Contributors
The journey this far has been a long one but very insightful along the way. This page will feature most of the major contributors in the editing process of Toys and Soldiers.
Editors:
It’s hard to find a good editor which also matches you. Here are the editors who have had a hand in this series.
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Service:Development edit, Manuscript assessment, Line edit. |
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Pros: The biggest pro for Wrighton other than the service itself is the quality you get for the price. Her price is very cost-effective. You will certainly walk away feeling as if you’ve gotten more than what you’ve paid for. She offers Development Edit which includes a manuscript assessment. This affordable price gave me the impression that the service would not be as in-depth as others so I was very surprised when I got my manuscript back after 1 week. She peppers in strong points along with weak points; the majority of the critique is about weak points of course. She goes through the document more than once and does a light inline edit with self-edit suggestions along the way. She will be upfront, but it’s for your own good. She has a way of giving criticism that doesn’t sting. You won’t get any “I don’t buy it” from her, rather “this character’s reaction takes away from the tension, is that intentional?” She discounts rereads and provides Skype talk time along with the service. You don’t have to spend big to have access to her for the remainder of your publication endeavor.
Cons: Every service has cons. The biggest con is the range. The quality of Wrighton’s development edit is very good, but she does not specialize in line edit or even a simple form of content edit. So if you are not in need of an in-depth edit, then it might be difficult to get a more superficial service. She does have contact to professional line editors who can help you, however. Another drawback is communication. Wrighton is fairly busy but she does take the time out to respond to any and all communications within the same day. Which is very impressive as far as editors, actually. Because she prides herself on following through, she is sometimes reluctant to ask for a few extra hours leeway. It’s very rare that she needs it though.
Treats: She is very knowledgeable about book publishing and has a vast database of advice to give indie authors. She’s fair and honest, and she’s a professional. You’ll never have to worry about getting a document returned to you edited using an ipad. You’ll get *.doc file with inline edits. Nothing less.
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Service:Manuscript assessment, Content edit, Line edit, proof read, critique. |
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Pros: The biggest pro for Errichiello is that she knows her stuff. Her price is very cost-effective and she has said she’s willing to work with authors about payment plans should the need arise. She has a vast knowledge about the editing process and can explain it to you well if you ever need. Her turnaround is about two weeks and she provides a critique (the same as a manuscript assessment) which dives deep into what’s wrong with your manuscript and how to improve it. She also gives a mock outline which is easy to follow. At the end of the day, it is the author’s show and she is the conductor, helping the author along. She’s fast and confident.
Cons: The biggest con is the speed and quality. Brenda is very busy and time is money. If you select the comprehensive package, you are allotted a certain amount of time for skype talk. If skype doesn’t work for you, she will change it to a different form. Because time is money, you are a number to be crunched. Even email correspondences which ask questions about the manuscript will be considered as part of that allotment, should that allotment run out, you may have to pay an hourly fee. At the time when Brenda content edited my manuscript, she had 7 other manuscripts she was working on. Those deadlines came in constantly. My deadline was never met but I did not hear about it until the very day. If you cannot afford a certain package, she will offer you a ‘light’ version of it, which to me meant the service would not be ‘as’ in depth. She does not seem to have the ability to recognize headhopping (shifting POV suddenly in a scene). Not every error was caught but she did not do the final proof read so I am not sure if she would have caught the error (one error actually which I left from the beginning). I think the speed with which she has to work, means that any singular manuscript cannot take up too much time. She is always upfront about the cost though.
Treat: it was a good experience to work with her. As a second to last stop before publication, she is a valuable asset. Should you ever want to get a critique with no human empathy, you’ll get it here. It’s a good way to see how a causal reader might read your piece. “I don’t buy it” was a frequent quote in the inline comments, along with character’s attitudes described as “tiresome”. I would recommend Brenda for a content edit. I do not know much about her other services. If you’ve got a tough skin and not much change in your pocket, this may be the way to go. Keep in mind though, with Brenda, you definitely get what you pay for. I’m still wondering how one goes about a ‘light’ edit.
Graphics:
Minor to major visual tweaks.
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Service:Writer and Designer |
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Pros: Kat’s strength is in her speed and tenacity. She’s very serious about what she does and she’s quick to boot. If you’ve got an idea and she’s got the know-how, it gets done at lightening speed. Her photoshop skills speak for themselves. She has a good eye and although she did not create the original cover for ‘In Liam’s Wake’, she quickly tweaked it, making it look ten times better. She arranged the www.facebook.com/ashlynforge Fan Page; both icon and banner.
Cons: Because she specializes in designs for Blogger (which I don’t use) I was not able to get her full service. For banners and graphics however, she’s quite fast and knows her stuff. She doesn’t do much in CGI but what she does do, she does it well.
Treats: She’s an indie author as well, and her prices are quite reasonable.
Thank You’s
The Kat: Thank you to Kat for her continual support.
Becka: Thank you for having the patience of a saint.
Teena: Thank you for your help.
Margot: Thank you for being honest and for your invaluable advice.