I begin with a video call to get to know the author and understand their goals, concerns, and vision for their book. This information is used to tailor my edit, as each story is unique. I strive to provide exceptional service and quality recommendations so that the author can create the story they want.
The way I think about supporting authors includes:
- The author’s voice is important and must be retained and honored; only you can write your story.
- I leave tons of comments in the manuscript and provide recommendations in the write-up. My ideas are just to launch the author’s creativity—they own the book and should make all decisions.
- I take obsessive notes on the story details and help the author fix inconsistencies so the story makes sense and the world feels real.
- I consider the book from the readers’ perspective and find ways to increase their enjoyment so they are inclined to write positive reviews and order the next book.
- I stay available for collaboration following the edit—sometimes brainstorming ideas for the tricky parts is the key to unlocking a solution. I enjoy rereading the updates in the manuscript and considering the downstream effects of the changes made: does everything still work? Have the changes created new questions or inconsistencies? Does the updated story meet the author’s objectives?