Are you willing to invest a penny in each of your words?

A penny per word.

That's all. No complicated menu of a la carte services, just one low price.

You can find book doctors who'll charge more, if you're one of those people who likes to pay more. I'm just embarking on this new adventure and maybe someday I can ask for oodles of money to share my expertise, but right now, at a penny a word, you'll be getting a proven writer with a proven track record to help strengthen your story ... and make it marketable.

We'll have a written contract that clearly addresses your deadlines, costs and expectations. The work will be done when you want it done.

So how does that work out, cash-wise? That math is easy (and we know how writers are with math). The average manuscript page has about 250 words, so you can expect to pay roughly $2.50 a page. The average 70,000-word manuscript costs $700.

And if I must mail back your hard-copy manuscript, there'll be a $20 shipping and handling fee. Electronic files are free.

And what will you get for a penny a word? I'll send you an edited manuscript and a professionally prepared written report outlining the strengths and weaknesses in your story, with suggestions on how you might re-work, re-arrange and re-imagine it to greater effect. The complexity and extent of the report will depend entirely upon your story itself. And if you want to talk more about it on the phone after you've gotten your report, we'll do that, too. Free.

Is your manuscript ready for my help? if so, email me at franscellr(at)aol(dot)com today and let's get started! The people with whom you'll be competing for readers' attention aren't waiting.

How a professional editor can help you

Too many writers are seduced by the mythology of solitude as a writer's fate. Fact is, writers must be plugged into a vast array of networks for research, reading, advice, moral support, and all the other necessary acts that help make a story into a book ... such as editing.

And because I appreciate the necessity of networks, I won't hold forth on this topic. I'll let a colleague do it! Author Joanna Penn, who wrote the novel "Pentecost," made an eloquent video argument for hiring professional editors in a recent post at her blog. Among the reasons she says you should get professional help with your manuscript:

• Professional editors can improve your work. They can be objective about your manuscript and give you the best tips possible for your work. We all want to send our best work out there.
• They see so many manuscripts in specific genres so they will pick up things that amateurs won’t
  
• You likely need a pro editor even if you are looking for a publishing deal. You need to submit the best book you possibly can to an agent or publisher. If you’re self-publishing you need it even more.
• An editor will do different things e.g. editorial review on plot, structure, ways to make it more publishable all the way to line editing/copyediting

Convinced? If you'd like to hear how I could help you polish your manuscript, just check out all the details in the right-hand column.

What will it cost to self-publish your book? Don't forget editing

Whether you are published by a traditional house or you go the route of self-publishing, you might not know the true costs you face on the road to delivering your book to readers.

Trade publishers are doing less and less for authors these days, transferring a lot of the burden for editing, promotion and other necessities to the writer. And self-publishers bear the entire burden.

The cost most overlooked is editing. Professional editing can make the difference in selling your book to a trade publisher, or in its success as a self-published work. Some independent editors (or "book doctors") charge as much as $5,000 for their services. A marvelous recent article by writer's assistant Mary Babic about the costs of self-publishing estimate editing in the range of $2,000-$2,500.

Because I was annoyed at how some unscrupulous "editors" were taking advantage of would-be authors' dreams, I purposely offer the lowest available rate for my editing services: one penny per word. That means for the average 70,000-word manuscript, you'd pay only $700 ... and you get the benefit of a bestselling author's experience to maximize your chances of publication.

No matter which route you take, consider how professional editing might help you sell your book ... to an editor or to a large group of readers.

Everybody needs an editor ...

(Really, it was a very nice motel in Hammond, Ind., but this probably isn't the message the innkeepers intended to send. Is your manuscript or query sending the message you intend?)

Emergency! When to dial 911 for a book doctor

So how do you know if you need a "book doctor"? It's not always an easy call. But since close-editing isn't exactly the highest priority in today's book-publishing landscape, more would-be authors could probably use it than ever before. Here's an essay by a former book editor that might help you decide if you should seek a book editor's help.

By Sandi Gelles-Cole

Gelles-Cole Literary Enterprises

Chances are, if you are checking out this web site, you are an author with an inkling that you might require editorial assistance. Of course, in the world of legendary editor Maxwell Perkins and novelist William Faulkner—or for that matter the world of Carole Baron and Judith Krantz, or many other contemporary editors and the authors they have worked with—it’s understood that every author needs an editor, just as every actor needs a director. Traditionally, the editor was provided by the publisher. But this is no longer the case. Editors who work for publishing houses have had their job descriptions changed over the past decade. Their mission now is generally to acquire books and help package and market them—not to edit them.

Maybe you’ve been getting the message that your book needs editorial work. The message may be coming from that nagging voice inside you, from your dearest friend and critic, from every agent you have submitted the material to, or even, if you are lucky, from a publisher who has committed to the book provided you improve it. No matter the source, if that message is reaching you persistently, then it is probably time to call the book doctor.

