, like when character names change or timelines don’t add up properly. Which is hard to avoid after so many drafts!

Cultivating a Flexible Mindset

The stereotype of the copyeditor, slashing the author’s story in service of the “rules,” sadly exists for a reason; there are lots of editors, especially at the beginning of their journey, myself included, who wield what my fellow fiction copyeditor Amy Schneider calls “the grammar hammer.” This happens when they rely on a rigidly prescriptive view of language—there are “the rules” and they feel compelled to apply them no matter what. They have strong pet peeves and consider it their job to ferret out all errors of any kind, period. But in fiction, this is generally a heavy-handed, unwelcome approach.

To temper this, I like to cultivate a flexible mindset. You learn (and practice/cultivate) when to let things go, when to query the author, and when to dig deeper to understand why the author has made certain choices. In service of those 4Cs, the copyeditor is there to, yes, apply the conventions of a style guide (in fiction it’s the Chicago Manual of Style, or CMOS), and that includes guidance around capitalization, hyphenation, abbreviations, numbers, and other technicalities. But it’s also important to keep in mind that the author’s story becomes its own style guide that can supersede CMOS in certain regards: for example, how characters talk, some sci-fi/fantasy capitalization choices, that kind of thing.

Summary

I like to think of the copyeditor as the bridge between the author and their readers. It’s our job to keep an eagle eye on so many sentence-level details, to immerse ourselves in the imagined world, and point out any pitfalls readers may have. Of course commas and typos are involved, but that’s just the beginning!

The copyeditor is there to polish and ensure the integrity of the author’s imagined universe, not impose their own preferences/pet peeves. Every consideration is us advocating for the future readers’ seamless experience, and this will necessarily include respecting the author’s vision and style. The goal is for readers to forget they’re reading, so in that way editors are integral creative collaborators.

If you’re looking for a meticulous copyeditor for your novel or series, I’d love to work with you! Get in touch and tell me about your project. I specialize in science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres.

How to connect with me:

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The Main Difference Between Editing and Reading for Fun

8/18/2023

Editor mode and reader mode are two very different things...

“You read books for a living? How fun!”

Technically, yes, I read book manuscripts for most of my work day. And it’s great, but it’s probably not what you think. Not even remotely close to kicking back and enjoying a beach read.

Even while editing a science fiction novel that I would otherwise read in my downtime, the act of reading involved in copyediting feels totally different from sitting down and reading a book for enjoyment. On the surface it looks identical, but it couldn’t be more different.

Let’s dive into the two sides of reading: as an editor and as a reader.

Editor Mode: In the Weeds

When I have my editing hat on, my approach is analytical and detail-oriented. Copyeditors keep three main things in mind while reading the manuscript:

They focus on what’s actually in front of them, the words on the page.
They check and record details and style decisions (this could be verifying things in style guides, looking up words, and adding details to the style sheet).
They delve into the mechanics of the text, scrutinizing grammar, syntax, structure, and consistency. It’s about ensuring clarity, coherence, and precision while preserving the author’s voice.

In this mode, the last thing I want is to get swept up in the story! It’s a good thing, by the way, when this happens because it means the story is awesome, but as the editor it means I have to backtrack and slllloooowww down, for the sake of being precise and meticulous. Reading too quickly is a recipe for overlooking dropped words, missing letters, double periods, inconsistent spellings, word echoes, timeline problems, etc.

Another consideration is the element of time and focus. When I read for pleasure, I can read at my own pace, savouring the paragraphs or staying up all night, thinking, Just one more chapter, I promise! You know how it can go with those cliffhangers…

In contrast, copyediting is a more meticulous approach that can require many passes and jumping around the manuscript, not necessarily reading it in order like a reader would. It’s a start-and-stop sort of reading. One that involves a million open tabs in Chrome.

For example, I might do a pass just to address a certain kind of error or consistency consideration: like checking the spelling of a character’s name or making sure all em and en dashes are applied correctly. I’m also evaluating each sentence for clarity and impact, which can involve fact-checking, looking words up in the dictionary, leaving comments in the margin for the author, consulting the Chicago Manual of Style online as my brain pings me about ‘rules’ and ‘things to check.’ All this is happening in the service of the future reader.

Reader Mode: Full Immersion

On the flip-side of that sustained, focused attention, when I become that future reader, I want to escape into the story, characters, and world. A good story draws a reader in so seamlessly that you feel as if you’re watching a movie and you lose yourself for a time. It’s an escape, a journey I’m savouring.

(Side note: When I learned about aphantasia, where some people don’t perceive mental images in this way, it blew my mind. I had no idea that not everyone saw movies in their head when they read!)

The readers’ experience is something like watching a TV show or movie versus being involved in the creation of that experience.

So while I’m technically reading the book as the editor, I’m not immersed in it as a reader would be for entertainment. I’m looking at it from the perspective of the continuity director in a movie would, when they’re looking at each scene to make sure details line up and stay consistent scene-to-scene and over the course of the movie. They have a very different view of the script than someone experiencing the whole movie on opening night in theatres.

Copyeditors are just like those continuity experts in movies. We do our job to ensure an excellent reader experience and to help authors bring their books to life in just the way they always imagined. We’re part of the crew behind the scenes, doing labour that will end up being essentially invisible once the final product is published, which is just the way we like it. Our job is to support our author clients and be that professional pair of eyes that can see what needs to be fixed and adjusted.

The actors, director, producers, everyone involved in making a movie, don’t experience the scenes in order. They have all sorts of back-and-forths and consider a million details that you as the viewer don’t know about, including deleted scenes and improvised gems. You should only know about them if you choose to listen to the director’s cut or something like that! Otherwise, it would be distracting. You’re just enjoying the movie or TV show or book. That’s the difference between enjoying the finished piece of art and being involved in the creative process that brings it to life.

Takeaway

So while both activities involve reading, editing requires a different lens—one that blends a love for language with a commitment to refining and enhancing written content. Reading for a living might sound fun, but editing adds another layer of depth and responsibility to the process.

In that way, editors are truly the bridge between author and reader—guardians of the reading experience. That’s how you get raving fans who devour your books at record pace, leave five-star reviews, and can’t stop talking about your book.

If you’re ready for copyediting, I’d love to hear from you. Tell me more about your book and I’ll be in touch!

Read more:

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The Top Editing Resources I Use as a Fiction Copyeditor

6/14/2023

Here are some of the editing tools and resources I use every day to help my clients publish high-quality books.

Of course I use Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Adobe Acrobat for proofreading PDFs, but that’s just the beginning.

1. PerfectIt

PerfectIt is proofreading software that acts as a consistency checker add-on within Microsoft Word. You pay a yearly subscription and download it from the parent company Intelligent Editing. In the Word ribbon, you’ll find a new tab labelled “PerfectIt,” where you can run the software to check against any style sheets and preferences. I mainly use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) and the Conscious Language style guide.

Since I also have a subscription to the digital version of the Chicago Manual of Style. PerfectIt checks the main CMOS rules and style preferences. It even has a handy pop-up that tells where in the guide you can read more about any given rule. Digital access is priceless because of its search and bookmarking functionality.

How I Use PerfectIt

I run it at the beginning and end of my book editing projects. After I do a basic clean-up of the manuscript (find and replace for extra spaces, extra punctuation, formatting stuff), I run PerfectIt. It allows me to see recurring problems and style decisions and words I need to add to my style sheet.

I also run in at the end of the editing process to catch any remaining inconsistencies and errors. I love how it catches sneaky things like brackets and quotes left open, abbreviations defined two ways, and inconsistent capitalization of words.

