• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • FaceBook
  • RSS Feed
  • Get Published
  • Book Proposals
  • Book Business
  • Writing Craft
    • Conferences
    • Copyright
    • Craft
    • Creativity
    • Grammar
  • Fun Fridays
Home » Writing Craft » Page 23

Writing Craft

Do You Need to Hire a Professional Editor?

By Guest Bloggeron June 4, 2020
Share
Tweet
26

Recently, a blog reader sent the following question:

Tamela, as everyone knows, writing can be a desperately lonely pastime. The biggest thing I struggle with is direction or coaching. That is, “Have I developed a good story, concept, or theme? Or, am I seriously off the rails, a hopeless case?” I realize I’m talking about developmental editing but how can a writer find critical review without spending mega-bucks? Please forgive my naïveté!

I took this question to my friend, Natalie Hanemann, who happens to be a professional freelance editor. Here is her response:

Writing is indeed a lonely sport. Without a sounding board, writers don’t know if they’re headed in a good direction. Getting feedback from critique partners or beta readers can be helpful, but getting a professional perspective is what writers need most. Why? Because it increases their chances of landing a book contract.

Using a professional editor is an up-front investment–no doubt about it. But, writers, consider what you’re investing in. Books are salable products. If what you’re offering is top-notch, easily consumable, entertaining, and inspiring, you’re likely to sell more copies and grow a fan base. This can lead to subsequent books, more success, and possibly a full-time writing career. But without putting your best content out there to begin with, you may never get the opportunity to see your first book published. An experienced editor can help steer you in a direction that accomplishes two primary goals: One, they will strip out the unnecessary parts of your manuscript while building up the essential areas. This results in a solid story that is well-crafted. Two, they can use their experience to direct your content away from areas that may be more challenging to sell.

Writers need a partner–someone with whom they can bounce off ideas, who will give them honest feedback and direction, who will encourage them during times of doubt. Developmental editors do this. Honestly, there is no substitute for this. So if a writer is serious about what they’re doing, they’ll need to consign themselves to hiring a developmental editor at some point.

Before hiring a professional editor, consider these tips, which will make the editing process more efficient and possibly save you money along the way:

  1. Read at least two books on writing. I have a list of recommended titles on my website, but there are many helpful books out there.
  2. Do the hard work. Just reading a book on writing isn’t enough. Work the examples. If you don’t understand what a term means, Google it. Figure it out. For instance, many writers may be able to tell you what “Show Don’t Tell” means, but very few new writers properly incorporate this technique into their craft. This is another way a professional editor can help you. A good one will take the time to explain exactly what these writing terms mean and will give you examples. They will also call you out when they notice you slipping by leaving comments in the Word doc.
  3. Go through your manuscript and make sure it’s tidy. Use proper capitalization, punctuation, check for missing words. Reduce your use of adverbs and strengthen your verbs. Trim the fat the best way you know how. If something isn’t necessary for the plot–if scenes aren’t accomplishing 3 or 4 things simultaneously–rework them! Make it a game to cut out 100 words a day from a chapter. Trim, trim, trim.
  4. Make sure who you’re hiring to edit your book is a good fit for you. Ask for an estimated cost and timeline. Be flexible! If it would make you more comfortable, ask if you can have a preliminary phone call–20 minutes max–just so you can hear about the editor’s experience and you can briefly share what your book is about.
  5. After you get the estimate from your editor, if the cost is way out of your price range, ask them about payment plans or if they can possibly reduce their fees a bit. You have nothing to lose by asking!

Lastly, a word on the difference between a story coach and a developmental editor. Story coaching is a stage of editing that precedes the developmental edit. Not every author needs a story coach. You may need one if you’re having trouble writing the first draft of your book. Or if you only have an outline but have lost your motivation to start writing the chapters. Or if you don’t feel confident in your current outline. A story coach will help you come up with a plan, help you set some deadlines, and hold you accountable to meeting these dates (that’s not to say you can’t ask for more time, of course, if you need it). Typically when I story coach, I ask for an author to send me each chapter as they complete it and wait for me to give feedback before they proceed. This is a more efficient use of their time and mine.

A developmental edit is done on a completed manuscript. The editor reads the manuscript and provides an editorial letter that lists the areas that need improvement. Usually the editor will mark up the manuscript Word file–leaving comments or noting specific areas that need more attention.

For a complete description of the different kinds of editing (developmental, line, and proofreading), visit my website and click on the tab “Detail of Services.”

Natalie Hanemann has been a professional editor for sixteen years. She started her own freelance business in 2012 and has worked with hundreds of authors on their manuscripts. Her specialty is Christian fiction and Christian living titles. Visit her website at nataliehanemann.com for more information.
Leave a Comment
Category: Editing, Self-Publishing, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

He Said. She Said.