Read the rest of Sandi's advice by clicking here

Say ... Uh? What a 'book doctor' can't prescribe

There's no crying in baseball and there are no guarantees in book doctoring. Don't expect miracles, or even a warm fuzzy feeling. Our friends at publishing watchdog Writer Beware warn would-be authors to keep their expectations realistic. No matter how good your "book doctor" might be, he/she can't do these things:

• Provide a magic fix. Editing is a subjective process. There's no set "formula" for dynamic plots or well-rounded characters or even good prose style (beware of any independent editor who tells you there is). And even the most accomplished editor can't make a bad manuscript into a good one. As one in-house editor commented at a writing conference I attended some time ago: edited slush is slightly better slush, but it's still slush.


• Turn a good book into a potential bestseller. Again, there are no formulas for this. Bestsellers come in all shapes and sizes, and even publishers are sometimes surprised when bestsellerdom occurs (and when it doesn't). Only a dishonest editor will make such a promise.


• Ensure publication. Good editing may improve your manuscript, but finding publication depends on more than just the quality of your work. Effective targeting of your submissions, editors' judgment of readers' tastes, the perceived marketability of your book, and what the publisher is already publishing all play a part. An excellent, polished manuscript is essential, but it's just one piece of the total picture. There are no guarantees.


• Make literary agents and in-house editors more likely to look at your work. Agents and in-house editors know the limitations of editing. They're also well aware of how many underqualified and unscrupulous independent editors there are. Typing "professionally edited" on the title page of your manuscript, or mentioning it in a cover letter, will not improve your chances. In fact, it may harm them -- there are so many unqualified editors that agents and in-house editors may assume you've been duped.

Beginning writer? Please visit Writer Beware to learn about
how you can avoid some of the publishing industry's
more unscrupulous practitioners

Do you need a book doctor? Some good advice from Writer Beware

Lucky for all of us, a few watchdogs are working hard to keep unsuspecting authors from being fleeced. One such watchdog group is Writer Beware, which issues "warnings about literary fraud and other schemes, scams, and pitfalls that target writers." Here's what Writer Beware recently had to say about hiring independent editors, or "book doctors."

-- Ron Franscell

Hiring an independent editor can be an expensive proposition. A thorough content edit from an experienced, credentialed editor can cost several thousand dollars, pounds, or euros. A basic copy edit may cost several hundred.

Do you really need to spend that kind of money? Before you decide, it makes sense to investigate alternatives -- a sympathetic friend who's not afraid to criticize, a local writers' group or critique circle, an online writers' group, a creative writing course, an English professor at a local college, a professional writer with whom you're acquainted. Any of these may be able to give you the help you need, free of charge or at a fraction of the cost.

Still, there are circumstances in which hiring an independent editor may make sense:

• If the alternatives aren't easily available -- or if you've used them, and still don't feel you're getting the feedback you need.
• If you've begun submitting your polished ms. and are getting positive comments, but still are racking up rejections. Something's wrong, and you aren't quite sure what--or the rejections all seem to identify the same problems. Again, a good independent editor may be able to help.
• If you've written or want to write a nonfiction book on a subject in which you're an expert, but you aren't a professional writer. If your idea is marketable, an independent editor may be a good investment.
• If you've chosen self- or vanity publishing, or one of the non-fee-charging print-on-demand-based publishers with an open acceptance policy. Publishers like these may copy edit, but they don't do substantive editing--so if you want the benefit of that final professional scrutiny, you'll need to find someone to provide it.

Whatever your situation, hiring an independent editor shouldn't be like taking your car to a mechanic--you go away for two hours and when you come back your car is fixed. You'll get the most out of your experience if you treat it as a learning opportunity--a chance to hone and improve your own editing skills. Self-editing is an essential part of the writer's craft. If you're really serious about a writing career, it's something you need to master.

What to Watch Out For

There are plenty of expert independent editors. However, there are also many who set up shop with little experience and few qualifications.

These individuals may be entirely well-meaning, sincerely believing that a love of reading, or a career as a teacher, or some technical writing experience, is enough to qualify them to edit others' work. But such people rarely possess the specialized skills, not to mention the industry knowledge, that are essential for a professional-quality line or content edit. Often they provide services that are little more than glorified copy editing or proofreading--i.e., things you could probably do yourself.

Still other independent editors and editing services are outright frauds -- Edit Ink, for instance, an editing firm that engaged in a kickback scheme with agents and publishers and employed underqualified staff to perform rudimentary, overpriced edits.

How to avoid editors like this? A few common-sense guidelines:

• Request a resume or CV. You're looking for professional editing experience (preferably with a commercial publisher) and/or professional writing credentials (legitimately-published books, articles, etc.). If the editor has a website, her CV should be posted there. An editing service should post staff names and biographies. Be extremely cautious of editors whose websites say nothing about their credentials, and of editing services that don't identify their staff.
  