This tool helps catch so many surface issues so that I can spend more time on the substantial tweaks and suggestions that will further elevate and refine my clients’ stories. It’s a great tool for every editor’s toolbox. I don’t know how I lived without it, honestly…

2. Macros

A macro is a tiny program that you can write or tweak that does repetitive tasks at the click of a button or keyboard shortcut. The great thing about macros is they don’t get tired or distracted, and they can do repetitive tasks fast. Here’s my recommendation on where to start with macros:

Paul Beverley, the king of macros, freely shares a huge suite of macros on his website
Tech Tools for Writers – 20-Minute Macro Course
Search the Editorial Freelancers Association (paid subscription) for some good webinars on macros

The best way to approach incorporating macros is to think about which tasks you do repeatedly and how much time you’d save if you automated them.

The two most useful macros to start with for most editors are MerriamFetch and GoogleFetch. These macros look up the highlighted word in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary or google a word. I have them set up to keyboard shortcuts so whenever I need to fact-check or look up a word it’s done instantly and opens in a new tap on my second monitor. No more toggling back and forth between windows.

Another more powerful macro from Paul Beverley is ProperNounAlyse. It scans the whole manuscript and creates a separate document with all the proper nouns, in alphabetical order, and highlights any potential errors. For example, Erika Steeves vs. Erika Steves, Brandon vs. Brandan—which is helpful in finding those character-name inconsistencies over a long document. Overall, it’s a fantastic consistency aid.

Macros are powerful, so remember to start slowly and with a few macros at a time.

3. Style Guides and Online Dictionaries

Style guides are different from style sheets. A style guide, like CMOS, APA, MLA, etc., is the guidance around how to treat capitalization, punctuation, abbreviations, and endless other important style decisions that keep books up to professional standards. For fiction, the style guide of choice is the Chicago Manual of Style.

A style sheet is like a mini guide for each individual editing project, where the editor documents style preferences for general spelling, punctuation, typography, capitalization, and even details about characters, places, and timeline—all in an effort to maintain consistency and spot errors. It’s especially useful when you’re trying to remember whether a character has short brown hair and blue eyes. And weren’t they left-handed? It’s easy for those details to shift across a whole book. We copyeditors are diligent and meticulous creatures, and style sheets help us manage all the details that keep the manuscript internally consistent.

CMOS is the gold standard for fiction editing. They have an online version, a great blog, and monthly Q&As. I recently learned they have practice quizzes, which are fun.

Here are some other style guides that are incredibly useful.

Conscious Style Guide
This essential guide to conscious language helps writers and editors think critically about how they use language. The style guide covers terminology for various communities, offers links to key articles debating usage, and overall helps keep me informed and up-to-date on all facets of conscious language, including topics on gender and sexuality, ethnicity and race, disability, plain language, and more.

You can even download a Conscious Language PerfectIt style sheet here. Just import it into PerfectIt and it’ll flag so many conscious language issues. It’s amazing!
Conscious Language Toolkit
Another great resource I can’t recommend enough is the Conscious Language Toolkit for Editors, created by Crystal from Rabbit with a Red Pen. It’s an incredibly useful resource and I highly recommend it.

Dictionaries and Usage Resources

Merriam-Webster
For U.S. spelling, I have the Merriam-Webster website on-call via a macro that instantly looks up any word I highlight.

OneLook
This online dictionary pulls definitions from a variety of dictionaries! Top-notch resource for anyone writing or editing.

Google NGram Viewer
I frequently use this tool to see prevalent usage out of a variety of options. Things like whether a term is most commonly hyphenated, closed, or open.

4. Productivity Tools for Editors

I’m WFH for life! Over the years, it’s been important for me to learn how to actually get down to work instead of doing what everyone pictures us freelancers doing, aka staying in our PJs all day, doing laundry, watching TV, and avoiding work.

Not going to lie—it took me a while to appreciate how useful it is to have regular routines, “work” clothes, and a separate “office” space to go to, even though my commute is less than 30 seconds long. Plus, a regular time in my day to go to the gym (which is also my living room) and head outside for a walk.

These tools have helped me manage my time, projects, and information so that I’m not constantly anxious and running around doing 20 different things without completing any of them. They’re the meta tools that help me run my editorial business.

Google Calendar
Everyone needs a calendar! Mine is digital because I like the reminders, but I also blend it with a physical bullet journal. I have several calendars: one for my business, one for House of Zolo meetings, and several shared calendars that I can switch between to see what’s happening in various online communities I’m part of. It’s also easy to invite people to calls and have the Zoom link available in the invite, which is great for networking and coworking.

Google Tasks
I’ve tried so many task managers over the years: Todoist, Marvin, Evernote, Trello, Asana, anything that would help me implement David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodology, or some other system that would seduce me for a time. After a while, I would abandon these systems and let them self-implode under the weight of me not daring to open the app…

What’s working for me these days is something much simpler. Enter Google Tasks, built right into Gmail. It’s just a collection of lists with tasks. But the most useful part for me is how you can drag emails into these lists! No more retyping tasks from emails or having to search your email for some attachment later. You can just drag the email message itself into a list and it’ll be there waiting for you!

I use this for all my admin backlog like business expenses, correspondence with clients, and other emails I want to do something with but not right now.

Hot tip: I recently learned from a coworking buddy that you can snooze SENT messages. I knew about the power of snoozing and schedule-sending messages in Gmail, but I had no clue you could snooze sent emails to appear at the top of your inbox on a specific date and time. I’m now using this to help me follow up with people in my ongoing networking efforts. I just need to wait for the messages to resurface care of my Past-Self and follow up with people. It’s genius.

In combination with the Snooze function and being able to set reminders within the tasks, these simple lists are keeping me on track. It’s seamless in its simplicity.

Momentum App – Productive Flourishing
Google Tasks is great for discrete lists of tasks and reminders, but what about an actual planner that will help you break down projects, decide what to do when, and see things at different timescales (yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily)?

The Momentum app grew out of a physical planner (and printable PDF sheets) developed by Productive Flourishing. I’m a big fan and used their planner PDF pages until they built this paid app. I love planning out my editing projects, including the daily quotas I need to hit to complete my projects on time. It helps me feel in control of my time. I know what I’m doing and what’s coming up next. I’ve leveled up so much from following their blog and being involved in their community.

You can still download free daily, weekly, and monthly planner pages from their website; it’s so valuable to write down and prioritize your projects.

Obsidian – free notetaking app
Of course since I’m into productivity it’s inevitable that I would eventually stumble into the world of “personal knowledge management.” I recently read Tiago Forte’s really great book Building a Second Brain, which inspired me anew to find a notetaking app that would work for me. Check out his video on how to decide what type of notetaker you are (I’m a Gardener!).

As an editor, I consume a lot of information and like to keep up-to-date with professional development. I take my notes in here and link up to any additional worksheets and documents in Google Drive.

I was using Roam Research for a few years, and it's an amazing tool, but I recently switched to the free app called Obsidian that does a lot of the same things. I like both because they're like a digital bullet journal that I can search and use bidirectional linking (like a giant interconnected brain for all my related notes). I also love interstitial journaling—a blend of notetaking, time tracking, and daily tasks in one workflow—which Roam allows you to do really easily. This video on interstitial journaling from Ness Labs, one of my favourite blogs on mindful productivity, blew my mind and gave me words for how my brain already works.

Obsidian is worth checking out if you’re a nerd for this stuff.

Calendly – to book appointments with clients
I typically send calendar invites to people via Google Calendar. But for having people book consult calls and for my clients to book their post-edit Zoom chats with me, Calendly has been great. It makes it so easy when people can just book in a time that works based on my calendar availability. Cuts down on so much back and forth!

Pomofocus – free online timer app
I was introduced to this amazing free tool by the Freelance Editors Club. We do weekly coworking on Zoom, and Tara uses this timer on her screen to help us focus. ‘Pomo’ comes from the Pomodoro time-management method where you work in focused batches of 25 minutes (or any length of time) followed by a break. The breaks are key. As an editor my job is very sedentary and solitary, so being involved in online communities is so good for feeling more connected and accountable to my goals.

