Editing

For the past 30 years I’ve been teaching people how to write more effective fiction, poetry, and personal and academic essays, as well as how to take apart literature to understand how it’s made. During this time, I’ve also produced a collection of poems, a collection of short stories, and three novels, and have won prizes for my creative work.

One thing I’ve learned is that everyone can write, but most of us need to learn how to shape our work so that it says what we want it to say and so that others will want to read it. I’ve learned how good writing works by reading and studying extensively, by revising and editing my own work, and by helping my students craft their work.

One of the most satisfying aspects of my profession is seeing a piece of writing travel from its first stages to a finished form – to grow wings and feathers and begin to sing. I’ve been lucky to have been able to work with many students over the decades, and to watch their writing abilities leap forward as they learn to apply techniques of structure and language. For me, editing and teaching are inextricable, and writers I work with can acquire skills to take to subsequent projects.

I believe that the best writing originates in the writer’s unique experience and perspective, presented through skillful use of language, and that every piece of writing has at least one best possible self. It’s my goal to help writers identify what their manuscript’s potential is and how to achieve it.

I provide four types of editing services, to meet the needs of writers with work at different stages of completion. Writing is a multi-stage process, from brainstorming or note-taking through research, drafting, revision, editing, and final proofreading and copy-editing. Some of these stages are recursive, meaning we might need to do more brainstorming at a point in our drafting, or more drafting after some revision. I will work with manuscripts at different stages along the process in the appropriate ways.

The Developmental Edit

The Developmental Edit is for writers who have a draft of a book-length work: 60,000 to 100,000 words. I’ll read through your draft and prepare extensive feedback about work that can be done to strengthen it and polish it. For all manuscripts, the feedback will include notes about structure, detail, style and voice, language mechanics, and concept and theme.

I will tailor my notes to your work and discuss genre-specific aspects, using clear, everyday language, and examples from your writing. I will also suggest a revision process and techniques.

The Diagnostic

The Diagnostic is for writers with an unfinished book manuscript of between 10,000 and 50,000 words. I’ll provide in-depth feedback on genre and subgenre fit and expectations and writing strengths and weaknesses, and suggest directions and methods for expansion. I will also suggest readings that I think will be useful to the development of your work, if applicable.

It’s a common experience among writers to produce about thirty pages of a draft of a new novel, in a burst of creative energy. Then the flow stops, and we wonder, “Is this anything? Where do I go from here? Can I make that energy return?” If you’re one of these writers – maybe, like a lot of us, you have a closet full of 30-page beginnings of novels – you might find this service most useful. Part brainstorming, part organizing, part editing, it’s a service that can help you grow your manuscript into its potential. I’ll give you a fresh perspective, ideas, a plan, and some direction

The Mini-Diagnostic

The Mini-Diagnostic is a service for writers with a piece that is under 10,000 words long and feels more or less complete in its scope. I’ll provide in-depth feedback on genre and subgenre fit and expectations, writing strengths and weaknesses, and where applicable, directions and methods for expansion. I will also suggest readings that I think will be useful to the development of your work, if applicable. I’ll do some close editing, if that’s what’s needed, and give suggestions as to how to edit and polish the piece on your own. I’ll research and make suggestions about finding periodicals that might be appropriate for submissions.

The Spit-Shine

The Spit-Shine is a service for writers with more experience. Maybe you’ve done professional writing for many years and want to move into a new genre; maybe you have a degree in creative writing and already have a strong sense of writing techniques. Maybe you want another pair of eyes on your work – input from someone experienced in and knowledgeable about writing. I can reflect an objective sense of how your work reads, illuminate your blind spots (we all have those), and help you refine your structure and style at an advanced level.

Testimonials

"I had a 90,000 word draft of a novel that I was afraid to show to anyone. I suspected it was crap. Karen read it and saw the good in it. Karen is incredibly perceptive and has decades of experience both writing and teaching. She saw exactly what I was trying to do. We worked on both the big and small picture. With her help I was able to reorder my scenes and chapters to create a more effective structure and focus. I also learned a lot about how point-of-view works and how to to keep it consistent. She was honest with me about the parts that weren’t working, or weren’t necessary, but I never felt discouraged by her suggested culls as I knew they were making my story better. After working with Karen, I knew exactly what to do next and became a lot more confident about carrying on with the project." – Patsy Alford

Fiction Manuscripts

For Fiction Manuscripts, I’ll discuss your work in terms of these aspects:

Structure – does your story keep me reading to find out what happens? Is the pacing effective? Is there enough development at important plot points? Are there long passages that don’t really move the story ideas forward?
Narrative elements – is the setting clearly and evocatively presented, and does it work hard enough for the story? Do you dramatize important events? Is there a sense of cause and effect? Can I tell what your characters want, and are your main characters’ growth, change, and accomplishments closely connected to the plot?
Concept and theme – do both the plot (what happens, and why) and what’s at stake for the characters feel important enough? Do the setting, language, and action work together to give a good sense of a unified central take on the world? Does the story feel original in the way it’s worked out?
Voice and point of view – who is telling the story? Can we follow the story through the consistent consciousness of one or more characters? Is the point of view used the best choice for the story, in terms of maintaining tension (keeping the reader interested) and developing the concept? Is the narrative voice working for the reader? Is it consistent, engaging, and suitable in tone for the story?
Style and language – are the sentences crafted in ways that make for both clarity and effect? Does the sentence structure and word choice work to control pace, mood, and character personality? Do the sentence style and word choices feel fresh, compelling, and precise? If figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc) is used, is it fresh, vivid, and suitable to the occasion? And, although I don’t copy-edit work, are the grammar and mechanics of the writing current, standard, and functional for clear communication?

Creative Non-Fiction Manuscripts

For Creative Non-Fiction Manuscripts, such as memoirs, personal essay collections, autobiography, travel writing, food writing, and literary journalism, I’ll review the following set of elements:

Structure – does your work keep me reading to learn more? Is the pacing effective? Is there enough development at important points, and is it clear what the important points are? Are there long passages that don’t really move the ideas forward? Does the organization make sense for this work and its ideas? Is there an interesting variety of writing elements, like narrative, place description, process description, and various kinds of analysis?
Concept and theme – do the main ideas in the work feel fully developed? Do the setting, language, and detail work together to give the sense of a unified presentation? Does the work add original ideas and detail to the subject at large, and feel original in the way it’s worked out?
Voice and point of view – who is communicating the ideas or experiences? Is the voice of the writer the best choice for the project, in terms of establishing a good rapport with readers? Does it feel engaging, aware and suitable in tone for the material? Does it avoid hectoring, boasting, obscure inside references, overgeneralizing, stating the obvious, meanness, and intolerance – all of those things we hate in face-to-face relationships? Can readers feel instead that they are going along with the writer on a journey of discovery?
Narrative elements – if narrative is used (and it usually is), are settings and personalities clearly and evocatively presented, and do they contribute to the development of the ideas in the work? Are important events dramatized?
Research – if you’ve written about real events and people, have you documented where you found your information? Do you need to look up some factual information for your piece, or get permission to make certain statements? Is it okay to use real names? When and how do you document ideas or information that someone else has published?
Style and language – are the sentences crafted in ways that make for both clarity and effect? Does the sentence structure and word choice work to control pace, mood, and tone? Do the sentence style and word choices feel fresh, compelling, and precise? If figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc) is used, is it fresh, vivid, and suitable to the occasion? And, although I don’t copy-edit work, are the grammar and mechanics of the writing current, standard, and functional for clear communication?

Please use the contact page to ask me about rates, time frames, and the best service for your manuscript.