Can’t I just use ProWritingAid?
One person tells me they routinely send their work out to editors after running it through PWA, the reason being, and I’m quoting here: “it may make a line editor more likely to want to work with you (and maybe quote you cheaper if your manuscript isn’t full of garbage).”
Are editors genre specific?
All this to say that knowing our genre/subgenre is essential because, like it or not, genre conventions exist, and readers have very specific expectations and will complain if those expectations are not met.
Will the developmental editor need a synopsis?
By condensing their story into 2 pages (no more than 500 words), the author gets a good sense of their story. The editor will be able to tell, without spending too much time, if it’s a story that they want to work on.
Is it the editor’s fault if a book ends up bad?
The story belongs to the author. The editor’s job is to point out how the story can be improved. The writer always has the choice not to apply all or even any of the editor’s suggestions and corrections.
Karl & Smithy - Line Edit by Cassia Hall
'Karl & Smithy' is Erica Damon's submission accepted into the Summer Simmer anthology. She was kind enough to let me record the onscreen line edit and use it to show how I line edit fiction.
Should I give trigger warnings to my editor?
I tell editors to have two bullet lists on their websites -- one with the genres/subgenres/tropes they enjoy working with, and one with those they will NOT touch. Not all of them take my advice.