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Can Freelance Editors be Right for Authors with Traditional Publishing Goals?

Your planned publishing path is very important to the decisions about what kind of editing to get and how much to pay for them.

Can Freelance Substantive Editors be Right for Authors with Traditional Publishing Goals?

Agents and editors look for manuscripts that need occasional tweaks but already have a solid writing style and author voice.

Comp Titles

"Comp titles" is short for competitive or comparative titles and refers to already published books that are similar to your manuscript.

Brainstorming a Book Title

Titles are an important piece of your marketing. You want them to encapsulate your entire book in a brief and catchy way.

Editing a Plot Summary for Concision

One of the keys to a good summary is making it short without making it vague.

Summarizing Stories in New Worlds

Made-up words are great woldbuilding inside your book, but they can really complicate a plot summary.

Identifying Your Story's Hook

Once you find your story's hook, you should be able to talk about, summarize, and market your book much more easily.

Persuasive Query Letters

All good writing starts with knowing what you are trying to accomplish. It is your job to show an agent why your book is a good fit for them

Writing a Plot Summary for a Query Letter

In today's querying atmosphere, a good book summary is essential to catching an agent or editor's interest.

Handling Character Names in Plot Summaries

Character names can be an easy place for readers to get lost during a plot summary.

Can Freelance Developmental Editors be Right for Authors with Traditional Publishing Goals?

Some people will tell you not to pay for an editor if you plan to traditionally publish ; after all, the publisher will hire editors to...

What is a Standalone with Series Potential?

If you've done your research on querying, you've probably found the phrase "standalone with series potential"

Why do Publishers have Word Count Requirements?

If you've found the perfect publisher, it can be hard to understand why they would reject your manuscript based solely on a word count.

Preparing a Manuscript for Submission

Most publishers have very similar requirements. By following some basic general principles, you can get your manuscript looking professional