Even beyond these coworking sessions, I’ve started using the Pomofocus timer for myself and other freelancer friends who want to cowork. As a lifelong learner who likes structure and habit, it’s the best feeling knowing I’ve built my business to feel like I’m always following my interests, learning new skills, and connecting with writers dreaming up incredible stories.

I also really love Toggl for keeping track of time based on clients and projects.

Which Tools Do You Love?

Editing is a complex and multifaceted process that requires a range of skills, tools, and resources. Whether I’m working on a science fiction series, a short story, or a blog post, these tools in my editing and business toolkit help me every day.

Have you bookmarked any of these? Which resources do you use every day? I always love learning about new tools, so let me know in the comments!

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How to Find the Right Literary Agent for Your Book

5/2/2023

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a traditionally published author? It's a tremendous achievement to write a book, but the journey to getting it published can be long and challenging. One crucial step in this journey is finding a literary agent who can help you navigate the publishing industry and get your book in front of the right people.

Getting an agent is especially important if you aspire to be traditionally published, which is the dream of many new authors. They are your gateway into traditional publishing. Self-publishing is a great option, too. More on that in other posts.

(Before we get started, a small shout-out to the SFWA’s Buyer Beware website for curating all the bad actors in publishing and the people and presses that can prey on unsuspecting writers. It’s helpful to go into this with your eyes wide open.)

To help you on your journey, I’ve gathered some useful tips and resources on how to find the perfect literary agent for your book.

1. Make Sure Your Manuscript Is Ready for Submission

Before you begin your search, make sure your manuscript is ready. Don’t start if your manuscript is unfinished or you’ve just finished one draft. You’re going to want to do as much self-editing as you can and have at least a few drafts under your belt. It’s not always necessary to work with a professional editor before you submit, but it can help to make sure your plot works and the manuscript is readable and not riddled with errors that can be distracting. It can be especially useful to hire a professional copyeditor to help refine your query letter and sample (which agents may ask for if they are into your query and want to read more).

2. Research Literary Agents Carefully

First off, you don’t necessarily NEED to have an agent. But they will be invaluable to get your foot in the door to bigger publishers. This infographic on the life cycle of a book will show you where agents fit into the publishing journey.
Many publishing houses still accept unsolicited submissions from authors who do not have agents, especially for genre fiction and medium-sized publishers. The Big 5 publishers and others that require an agent to submit a vetted manuscript will usually specify this on their website.

Before you start submitting your manuscript to literary agents, you need to do your research. Look for agents who represent books in your genre and are currently open to queries. You can find this information on the agent’s website, their social media profiles, or by searching online. Make a list of potential agents and study their submission guidelines and requirements.

Here are some online resources and places to start your literary agent search:

Websites like QueryTracker and Publishers Marketplace allow you to search for literary agents by genre and provide information on their submission guidelines, track record, and recent deals. You can also use social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with agents and learn more about their interests and preferences. Think about this like starting a friendship. You want to find a friend who has similar interests as you. You want to build a productive and mutually beneficial relationship.

The same goes if you’re going to submit your manuscript directly to publishers (the ones who will accept unsolicited manuscripts, that is). Look for publishers currently publishing your genre. A publisher that focuses on a specific type of genre fiction will likely reject anything that doesn’t fit with their typical list. It’s much easier to pitch to a company that has sold and marketed the genre you write in. A great starting place to research Canadian publishers is the Association of Canadian Publishers directory.

Tip: Check out the hashtag on Twitter #MSWL (Manuscript Wish List) to see what agents are looking for.

Check out this blog post on how to effectively search the hashtag. You can also use #AmQuerying to commiserate with other writers looking for agents.

3. Write a Great Query Letter

Researching and querying literary agents is a critical step in the process of connecting with agents. As mentioned, it’s important to research agents who represent your genre. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter how perfect your query is.

The first thing is to look up their submission guidelines. Each agent will have their own outlined on their website, so make sure you follow them carefully. Don’t give them a reason to disqualify you out of the gate!

You’ll be asked to submit a query letter, which is a one-page personalized letter (200-400 words) that introduces you and your book to a literary agent. It should include your book’s genre, word count, title, a hook and description of your story, followed by a note about yourself. Your query letter is your first impression, so it needs to be engaging, professional, and well-written. If it hooks the agent, they’ll ask for a sample or the full manuscript. Once an agent wants to represent your book, it’s their job to pitch it to editors and sell the book to an interested publisher.

Great resources on how to write a query letter:

Complete guide to query letters (Jane Friedman)
Free Reedsy course on query letters

4. Be Persistent and Track Your Submissions

Finding a literary agent is not an easy process, and it can take time, loads of research and follow-up, and above all persistence. You may receive rejections or no response at all. Don't get discouraged. Keep working on your manuscript and query letter, and submit in batches. It’ll also be important to keep track of your submissions: which agents you’ve queried, when you queried, and their response.

Here are some options for query tracking. You can always track your own queries on a Google Sheet, but these services are also available to you:

With the right approach and a great manuscript, you can find an agent who believes in your work and can help you achieve your traditional publishing goals.

Where Are You Headed?

So many writers struggle with connecting with agents or others working in publishing. And I get it. Because it’s not about plot or grammar or the nuances of dialogue, and seems to be outside the writer’s wheelhouse.

But knowing how to effectively network and pitch a book are key skills for any writer who wants to traditionally publish.

Let me know in the comments if you plan to seek an agent or traditional publisher. And be sure to check out my editing services if you’d like more focused help with your query or proposal.

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4 Tips for Tolerating Imperfection as a Creative

4/13/2023

I never dreamed I would be sharing about how I navigate perfectionism on a podcast, but when my fellow editor Lore invited me to speak about how I use my art practice to help me avoid getting bogged down and stuck, I took the leap and did it (my first one!). I hope some of my thoughts will help you, too.

Funnily enough, my perfectionism almost did get the better of me, screaming at me to decline the invite, and when I got over that hurdle to please send an email to get out of it before you embarrass yourself…

Perfectionism pairs nicely with overwhelm and impostor syndrome, doesn’t it? 😭

Well, I’m happy to report that I didn’t listen to those inner voices and I did the hard thing anyway. As it turns out, that’s one of the key points I touched on: the irony of waiting until you’re ready before you do the thing when it’s in doing it that you become ready.

✅If you like listening more than reading, here’s the full podcast episode: Tolerating Imperfection (51 mins!). I’ll list some highlights below.

✅ P.S. If you’re more overwhelmed than stuck in a rut with perfectionism, check out my top-performing blog post about Dealing with Overwhelm in the Writing Process.

1. Become Aware of Your Particular Flavour of Perfectionism

Lore and I joked that we have “twin” perfectionisms because so many of our quirks align. But here’s the thing: perfectionistic tendencies can present in so many different ways, and the experience is not the same for everyone. It’s not a monolith.

It’s really helpful to discover what your perfectionism looks like in your life. Here are three questions to consider that will help you see where your perfectionism comes into play.

At the beginning of something, in the form of endless research and procrasti-learning?
In the middle, in the form of spinning your wheels and endless revisions?
Or at the end (like me) where it’s a fear of showing your work, being seen and possibly rejected? For writers this could be pressing send, starting to work with an editor, sending a short story to a journal, launching your book and marketing it…

For me, it’s consistently at the end because it’s connected to performance, rejection, being seen… Perhaps you can relate? 😆

Growing up, I did competitive gymnastics. I guess I developed a story about where self-worth comes from: I’m good at things when it’s just for me, but I freeze under pressure when people are watching and evaluating. Because their evaluation means something about my worth.

That translated into a form of performance pressure in other areas, where I would dread pressing send on an edit because I wondered how it would be received. Or I would procrastinate on moving forward on my goals/plans out of fear that they wouldn’t work out. That feeling has faded over time as I’ve developed confidence and expertise, but it still shows up in sneaky ways.