  For individual editors, membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association (US), the Society of Freelance Editors and Proofreaders (UK), the Institute of Professional Editors (Australia), or the Editors' Association of Canada are all indications of professionalism.
• Ask for titles of some of the books on which the editor has worked. Commercially published books indicate professional experience and standing, though some good independent editors specialize in self- or POD-published authors (if that's the case, try to get hold of one or more of the books so you can assess quality). Again, if the editor has a website, the information should be available there.
• Be sure the editor's experience is appropriate to your work. Good editors specialize. Someone whose main experience involves nonfiction may not be the ideal choice to edit your epic fantasy novel.
• Verify that the editor really is independent, especially if you've been referred to him/her. No third party (such as a literary agent) should benefit from your use of the editor's services.
• Get references, and check them. This is important. Other than a recommendation from someone you trust, it's probably your best way to judge an editor's professionalism and effectiveness.
• Ask to see a sample of a critique the editor has written. This will give you an idea of what you'll be getting for your money.
• Before making a final commitment, speak or correspond with the editor. You want to be sure the editor understands your needs, and that you understand what the editor will do for you. You also need to feel comfortable with the editor--not just professionally, but personally--and she with you.
• Make sure the business arrangements are clear. You should know exactly what you'll be paying for, including the scope of the work to be done, the charges you'll incur, the approximate time period involved, and who will be doing the editing (you don't want to choose an editor because of his reputation and discover you've been passed on to a less-qualified underling). Ideally, obtain a contract or a letter of agreement that covers all these areas.

And if you encounter any of the following, be wary:

• A referral from a literary agent or publisher. A reputable agent may tell you that your book needs work, and suggest that you think about hiring an independent editor. She may even give you some names to choose from. Be on your guard, though, if you're urged to use a specific editor or editing service. In such cases a kickback arrangement may be involved, a la Edit Ink, or the agent or publisher may own the editing service itself (perhaps under a different name). Either way, it's a conflict of interest -- how can a writer trust a referral that makes a profit for the referrer?
• Recommendation of a publisher's or agent's own paid editing services. Another conflict of interest. If the agent or publisher can profit from a recommendation to edit, how can you be sure that the recommendation is in your best interest?
• Extravagant praise or promises. No reputable independent editor will tell you that your book has huge commercial potential or that it's likely to become a bestseller. Nor will she claim that an edit will make agency representation more likely, or improve your chances of selling to a major publisher. Why? Because these are promises that can't be guaranteed, and a good editor, like a good agent, knows better than to make them.
• Statements that publishers nowadays won't look at mss. that haven't been professionally edited. Dishonest or ignorant editors often prey on the anxieties of aspiring writers by saying that publishers won't look at manuscripts unless they've been professionally edited. In-house editors, they say, no longer have the time to edit--they want books that are picture-perfect and ready to publish.
  
  This isn't so. It's true that in today's world of big publishing conglomerates, where in-house editors must handle enormous workloads and do double duty as administrators, the days when an editor could afford to invest months working with an author to shape a promising but not-quite-ready manuscript are largely gone. But it's false to say that in-house editors don't edit (they do), or that professional editing is a prerequisite for publication (it isn't), or even that the name of an editing service on a manuscript will make a publisher more likely to read it (it won't. See above). Your manuscript needs to be as perfect as you can make it--finished, polished, and properly presented. But no one will hold it against you if you accomplish this yourself.
• One-size-fits-all editing, all comers accepted. Most good independent editors have areas of specialization that reflect their experience. The skills required to edit a romance novel, for instance, are quite different from those needed for a work of narrative nonfiction. That's not to say a single editor won't possess both skill sets--but it's unlikely that one person will be able to edit any and all subjects and genres with equal effectiveness. Also, within the basic scope of services he provides, a good editor will tailor each editing job to the client. Standardized editing services and a lack of specialization suggest an amateur or inexperienced editor.
• Anonymous editing. Some editing services don't post staff resumes on their websites, and don't tell you in advance who will be assigned to you. You thus have no way of verifying your editor's credentials, or of ensuring that he or she has experience appropriate to your work. Sometimes the services will provide this information if you request it. Be wary of those that won't.
• Direct solicitation. Independent editors may maintain websites or advertise in industry journals. But they don't cold-call writers. If you've registered your copyright or subscribe to a writer's magazine, you may be a target: disreputable editors sometimes purchase mailing lists from these sources.
• An offer of a special deal and/or pressure to accept services. One way disreputable editors attempt to hook clients is by promising a special fee reduction or a limited time offer. Reputable editors don't operate this way, nor will they try to pressure a writer into a decision.
• Refusal of reasonable requests for information. Like a reputable agent, a reputable independent editor should have no problem providing a resume, references, and samples of her work. Be wary if you encounter resistance in any of these areas.
• Vagueness about specific services. An editor should be willing to say exactly what he will do for you. If an editor won't give you a firm price, or doesn't want to specify what his fees will cover, or won't tell you exactly who will be working on your manuscript, move on.