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 14, 2020
Share
Tweet
24

A blog reader recently left an excellent comment on an earlier post:
Tamela, fiction workshop presenters taught me that the best word for “said” is “said”–that others only tend to slow down the reader’s eye. I’d appreciate a discussion on this.
While I don't know the workshop presenters in question, what I can guess they meant is to avoid substituting creative verbs for "said" as a tag. For …

Read moreHe Said. She Said.
Category: Craft, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Grammar, Tamela, Writing Craft

Do You Have a Backup Plan?

By Steve Laubeon May 11, 2020
Share
Tweet
34

by Steve Laube

The question is not if your hard drive will fail, it is a question of when. At least twice a year I have a client who has lost their hard drive to equipment failure. There was a recent story of an editor at Wired magazine who got hacked via a security hole in his Amazon and Apple accounts. He not only lost data, he lost all the digital pictures of his baby girl. He wrote the …

Read moreDo You Have a Backup Plan?
Category: Book Business, Book Business, TechnologyTag: Backup, Technology

Three Questions About Agents

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 7, 2020
Share
Tweet
19

In meeting with writers on the cusp of their careers or flush with new success, we find that three big questions come to the forefront. Today, Tamela shares her answers:

How do I find a literary agent?
1)      First and foremost, visit the Agency web sites to see which ones are actively seeking the type of work you write.
2)      Talk to your agented friends to learn about their agents. …

Read moreThree Questions About Agents
Category: Agency, Agents, Book Business, Get PublishedTag: Agents, Book Business, Pitching, Proposals, Tamela

Use Your Thesaurus and Dictionary Correctly

By Steve Laubeon April 20, 2020
Share
Tweet
34

Today we look at how one writer uses his thesaurus and dictionary in a fascinating way. The following is a five-minute video from Martin Amis, one of Britain’s well-known literary novelists and essayists. I recommend clicking the “cc” close-captioned on the bottom next to the settings button. That way you can read his words while also hearing them. Below the video I have a couple …

Read moreUse Your Thesaurus and Dictionary Correctly
Category: Craft, Editing, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

How Can You Manage So Many Clients?

By Steve Laubeon March 23, 2020
Share
Tweet
22

by Steve Laube

I am frequently asked this question. It is perfectly understandable as many agencies carry a sizeable list of clients. A prospective client or even an existing one wonders, “Will this agent or agency have time for me?”

We post a list of our clients on the web site because we are honored to work with so many gifted people. Not every agency makes their client list public. It …

Read moreHow Can You Manage So Many Clients?
Category: Agency, Book Business, CommunicationTag: Authors, Clients, Communication, Too many clients?

Our Favorite Typos

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 11, 2020
Share
Tweet
22

Writers aren’t perfect. This may not be news to you. But occasionally we read or create typos that stay with us. Some become favorites, prompting smiles and giggles (and maybe embarrassment) for years to come. I asked writers, editors, and agents to share some from their experiences. Here are their favorites: “I submitted a post called ‘4 Reasons Why Writers Should Clothe Themselves with Humility’ …

Read moreOur Favorite Typos
Category: Book Proposals, Grammar, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

Choosing Your Character’s Name

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 9, 2020
Share
Tweet
24

Choosing the name of a character in your novel is a bit like reading the book Where’s Waldo? You can search forever and never find just the right one. Creativity You want to be creative, but not too creative. You say, “It has to fit the person in the book.” That is a huge weight to place on your character. And what if you need to change the name later? Can’t Remind Me of …

Read moreChoosing Your Character’s Name
Category: Creativity, Writing Craft

Saving the World, One Romance at a Time

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 27, 2020
Share
Tweet
12

Often I will receive submissions of novels tying in an element of mystery and suspense with romance. Writers targeting the romantic suspense market will find difficulty in placing this type of story. Why? Because romantic suspense readers have certain expectations that won't be met with a mere element of mystery and intrigue.

In my experience trying to sell and market romantic suspense, I have …

Read moreSaving the World, One Romance at a Time
Category: Genre, Get Published, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Tamela, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Pitching, Proposals, Tamela, Trends

Don’t Make Your Readers Whack Through Weasel Words

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 20, 2020
Share
Tweet
23

Since I waxed eloquently about weasel words last week, I just really thought I should share this very astonishing post. Truly it is just so important that authors really strive to write tightly so that the reader doesn’t just close the book because the writer uses, like, too many weasel words. As we survey various techniques to the establishment of accomplished prose, we are obliged to contemplate …

Read moreDon’t Make Your Readers Whack Through Weasel Words
Category: Craft, Writing Craft
  • Previous
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 21
  • Page 22
  • Page 23
  • Page 24
  • Page 25
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 85
  • Next
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Interview with Steve Laube
    • Statement of Faith
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Guidelines
  • Authors
    • Who We Represent
    • Awards and Recognition
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Christian Writers Market Guide Online
    • Christian Writers Institute
    • Writers Conferences
    • Freelance Editorial Services
    • Copyright Resources
    • Research Tools
    • Selling What You Write
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 · The Steve Laube Agency · All Rights Reserved · Website by Stormhill Media