I highly recommend Lore’s workshop to go deep on this: Creating Through Perfectionism Workshop.
These reflective questions and more helped open my eyes to what my tendencies are, and where they might come from.

2. You Won’t “Overcome” Your Perfectionism (and That’s Okay)

It’s important to note that perfectionistic tendencies are not something you overcome once and for all, but you can become aware of when they happen, how and why they show up for you, and then find strategies for navigating and tolerating imperfection.

Tolerance is a great way to conceive of this, because you’re basically teaching your body how to have tolerance for imperfect things and not freak out. (Thanks to Lore for framing it like that in the podcast!) Since it’s impossible to control everything to the degree that would satisfy your nagging perfectionism, it’s important to learn to tolerate small doses of imperfection. This has been so useful in my life.

Here’s how.

I started a consistent art practice. Sometimes it’s a daily thing, and then it might swing back to a every few days, maybe once a week. But every collage I make, every 15 mins of making a random abstract pastel swatch, every page in my art journal helps me practice making and sitting with small decisions. The practice helps me slowly build up tolerance.

It helps me sit with the discomfort of not knowing what I’m doing (in a safe space) and to let meaning emerge before my very eyes as I’m creating (especially so when creating collages, abstract paintings, and art journaling). The perfectionist in me demands that I have a clearly defined goal, that I establish criteria for excellence, that I know precisely where I’m going and why.

I now love the process of letting meaning emerge from my art. Going in, I may have NO clue what I’m doing, but then end up creating something amazing I could have never really planned for. It’s those happy accidents that create the best art. And it’s in this process that I become more flexible, more willing to experiment and lean into iteration.

3. Start Small to Build Your Tolerance (12:22)

Making art every day has slowly helped me release my stranglehold of wanting to know everything before I start. I wanted to make art more regularly (instead of the one Commonplace Zine that would take me all year to make any progress on…). And so I started doing small things, in all sorts of mediums, just to make it part of my routine. Tacking my favourites to my wall helps me remember what I’ve done, showcasing to myself my accumulated efforts when I feel like I’m spiraling into doubts. Developing a consistent creative writing routine has a similar effect—accumulating scenes, characters, random bits of poetry, one page at a time.

Lore and I both had the experience of prolonged ‘creative droughts.’ As kids, we were both really creative, but at some point we put away our creative supplies (in both cases paint) and just stopped. It was easier to not feel the anguish of not doing perfect work immediately and every time. This happens with a lot of creatives when they come up against rejection. And in my case, it shut me down for over a decade, so much so that I even forgot I was a creative person at all!

Decouple Self-Worth from Your Output

If that’s you, know that you’re not alone and there are ways to navigate the fear of rejection (which is a skill writers especially need to hone). Rejection is just part of the process, and it’s important that you develop your own way of decoupling your self-worth from your output and reception. The prospect of a one-star review (because let’s be real, even the most famous writers get bad reviews) should not keep you from publishing your work. This can be especially tough for sensitive, introverted folks, and I’m absolutely in that category too.

With my art I’m collecting evidence that I’m slowly tolerating more and more imperfection. And you can too. Whatever you can do to inject more ‘process over product’ into your life, it’ll help. Why not give it a try.

4. Show the Messy Middle of Things

Oh boy, do I struggle with this! Who wants to be vulnerable and show that they’re not perfect at something? Me, that’s who. 😂

It’s important for people to see your processes, how you do things. As an author, this could be talking about your writing process, what tools you use, what you’re struggling with, and sharing those experiences in a newsletter or blog. The perfectionistic tendency is to go into a writing or editing cave and only show the end result once you’ve tweaked and ‘perfected’ it to oblivion. And talk about it exactly one time and move on to the next shiny object.

I’ve learned over the past year that it’s okay (and even good!) to show people how you do things and what you struggle with. I’m not the best at this, but I’ve come a loooong way. Just this month I restarted my newsletter, business blog, and creative blog.

The more I do these somewhat painful, vulnerable-to-me scary things, the easier it gets.

You probably just rolled your eyes so hard at that. And I get it; it’s cliché, it’s obvious, it’s what everyone says. It also happens to be true, and you can harness it in a way that works for you.

What small things can you try that will help you build up that tolerance?

Here are a few practical ideas:

Practice showing up on video (and never post, just to practice until you feel more comfortable).
Share some of your writing (or art) with a small group of people you trust (either an online community, beta readers, or whoever).
Develop a habit of sharing and not just capturing new ideas and flitting from one idea to the next. The process of expressing and sharing (a.k.a. publishing) is just as much a part of the creative life cycle as coming up with the idea and drafting the story. But define what success looks like for you.

Are you a perfectionist? Did something in particular resonate with you? Let me know in the comments! 👇

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Why Readers Will Stop Reading Your Book

4/4/2023

And tips on how to keep them reading!

Has this ever happened to you? You sneak away to your favourite reading nook or coffee shop to finally start reading that new book. Finally, a few hours to yourself!

You get through a few chapters, but you’re not feeling it. You start to get bored and barely feel involved in the story. You decide to give it a chance… but by the fifth chapter you really start to lose interest, and so you close the book and head back home, annoyed because you’d been looking forward to this.

Now it’s back to real life…

Guess what? You’re probably not going to pick that book up again. Even if the plot does ignite on p. 75, you didn’t get there. You set it down and moved on.
As an author, you’re trying to avoid the dreaded DNF (did not finish). Yes, it’s inevitable that your book won’t appeal to everyone, and that’s okay. But I’m talking about those avid readers who devour books in your genre. In my case, science fiction stories about cyborgs and AI and dystopian futures 👽🤖.

It’s those ideal readers that you want to make sure keep reading. Here are four tips on how to avoid common pitfalls that keep readers on the surface of your story instead of immersed in it.

1. Start Scenes in the Middle of the Action

Instead of telling the whole backstory before you can get to what’s happening now, just start now. Plop your reader in the middle of something, and let the flow of storytelling slowly reveal details and aspects of the world. Do this through the scene, where characters are doing things and interacting. This is a feature of solid world-building. Too much exposition and getting readers up to speed can make the story lag. I’m not saying don’t use exposition, but know when to use it, and when it can help with pacing.

By starting in the middle of the action, you naturally avoid initial info dumps. You need to trust your readers to glean from the details what they need to know about your world and characters. No need to tell all the details upfront all at once—the world is built slowly. Eliminating too much exposition and info dumping will help you tell a more engaging story and help readers not feel overwhelmed by too much being revealed all at once. Trust your reader! Work at not revealing too much but also not keeping too much secret (stuff that’s obvious the characters know).

2. Avoid Overusing Filter Words

Another way to keep readers immersed is by reducing filter words. These are words that filter the action through the character’s viewpoint. They add narrative distance between the reader and the action, which means readers don’t feel like they’re in the story but being told what the viewpoint character is experiencing. This isn’t usually necessary because we’re already in the story. No need to keep telling the reader who’s experiencing it.

Here are a few examples:

“A flock of crows flew across the night sky, their wings beating as one. Something ominous was on its way…”

But if you were to heavily filter it through the main character, it would become “She noticed as the flock of crows flew across the night sky. She could hear their wings beating and watched as they moved across the sky, realizing something ominous was on its way.” A few well-positioned filter words is fine, but too many and the writing becomes clunky. As Louise Harnby says, the writing is of “doing being done.”

Here’s a published example I added filter words to (from Robert Silverberg’s Kingdoms of the Wall):

I realized that of all my four years as a candidate, nothing was worse than First Winnowing. I trembled like a leaf in the wind as I noticed the Masters of the House of the Wall start to move silently among us. I stared helplessly as they paused here and there in the rows to tap candidates on the shoulder and it suddenly occurred to me that it meant that they were dismissing us from the competition.

Here’s the original passage from that book:

Of all my four years as a candidate, nothing was worse than First Winnowing. I trembled like a leaf in the wind as the Masters of the House of the Wall moved silently among us, pausing here and there in the rows to tap candidates on the shoulder and thus to tell them that they were dismissed from the competition.

Look through your manuscript for the following filter words and see where you can eliminate them (or keep if they’re very intentional). They often crop up as verbs after “I.”

Seemed
Noticed
Believed
Thought
Decided
Saw
Knew

Realized
Felt
Heard
Decided
Looked
Remembered

Your writing will feel more immediate and immersive when the scene is not constantly filtered through the viewpoint character. By closing that distance, readers will feel more in the flow of the story. If you’re writing in limited third person, we’re already in their head, so it’s not necessary to keep telling the reader that it’s the viewpoint character who is seeing, hearing, and thinking.

3. Write Snappy Dialogue Without All the Filler

In one of my creative writing classes in college the instructor asked us to listen to actual dialogue. She basically assigned us the task of eavesdropping on a conversation (in a public place) and taking notes on how people talk to each other. The thing to note is that characters in stories don’t actually talk like people having real conversations. It’s an imitation. The back-and-forth banter—unless it makes sense for the scene and has a definite purpose—can mostly be left out. The key is to be really intentional with your dialogue.

Dialogue should reveal emotion or information or even be part of world-building. Every piece of dialogue has to have a purpose. So go ahead and cut out all that filler that doesn’t add much to your scene. This will help readers stay immersed in your story, with your characters, and not get bored by too much small talk that doesn’t need to be there.

4. Make Sure Your Sentences Don't All Sound the Same

This is something you don’t notice… until you do. When sentences start feeling the same, readers will get bored. This happens mainly when sentences are the same length and have the same sentence structure.

By changing up the length and structure of your sentences, you’ll keep readers deeply immersed in the story. You don’t want anything that reminds people that they’re reading or that draws too much attention to itself. By playing with shorter sentences you can create emphasis and highlight a particular point or idea. Even one-sentence paragraphs or strategically placed sentence fragments can help emphasize tone or pace. Longer sentences can do this too, but in a different way: by building up to a climax or revealing a key piece of information.

If you’re not careful, you will subconsciously repeat words, phrases, and sentence structure.

Don’t worry though. This is the sort of thing you look for much later in your self-editing (and a line editor will definitely be watching for). I like to think of editors as conductors; we are trained to hear the cadence and flow of words.

Readers DNF books for lots of reasons, and it’s not always because of the writing itself. I know for me it’s sometimes my mood, how much bandwidth I have, how much time I can dedicate to reading that particular day—all sorts of reasons that have nothing really to do with how the book is written. It’s on me.

But if you implement these tips, you’ll be well on your way to writing a tighter and more engaging story, I promise. And that can never hurt your chances of becoming someone’s new favourite author. That engaged reader will devour your series in record time and leave great reviews and promote your books all over the internet. That’s the hope!

Which one of these will you tackle first? Let me know in the comments.

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How to Find a Professional Book Editor

3/21/2023

Here are 5 tips to help you hire the best-fit editor for your project.

I’m about to hit send after working for a whole month on copyediting this manuscript. All the work I’ve done will be scrutinized, and there’s always a part of me that fears rejection. I hit send and wait...

This is the book editor’s side of the equation. My client has been waiting expectantly for a month to receive the feedback that will push their book forward towards their publication deadline. Will it resonate?

Fifteen minutes later I get an email back from my client. “I read the editing report and it was so, so, so helpful. So many light bulbs went off in my head. I really learned a lot and appreciate the suggested readings. So far, I think the edits are marvelous and shore up my weaknesses. It’s also inspired me to write better already!”

Moments like these happen consistently when a writer fits well with an editor. That is, when there’s a good match. And many of my clients have been working with me for years, because they don’t have to keep going through the hassle of searching for an editor that lives up to their expectations.

That’s why it’s important to carefully select an editor. And to follow your gut when you interact with them. Ask questions and see how their sample edit feels.

1. Follow Your Gut to Hire a Professional Editor You Trust

You’ve probably spent the last couple of years on your book (or more!), and you know that your next step is to find a professional editor you trust, someone who really gets your vision and whose feedback will refine and polish your story. I bet you’ve spent so long drafting your novel, going through (seemingly endless?) revisions and intensive rounds of rewrites, that you’re eager to pass over your manuscript to that trusted editor.

And I get it! It’s no easy task to find an editor. The internet is awash in people claiming to be editors without much training or experience. It’s hard to know what you’ll get, and trust is at a premium. As it should be.

Finding a good book editor can be a daunting task, but it’s crucial for bringing your writing to the next level and publishing the best possible version of your book. That’s why I wrote this blog post: to help you find that right-fit editor.

But before I get into it, check out my overview of the three types of editing. It’s important you think about what kind of editor you actually need:

a book coach
a developmental editor
a line or copyeditor (these are often combined)
or a proofreader

In an ideal world, you would work with a different editor at each stage, but that’s not always possible or even necessary. Every book is different.
Whether you’re a self-published or traditionally published author, having a good editor can make all the difference. Here are some places where you can find good book editors.

2. Ask Other Writers in Your Genre to Recommend Good Book Editors

Direct referrals are gold because you can ask the writer about their experience. These sorts of testimonials will help you feel confident in the editor’s skills and how they work with authors. You can even preview the first chapter of their book on Amazon to see how it reads.

If you’re part of a formal writers association, like the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America or Horror Writers Association, ask around.

Here are some other established writers groups online:

20BooksTo50K (Facebook group)
Writers Helping Writers (Facebook group)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors (Facebook group)
r/Writing (Massive writing subreddit)
Scribophile (writing community)

3. Search Online Directories of Editing Associations

There are several big editing associations you can check out. Most have online directories.

4. Attend Writing Conferences

Attending writing conferences and workshops can be a great way to network with other writers and meet editors. You can attend workshops/panels and participate in pitching sessions where you can showcase your work and get feedback from professionals. There are so many online conferences too, which makes it easier to connect with editors beyond your local area.

Here are a few to start with:

Women in Publishing Summit (online)
SelfPub Con (hosted by ALLi) (online)
World Science Fiction Convention (“Worldcon”)
ReaderCon

The Poets & Writers website has a database where you can search for US conferences.

The Association of Writers and Writing Programs also has a database for North American events.

5. Connect with Professional Editors on Social Media and Blogs

Using social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok among others can be a great way to connect with editors and other writers. Joining writing communities on these platforms and participating in online discussions can help you find potential editors. Don’t forget to search relevant hashtags and connect with editors (like #BookTok and #AuthorTok on TikTok). We love to connect with writers!

Editors are all over social media. Search for terms like “book editor,” “fiction editor,” and keywords that describe your genre. Look at their posts, click through to their website, and see if their blog posts resonate with you.

Other Considerations when Looking to Hire a Professional Book Editor

When searching for a book editor, it’s important to consider their experience, expertise, and style. You want to find someone who is knowledgeable in your genre and can provide feedback and suggestions that will help improve your writing. But in a way that’s diplomatic and constructive.

It’s also important to find someone who you are comfortable working with. And ideally, especially if you’re writing a series, it can be nice working with an editor long-term, knowing you have a trusted editor at the ready for your next books (just remember to get in touch well in advance!). You’ll no longer feel overwhelmed having to do everything yourself in publishing your book.

Finding a good book editor is crucial for the success of your writing. So if you’re looking for a meticulous and conscientious copyeditor who loves getting into the details (but not getting lost in the weeds), I’d love to work with you.

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4 Tips for Dealing with Overwhelm in the Writing Process

3/19/2019

First off, feeling overwhelmed is actually part of the process! 🙄

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Being overwhelmed is not something to fight and get over and THEN start your writing. It’s a natural part of the writing process. Seeing the scope of your life or your expertise or whatever topic you feel called to write about may feel like a towering mountain stopping you in your tracks.

That stream of internal chatter builds layer upon layer of limiting thoughts.

Oh my god, what have I gotten myself into? I can’t do this. Who am I to write about anything? It’s all been done before, who wants to read another memoir, another business or productivity guide, another mommy blog, another story of overcoming challenges . . .

The truth is, it has all been done before. And that’s been the case forever.

In The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph Campbell writes about the Hero’s Journey and how it’s essentially a universal process told again and again in every great story. The underlying structure may be the same—venturing out into the unknown, undergoing a series of personal transformations, then returning as a new person—but the actual story itself has infinite variety. Nobody will tell the story of dealing with a divorce the same way you will. Nobody will tell the story of dealing with depression the same way you will. No one will write about your work or your expertise quite like you will.

Your life, its insights, and how you express yourself will infuse the story in a way that’s never quite been done before.

Feeling Like an Impostor

Rest assured that every writer feels that heavy sense of being an impostor or the terror of possibly never being able to write another word again after a creative drought. This is part of the process. The dual demons of impostor syndrome and writer’s block are stone gargoyles that frame the entrance to your unconscious, the deep recesses of your imagination.

It’s not that successful people never feel fear or anxiety; it’s that they do what they do in spite of it. They push through those feelings and do it anyway. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist out of Harvard, gave a viral TED Talk called “Fake It Until You Become It.” The idea is that body language can change how you think and feel about yourself (what she calls “postural feedback” or “a body-mind nudge”). So even though you may feel like an impostor or “not enough,” or “not really a writer,” if you adopt powerful poses, ones that expand rather than contract, for just 2 minutes you will feel and act more confidently. Try adopting some of these high-power poses before your next writing session.

Make Stress Your Friend

Again, being overwhelmed is not something to deal with and vanquish before becoming a creative person. It is in fact putting your feet to the fire and giving you a springboard to launch yourself into the unknown. Kelly McGonigal explains in her amazing TED Talk “How to Make Stress Your Friend” that reframing stress as the body’s way of helping you deal with a challenge (instead of something bad that will eventually kill you) actually changes how your body responds to it. It’s only bad if you believe it is.

The same thing can be said for feeling overwhelmed. When you feel that knot in your stomach, the fog emanating from the top of your head and blurring your thoughts, the dread of not seeing a path to begin . . . just sit with it. Actually feel it. Feel each separate aspect of your overwhelm as it shows up in your body and mind. Sit and let it exist.

Feeling buried in material or suffocated by your loss of words, it’s all good. Say thanks, knowing that the key to unlocking your blocked energy is available to you and part of the writing process, too. Often going for a walk or doing something else allows your creative energy to simmer on the back-burner. All in good time.

Here are four ways I’ve found help me move through these moments.

1. Stop Focusing on the Content

You are the expert here. You know your content better than your readers. Avoid going down a rabbit hole of research, where you keep reading more and more books on your subject, perhaps as part of “market research.” Really what this is doing is pulling you out of doing your work and into “preparing to work.” Research can come later, but beware when research becomes resistance.

Instead of your content, think about how you will present your content. Think about the form that will best serve the book you want to write. What would be a good way to begin your book? If it’s a memoir, where in the timeline could you begin? Think about whether your book will have parts, chapters (how long or short), or a pastiche style? Consider how to frame your narrative. What stories or studies could open and close a chapter? If you feel stuck, go back to your outline, if you have one, and shift away from the what of your content to how you will present the content to best reflect the theme or reason for writing.

2. Build Scaffolding, Then Take it Out Later

Often when we’re blocked or overwhelmed, we don’t allow ourselves to write. We get in our own way by self-critiquing while we try to write. The process of writing and revising are two separate tasks: they should never happen at the same time. First you write. Get your thoughts out of your head and on the page. Then you reflect and revise slightly before moving into the next wave of writing. Keep your revisions to a minimum while you’re writing your first draft. Once you have something to work with, the process of editing is like chiselling an artwork out of stone.

First you need the marble block. To get it, try scaffolding. The way I do this is by starting to write a letter to my ideal reader (or even myself). By the third or fourth sentence I’ll usually start my actual writing. Once you’ve written something, you typically notice that at some point you stop writing your scaffolding and start writing your work. Keep doing this every time you get stuck. Then delete all the scaffolding at the end once it’s served its purpose.

Another way of conceiving of scaffolding is to write what you’re about to write, write it, and then summarize what you just wrote. You can delete the signposting later. The idea is to gain momentum so that your internal censor can’t catch up to you.

3. Remember That You Already Have Everything You Need

You are probably drowning in content. You might have 15 journals filled margin to margin full of inspired musings scribbled in a burst of stream of consciousness that you can now barely read, but that may nonetheless be good starting content for a manuscript. Likewise, maybe you have technical documents or teaching materials from work you’ve done. Perhaps you have journal entries that helped you get through some difficult life event or trauma. You might have kept a diary since you were 12 and your basement is full of boxes.

These vessels of your writing contain amazing snapshots of some of the most inspiring and depressing moments of your life—the highest highs and the lowest, darkest lows. But these do not make a book.

Rather, these writings can act as springboards to jog your memory, launch pads for framing your thoughts as stories, and flashpoints that readers can become immersed in. Journal entries on their own are ultimately for you; they hold parts of you in reserve that you can now call upon in the writing process. Let what speaks most compellingly emerge from the depths and write them into a form.

4. Creativity Exists Within Constraints

Constraint is another great way of dealing with overwhelm. Instead of attempting to sit down and “write my book,” you set your timer for 25 minutes and write the opening of Chapter 5. There’s no rule that says you have to write your book in order. With programs like Scrivener, you can start anywhere and easily move things around later. All these tricks have the same ultimate goal: to get you started and to gain momentum. There's lots of talk about "writing sprints" and word count in the writing community. One great resource is the ebook by Chris Fox, "5000 Words Per Hour," which suggests starting with 5-minute sprints.

Breaking things down into bite-sized morsels will help you break through blocks. By deciding to work on the first section of your Intro this morning, you ward off the paralysis that comes with infinite possibility.

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6 Writing and Editing Tools to Help You Write Your Book

1/11/2019

Here are my top picks for software that will make the writing process as bearable and streamlined as possible.

Once upon a time writers had to use elaborate physical systems to keep track of their manuscripts in progress. Think post-it notes on a mindmap pinned to the wall, index cards on a cork board, or typewritten sheets lovingly piled next to a typewriter, the final page proclaiming "The End"...

Of course, these are still viable options for those who like working hands-on with physical paper. But for most of us who do so much of our writing digitally, here are my top picks for software that will make the writing process as bearable and streamlined as possible.

1. Scrivener

This is the go-to writing software that many seasoned writers swear by. There's a free trial version for 30 days, and then it's $45 to own it forever (no subscriptions). The main features that will help you on your writing journey are

the ability to drag and drop chapters and sections, which means you can easily write out of order if you work non-linearly and reorder later, and
the ability to "compile" your chapters/sections into a full Word document. Scrivener will export all the discrete pieces into a formatted document, which is amazing!

If you're visual like me, and perhaps a bit obsessed with outlining (also like me), then you'll love the "cork board view," where you can see all your sections as if they were index cards on a cork board. Similarly, you can move these around to your heart's content.

2. yWriter

YWriter is a great free alternative to Scrivener that also allows you to reorder scenes and chapters by dragging and dropping them in the sidebar and to see your book in storyboard view. This standalone software also holds all your notes and research, which can be a real time-saver, and has features that allow you to do character sketches and track character point of view. You can export your manuscript as an rtf file.

3. Wavemaker

Wavemaker is a free online app you can easily access with your Gmail account. It also has a sidebar where you can reorder chapters/scenes and cards to organize notes. You can also create a basic timeline for your novel.

Wavemaker also has a 30-day Nanowrimo tool (National Novel Writing Month, held every November where writers try to write 50,000 words in a month). A great feature of this tool is that your word count is prominently visible at the top, which spurs you to meet your daily quota (if you thrive under such constraints!). And it's laid out in calendar form to help you develop a daily writing habit. Overall, an easy-to-use web tool.

Self-Editing Online Tools

Once you've written a bunch of content, you'll delve into the process of revisions. The cleaner you can get your manuscript on your own, the more money you'll save on professional editing because the editor won't have to spend precious time correcting basic grammar and consistency errors. Here are three excellent tools that will help make your writing clearer, more vivid, and engaging.

4. The Hemingway Editor App

The Hemingway Editor is a free online tool (which has a desktop version you can buy for $19) that will make your writing clear and bold. The app flags four main areas and colour codes them:

Adverbs (suggesting you "remove most manner adverbs," she said unnervingly),
Instances of passive voice (suggesting you recast),
Words that have simpler alternatives (think "use" instead of "utilize") and
Complex sentences, those ones that seem to -- perhaps not fully meaning to but nonetheless adding so much space between the subject and verb that the reader forgets what the sentence is about -- meander endlessly and hinder reader comprehension.

The more complex a sentence, the more menacing a shade of red it is. The app also includes a readability score. Here's a screenshot of what that last sentences looks like in the app:

5. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is more like a personal writing coach. It provides a multi-pronged approach to correcting errors, fixing style issues, and has 19 in-depth reports that will give you a sense of what types of writing errors you are prone to (repetitiveness, vague wording, adverb overload, cliches, passive voice, lack of sentence variety, etc.). The best part is that you can learn from your mistakes.

There is a free online version, but you're limited to checking 500 words at a time, or a premium desktop version for $50/year with no word limit.

6. Consistency Checker

Consistency Checker is a free add-on that flags inconsistencies in spelling, hyphenation, numbers (spelled out or written as numerals), abbreviations, and more. It does a series of checks on your document and tells you when inconsistencies arise (although you have to physically make the changes yourself). This apps helps you focus on the level of detail required in editing your manuscript. The more technically clean your manuscript is, the more money you're likely to save on professional editing services. The premium program, PerfectIt, is a top-notch software used by professional editors.

Now get writing!

These tools will give you a head start on writing and revising your book. But I won't judge you if you want to go old-school and write your book outline on index cards and shuffle them around! The digital space may or may not be a game-changer. I'll leave that to you to decide ;)

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6 Books to Help You Start a Writing Practice

1/7/2019

Feeling unmotivated? Here are some books that have helped me out of a writing slump.

Reading + Writing = #writerslife

When you’re not writing—perhaps you’re procrastinating or avoiding the important work you’ve set for yourself (we all do it!)—take the opportunity to read about writing. Study the craft, pay attention to how your favourite novels are structured, figure out why certain non-fiction books keep you hooked. Reading is the other part of the essential helix of your writing life, so here are my favourite books on writing!

**1. Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott**

This was my textbook for a creative writing class in college. I keep coming back to it because of the idea of taking things one step at a time, that writing does not tumble out of you fully formed and perfect. This is the “fantasy of the uninitiated,” a fantasy that has a long shelf life…

The two single most helpful ideas I invoke on a daily basis are “short assignments” and “shitty first drafts.” (Shitty as in rough and unpolished, not intended to be an assault on your self-worth!) Both these tools help keep perfectionism, the main obstacle between you and the first draft, at bay.

To do a short assignment, write only as much as you can see through a one-inch picture frame. This might be your opening scene. It might be a setting you saw in a dream. Whatever it is, the task becomes manageable because you’re not sitting down to write your entire magnum opus; you’re “taking this bird by bird.” The shitty first draft is like a Polaroid developing, where you’re allowing yourself to stitch together your short assignments in some semblance of a story or narrative.

I come back to this book every time I forget that writing is iterative and first drafts are not only necessary but the foundation of the writing process. This book will help ease your cramped psychic muscles and give you permission to write, and to continue to write even after you’ve convinced yourself out of it.

**2. Do the Work! Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way, by Steven Pressfield**

Steven Pressfield is the guy to turn to if you want a word for that thing that keeps you from doing your work. The procrastination, the perfectionism, the so-called writer’s block. “Resistance” is the enemy and will stop at nothing to keep you from writing. Do the Work! will coach you through any creative project and arm you with the principles to keep you moving through the unavoidable highs and lows of the creative process.

My main takeaways are the idea of “covering the canvas,” i.e., getting your full working draft done ASAP because momentum is everything. Just act. Revisions come later. (Whether you’re a pantser or a plotter is up to you, but the key is to not get bogged down in quality at this point.) Another important reminder is that “any project can be broken into the beginning, middle and end. Fill in the gaps; then fill in the gaps between the gaps.” It seems obvious, and it is. The hard part is the actual work, which this book motivates you to do. A perfect complement to this manifesto against resistance is Pressfield’s The War of Art. Highly recommended as well.

**3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King**

This is a classic book from one of the most prolific novelists of our time. Stephen King weaves his experiences as a fledgling writer with the tools and techniques he’s learned that can help other writers hone their craft and keep at it. King is straightforward when he says that motivation is not the key to writing. The key is showing up and keeping your butt in your chair and making a habit of doing the work consistently, whether you’re inspired or not. It’s just part of your day.

Another interesting tidbit (that goes against the grain in some ways of the more structuralist books that prioritize outlining) is that King believes “stories are found things, like fossils in the ground” and that the “writer’s job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground intact as possible” (p. 163-64). The process of writing reveals the story to us, and in some ways it’s not up to us where it ultimately leads.

This is not to downplay the need for plot and structure, but King’s approach is that often the structure emerges as you go and is not something required before you begin. Once you get your draft down, you begin to see underlying patterns (like symbolism and theme, perhaps) and can work them in a second “more fully realized” draft of the story. The Prime Rule, which I’ve adopted as my life philosophy, is “write a lot and read a lot.” It’s about as simple as that.

**4. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know, by Shawn Coyne**

Any writing books that delve into the structure of good stories are often seen as prescriptive or advocating formulas. The Story Grid, rather, is a tool for improving your story, writing scenes that work, and ordering them in a way that keeps readers engaged and turning the page. It’s a tool that ensures your story has the basic DNA of a good story: a flawed hero (status quo), who goes on a journey, and emerges in some way transformed. There are umpteen ways to accomplish this transformational arc.

The Story Grid teaches you the internal structure of great stories and why they work. It’s like lifting up the hood of a car and looking at the engine. You’ll learn about the obligatory scenes of different genres of fiction; the basic three-part structure of all stories: opening hook, middle build, and ending payoff; and how the external (A) and internal (B) stories function together.

Overall, this book is excellent for learning the units of story (the beat, scene, sequence, act, subplot, and global story) and how to think of your story on a macro, global level.

Check out these excellent resources on the story grid for non-fiction books as well.

**5. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody**

This is another excellent book for honing your writing craft. It’s based on the Save the Cat! methodology used to write screenplays, laying out the essential “beats” of the novel. It’s like a glorified outline that guides the writing process, a process that arguably goes quicker if you know where your scenes are leading.

The 15 beats the author lays out are divided into Acts 1, 2, and 3; it’s the global journey of the hero, starting in the status quo world of Act 1, breaking into the upside-down world of Act 2, and then the finale after the All Is Lost moment. This is a simplified trajectory, but it helps visualize the psychology behind where you put certain elements of a story.

The book also describes 10 story genres that basically codify types of stories and their essential ingredients. Here are a few examples to get a feel for them:

Whydunit: These are mysteries or stories led by some sort of secret that include some kind of 1) detective, 2) secret, and 3) dark turn.
Institutionalized: These stories centre around a unifying issue or event, where the hero either joins the group, leaves the group, or takes them down. There’s always 1) a group, 2) a choice, and 3) a sacrifice.
Golden Fleece: These are road trips, heists, and epic quests. Ingredients include 1) a “road” (journey’s setting), 2) a team (if the hero has buddies who tag along), and 3) the prize.

All stories have an internal structure that moves the narrative along and include essential ingredients—this is true for fiction and non-fiction alike. Finding an internal structure that fits your book will help the reader follow your thinking and stay engaged.

**6. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams**

This book is amazing for sentence-level editing. It will help untangle unclear and long-winded sentences. What distinguishes it from the hordes of other writing guides is its actionable principles. First off, all sentences tell stories: they have characters (subjects) and actions (verbs). All you have to do to write a clear sentence is, 1) Make main characters the subjects of your verbs, and 2) Make those characters’ important actions your verbs. The crux of clear style is to know when your subjects are not characters, where to look for them, and how to find buried actions.

A fun example to illustrate the point:

“Once upon a time, as a walk through the woods [subject, hidden action] was taking place on the part of Little Red Riding Hood [main character], the Wolf’s jump out from behind a tree [subject, with hidden character and important action] occurred, causing her fright [important action].”

BECOMES

“Once upon a time, Little Red Riding Hood [subject and main character] was walking [important action] through the woods, when the Wolf [subject and main character] jumped [important action] out from behind a tree and frightened [important action] her.”

You can have a lot of fun excavating characters and actions from dense and unclear sentences!

But that finessing comes later—your job for now is to just keep writing!

Onw[o]rds!

3 types of editing every self-publishing writer needs to know

5/18/2018

Big picture, details, and quality control. AKA developmental, copyediting, and proofreading. There is an order to them. ⬇️

Why you need an editor

It’s not just you! Everybody needs an editor. It’s just a function of the human mind that you will gloss over errors in your own writing. You see what you intended to write, not always what you did write. So don’t sweat the details – that’s what an editor is for.

Editors bring a fresh pair of eyes to your writing, seeing every word for the first time. Missing words or repeated words will pop right out (whereas this might be your 27th time re-reading your draft and you’re too familiar with it!).

Types of editing

Here are three basic types of editing that self-publishing writers should know about; knowing what kind of editing you need will help you find an editor that’s the right fit for your book.

1. Developmental Editing

The big picture phase (aka The Forest)

Often called developmental or structural editing, this is where an editor focuses on the structure, flow, and organization of the content. Does the order of your chapters make sense? Do they unfold in a rational and logical way? Are your transitions solid? Do your ideas flow in a way that will make sense to your reader? At this stage the goal is to set the content in its optimal order.

2. Copyediting

The details phase (aka The Trees) 

Often called copyediting (or line editing or stylistic editing), this is the phase where the editor gets into the nitty-gritty details, smoothing over problem areas in grammar, punctuation, and overall consistency. An editor will also consider things like biased language, use of jargon, plain language, and sentence variety.

Writers tend to associate editing with correcting overt typos, spelling, and punctuation errors — i.e., a manuscript with lots of red ink, or in this day and age, track changes. But there are other not-so-obvious errors that copyeditors are pros at spotting.

For example, copyeditors also ensure consistency in hyphenation, abbreviations, numbers, and capitalization, and they even fact-check place/character names and timeline considerations. This is on top of all the language and style preferences that copyeditors compile in a style sheet, where they keep track of all the rules and preferences applied across the document.

The copyeditor will also catch details like a character’s name spelled in multiple ways or the fact that the main character’s eyes are suddenly blue in chapter 6. Consistency across all these different dimensions is what keeps your reader glued to your narrative: a book riddled with errors, even minor consistency errors, can jar the reader out of the flow of the narrative. When this happens, they go from reading the story to reading the words — stuck at the surface of the page. Copyediting is the magic that keeps your reader happily immersed in your story.

3. Proofreading

Quality control phase (aka The Final Pass)

This is the proofreading phase. Although a lot of people conflate copyediting and proofreading, proofreading is technically the final phase of the editing process. Once the manuscript has been copyedited and formatted, the proofreader makes sure everything is as polished as possible, catching any remaining typos and formatting errors/inconsistencies (like table of contents numbering that doesn’t point to where it should or inaccurate cross-references, leading you down a rabbit hole). Essentially, the proofreader works on the final copy to ensure maximum quality control.

In an ideal world, a different editor would work on each level of edit (structural, copyedit, proofread), but time and budget constraints often mean that one editor will do several or all of these. One thing is for sure though – finalizing the structure of the narrative happens before handing off your manuscript to a copyeditor or proofreader to polish the language.

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Blog

Your One-Stop Shop World-Building Archive

How Does a Story Database Help Authors

So, How Is a Story Database Different from a Style Sheet?

Bonus Ideas for Your Story Database

Let’s see this in action!

​1. What Is a Sample Edit?

​2. Making Sure You’re a Good Fit

3. Understanding the Types of Editing

​​4. Establishing Communication and Feedback

​5. Making an Informed Decision​

The Essential Skills of Copyediting

3 Types of Editing

Details, Details, and More Details!

Cultivating a Flexible Mindset

Summary

Editor Mode: In the Weeds

Reader Mode: Full Immersion

Takeaway

1. PerfectIt

2. Macros

3. Style Guides and Online Dictionaries

4. Productivity Tools for Editors

1. Make Sure Your Manuscript Is Ready for Submission

2. Research Literary Agents Carefully

​3. Write a Great Query Letter

4. Be Persistent and Track Your Submissions​

Where Are You Headed?

1. Become Aware of Your Particular Flavour of Perfectionism

2. You Won’t “Overcome” Your Perfectionism (and That’s Okay)

3. Start Small to Build Your Tolerance (12:22)

4. Show the Messy Middle of Things

​1. Start Scenes in the Middle of the Action

2. Avoid Overusing Filter Words

3. ​Write Snappy Dialogue Without All the Filler

4. ​Make Sure Your Sentences Don't All Sound the Same

​1. Follow Your Gut to Hire a Professional Editor You Trust

​2. Ask Other Writers in Your Genre to Recommend Good Book Editors

​3. Search Online Directories of Editing Associations

​4. Attend Writing Conferences

​5. Connect with Professional Editors on Social Media and Blogs

​Other Considerations when Looking to Hire a Professional Book Editor

1. Stop Focusing on the Content​

2. Build Scaffolding, Then Take it Out Later​

3. Remember That You Already Have Everything You Need​

4. Creativity Exists Within Constraints​

1. Scrivener​

2. yWriter​

3. Wavemaker​

Self-Editing Online Tools

4. The Hemingway Editor App​

5. ProWritingAid​

6. Consistency Checker​

Now get writing!​

Reading + Writing = #writerslife

​1. Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott

2. Do the Work! Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way, by Steven Pressfield

3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King

4. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know, by Shawn Coyne

5. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody

6. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams

Further Reading

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Join my newsletter!

Categories

1. What Is a Sample Edit?

2. Making Sure You’re a Good Fit

4. Establishing Communication and Feedback

5. Making an Informed Decision

3. Write a Great Query Letter

4. Be Persistent and Track Your Submissions

1. Start Scenes in the Middle of the Action

3. Write Snappy Dialogue Without All the Filler

4. Make Sure Your Sentences Don't All Sound the Same

1. Follow Your Gut to Hire a Professional Editor You Trust

2. Ask Other Writers in Your Genre to Recommend Good Book Editors

3. Search Online Directories of Editing Associations

4. Attend Writing Conferences

5. Connect with Professional Editors on Social Media and Blogs

Other Considerations when Looking to Hire a Professional Book Editor

1. Stop Focusing on the Content

2. Build Scaffolding, Then Take it Out Later

3. Remember That You Already Have Everything You Need

4. Creativity Exists Within Constraints

1. Scrivener

2. yWriter

3. Wavemaker

4. The Hemingway Editor App

5. ProWritingAid

6. Consistency Checker

Now get writing!

**1. Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott**

**2. Do the Work! Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way, by Steven Pressfield**

**3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King**

**4. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know, by Shawn Coyne**

**5. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody**

**6. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams**