Why Every Author Needs To Update Their Editing Skills

 

 

Why Every Author Needs to Know Editing

 

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Author of The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing
Now In Its Third Edition

 

Last month I contributed an article “Ten Easy Ways to Keep Dialogue Sharp
to this #WritersontheMove blog with a promise to give authors reasons why
they need to know all the editing skills they can work into their busy writing 
schedule including those for writing dialogue that I covered last week. I hoped to entice
even nonfiction writers who don’t often use dialogue to start using
it. Even newspapers that once

demanded strict "who, how, were, and why leads”
 now include anecdotes in their front-page stories!

 

It surprises people when they learn that grammar rules change over time. Or that what they learned in high school or advanced grammar classes in college is either passé or may not apply to fiction. It also surprises them to learn that a perfectly edited book is never perfect because there are always so many disagreements among experts. And even experts are often misinformed. The worlds of grammar and style choices are filled with myths and misinformation like, “Never use contractions in your writing,” “Never use fragments,” and “Never end a sentence with a preposition.” Further, as my client base grew, I kept running into common misconceptions and outright annoying style choices that would never fly in the publishing world. Thus, a new edition of The Frugal Editor was a must! And, thus, I keep battling decades old misinformation about editing—especially among newer authors. 

 

But what about authors who can proudly point to decades of publishing? Well, sometimes they suffer a little hubris. They think they have done well without worrying about spending time on what they know from high school grammar classes. and therefore already know. So we’ll start off with a smattering of what is new in my The Frugal Editor in its third edition—new in that last few years, in fact! And—if you scroll a bit—you’ll find another list of editing myths you—still believe—yes! You personally—that just happen to still be lying in wait for an occasion to embarrass (humiliate!?) you:

·       The Third Edition of The Frugal Editor has been reorganized, and my publisher Victor Volkman at Modern History Press tells me I outdid myself with about 50% new (helpful!) material including new “Editor’s Extras” based on my own school of hard knocks!

·       Authors will love the all-new sections including:

o    Beta readers and peer reviewers

o    What you probably don’t know about custom dictionaries

o    Up-to-date rules for accommodating gender-specific and other cultural needs

o    A chapter for word-lovers and poets

o    Quickie reviews of word processors for you

o    What even traditionally accepted front and back matter can do for your book sales, your career, and your readers

o    Political Correctness considerations change and grow with each passing day. So, yes! Lots of updating here!

·       The Third Edition of The Frugal Editor still includes the basics that make you into an on-your-own editor when you must be. Few writers other than Stephen King can afford to hire an editor for every query letter, every media release, every media kit, every blog post. So until your career is so star-studded you can afford a publicist and editor on a retainer basis, writers need to know both the basics of editing and the little-known secrets.

·       The third edition is still loaded with reader favorites like what authors need to know about book covers—another aspect of publishing that even experienced authors might leave entirely up to others—but it’s updated!

·       New information will dispel myths like these:

o    Agents are a cantankerous lot. (Nope! In The Frugal Editor, twenty-one of the nation's best tell you their pet peeves and they do it in the best of spirits.)

o    If your English teacher told you something is OK, it is. (No! Language rules have changed since you were a sophomore. Anyway, your English teachers likely have no background in publishing, so apart from basic grammar, how much help can they be?

o    If a manuscript or query is grammar-perfect, you'll be fine. (No! Lots of things that are grammatically correct annoy publishers.)

o    Always use your Spell and Grammar Checker. (No! Some suggest you don't use it at all, but The Frugal Editorwill help you make it your partner instead of your enemy.)

o    It's easy to avoid agent and editor scams by asking other writers. Even other professionals! (The Frugal Editorgives you a to-do and not-to-do lists to help you avoid being taken even when you are doing just that. )

o    Your publisher will assign a top-flight editor. Even big five publishers are having budget problems and many cut expenses by using less experienced/qualified editors. (Maybe, but don't count on it. The more you know, the better partner you’ll be for an editor!)

o    Formatters and editors will take care of the hyphens, ellipses, and all the other grungy little punctuation marks that English teachers avoided teaching because they didn't know how to use them either. (Chances are, you'll catch even great formatters and editors—the ones you pay for their services—in an error or two if you know your stuff!

o    When you do know your stuff, you’ll feel more comfortable defying all kinds of rules that are still extant. You’ll even feel comfortable explaining to your editor why this choice is an improvement for this particular title, voice, time, or era.

 

NOTE: The parts of this article bulleted are reprints (edited and updated) from one of my sell sheets. They are widely used in publishers’ and authors’ review-getting process using query letters, ARCs, and accompanying marketing materials. Find a sample of sell sheets—front, back, and footer—in the Appendix of The Frugal Editor, third edition.

You’ll find the first part of this plea of mine for writers right here on Karen Cioffi’s Writers on the Move
blog in my column on basic dialogue tips posted  in May, 2025.

It will give you ten reasons why knowing more 
editing than your do already might make

you a better (and happier) writer . 

Go to:  
 https://www.writersonthemove.com/2025/05/dialogues-ten-basic-cant-go-wrong-rules.html

 

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S WRITERS ON THE MOVE CONTRIBUTOR

Carolyn Howard-Johnson was an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writer's Program for nearly a decade. The first book in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books, The Frugal Book Promoter, won USA Book News' Best Professional Book Award and Book Publicists of Southern California's Irwin Award. The second, The Frugal Editor, is the winningest book in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers (The first edition was named best of 2004 by USA Book News.) TFEIII includes many more editing tips on dialogue—even punctuation for dialogue. Learn more about building a career in the publishing world at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. 

 

“Careers that are not fed die as readily as any living
 organism given no sustenance.”

·       

Before Publishing: Proof it Once, Twice, Ten Times...

 

 

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

 

While proofreading is the final editing stage, the final frontier, does it guarantee an error-free manuscript, article, blog post, or other form of writing?

Well, no.

Years ago, I reviewed picture books for Sylvan Dell (renamed in 2014 to Arbordale Publishing), which was, at the time, a pretty big publishing company. When I finished a math-focused picture book, I glanced at the back pages. The last spread was filled with simple math problems like
2 + 4 = 6.

Well, one of the answers was wrong. I checked it over and over. It was wrong.

I quickly emailed the woman I worked with at Sylvan Dell and let her know. She thanked me, and I never heard from her again.

Guaranteed someone got in a lot of trouble over that mistake. As far as I remember, I didn’t get Review Copies of books. The books were already published.

Another example of finding an error in a published book is a book I helped self-publish for a client.

Dealing with picture books adds another element of proofing.

Near the end of one ghosting and publishing project, the client wanted the word "Australia" added to an umbrella in an interior illustration. The story text had been meticulously edited and proofed, but I didn't check the spelling of Australia in the illustration.  

Not realizing there was an error, I helped the author self-publish it in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats. A buyer contacted the author to let her know the word Australia was spelled wrong!

I check everything else in illustrations for consistency and accuracy. But I hadn't thought about that one word. Lesson learned.

I immediately contacted the illustrator and took care of it. Then, I republished the book.

Spelling errors in illustrations isn't something Grammarly or ProWritingAid can help with. And I don't know if a proofreader would get involved with proofing illustrations.   

My point is that there are NO guarantees in producing a 100% error-free book.

As a ghostwriter and editor, I take all kinds of precautions to ensure my clients’ work and my own work is error-free.

I use Grammarly and ProWritingAid. I also, at times, use a proofreader. I also suggest my clients read through their manuscripts, keeping an eye out for errors.

You can’t be too careful.

I even use Grammarly for my blog posts and other content I create.

But even so, if a publishing company with editors and proofreaders can make a mistake on a published book, no one should feel they are infallible.

I’m sure you’ve found errors in books, blog posts, ads, websites, and so on. It may not be often, but it happens. Some common errors include grammatical mistakes, typographical errors, punctuation issues, and formatting discrepancies.

Achieving absolute perfection is incredibly challenging. Humans, including writers and editors, are prone to errors, and the complexity of language and the writing process introduces various opportunities for mistakes.

An article at Wired.com, “Why It's So Hard to Catch Your Own Typos,” explains, “When we're proofreading our own work, we know the meaning we want to convey. Because we expect that meaning to be there, it's easier for us to miss when parts (or all) of it are absent. The reason we don't see our own typos is because what we see on the screen is competing with the version that exists in our heads.” (1)

“Why You Can’t Spot Your Own Typos,” an article at Business Insider, explains what you can do to help you see what’s on the page. “The trick with editing, then, is to de-familiarize yourself with your words as much as possible.” (2)

So, what else can you do to get as close to an error-free manuscript as possible?

Here are 14 tips to use during the proofreading stage to help minimize errors in your final manuscript:

1. Take a Break:

Before you go from editing to proofreading, take a break. It can be an hour, a day, a week, or whatever you’re comfortable with or have time for. This will help you spot errors more easily.

2. Print it Out:

Reading from a printed manuscript gives you a different perspective.

Most of my manuscripts are picture books or chapter books, so printing them out isn’t too wasteful. I do have a problem with middle-grade or YA manuscripts, though. Aside from wasting paper, there’s the ink cost.

Instead of printing, you can change the font and text size. You can even change the background color of the document.

These tweaks will help you spot errors you would might have missed in the original.

3. Grammar and Spelling Check:

Use the grammar and spell-check functions of your word processing software. However, be aware that these tools may not catch every error, so a manual review is essential.

4. Consistency Check:

Ensure that there is consistency in spelling, formatting, and style throughout the manuscript. Check for consistent use of tense, formatting of headings, and citation style, among other elements.

In one manuscript, I had the protagonist’s name spelled wrong in two places. I went through the first proofread without catching it. Thankfully, I caught it on the second run.

5. Punctuation Review:

Carefully examine punctuation marks such as commas, periods, semicolons, and quotation marks. Pay attention to proper placement and usage.

One common mistake is to forget to add dialogue quotation marks at the beginning or end of the dialogue. This can easily happen during the editing stage if you edit the dialogue.

Here’s an example:

John raced through the house, bumping into chairs, tables, and even his big sister, Sarah. “Sorry, I’m running late.”

Now, suppose you edited it to:
“Sorry, he yelled. “I’m running late.”

Notice the missing dialogue quotation after sorry. It’s an easy miss.

6. Editing Tool:

If your budget allows, use an editing program like Grammarly or ProWritingAid. These tools can be very helpful.

They also have AI capabilities and offer suggestions on rephrasing sections of your manuscript for better understanding and tight writing, among other things.

It’s important to realize, though, that they are not infallible either.

7. Formatting Check:

Verify that your manuscript adheres to the specified formatting guidelines. This includes margins, font styles, line spacing, and other formatting requirements.

I make notes I can quickly access so I don’t have to retrace my steps to find out things like line spacing from the top of the page to the chapter heading to the chapter content.

8. Cross-Check References:

If your manuscript includes references, citations, or footnotes, double-check them for accuracy and consistency. Be sure all citations are correctly formatted and match the bibliography or reference list.

9. Check Headings and Subheadings:

Confirm that your headings and subheadings are appropriately formatted and consistent throughout the document.

It’s helpful to have notes to keep everything uniform.

10. Read Aloud:

This is a very helpful step. Reading your manuscript aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing, repetition, and errors that might be overlooked during silent reading.

If you pause while reading, the reader definitely will.

11. Review Tables and Figures:

If your manuscript includes tables, figures, or other graphical elements, make sure they are labeled and formatted correctly.

12. Check Page Numbers:

Ensure that page numbers are in the correct order and that they match any table of contents or index.

13. Final Review of Changes:

If you made revisions or edits during the proofreading process, do a final review to ensure all changes have been implemented correctly.

14. Seek Help:

Having a fresh set of eyes on the manuscript during the proofreading stage is beneficial.

Consider asking a colleague, friend (only if they know what they’re looking for), or a professional proofreader to review your work.

If your budget allows, I strongly advise hiring a professional proofreader.

Summing It Up

While achieving a completely error-free manuscript may be challenging, a thorough and diligent review process can significantly reduce the number of errors and improve the overall quality of your work.

 

References:

(1) https://www.wired.com/2014/08/wuwt-typos/
(2) https://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-cant-spot-your-own-typos-2014-8
  

This was originally published at: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/2023/11/26/proofreading-the-final-frontier/ 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach (picture, chapter, and middle-grade books). If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.

Karen also offers authors:

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.

FICTION WRITING FOR CHILDREN eCOURSE
4-Week / 8 Sections Guided Self-Study Mentoring Program

You can connect with Karen at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karencioffikidlitghostwriter/

 

 

 

Can You Call Yourself a Writer?

Writers: Bloom where you're planted

By Linda Wilson    @LinWilsonauthor

Writers just starting out might wonder: Can I call myself a writer, say, if I’m not published? If all I write are my thoughts, wishes and dreams in a journal? If letters, texts, and emails are all I write?

Well, I have the answer. I heard it once from an editor (so it’s got to be true). You can call yourself a writer if you enjoy looking up words in the dictionary. There you have it. It's that simple. So, are you a writer?

Not only do I like, no, relish looking up words in the dictionary, I also enjoy finding just the right word to use to express an action, emotion or to jazz up dialogue. I’m sure every serious writer has Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style at their elbow. It’s a big help, though not with every rule. I’ll get to that in a minute.

And what would I do without my Chicago Manual of Style? My Manual looks like a bird on a cold winter morning who has fluffed up its feathers to stay warm. That’s because I’ve had to look up so many rules, the same ones, mind you, so many times that I finally labelled my most troublesome rules on Post-it page markers for easy access, which flutter on the top and right side of the book. There are twenty-two of them. I just counted them. Guess what the biggest one is: Punctuation.

It’s okay, though. I once learned from yet another editor that writers can’t possibly remember every grammar rule and have to look up many. So, although some might think it’s tedious if they’re told to “go look that up,” genuine writers like you and me know that those people are not writers. We are because we don’t mind looking up rules (and words).

Take Lie, Lay, Lain

Lay is one of the trickiest irregular verbs. The word is categorized simply as "Lay" in Elements of Style, and is explained this way:

• A transitive verb. Except in slang (“Let it lay), do not misuse it for the intransitive verb lie. The hen, or the play, lays an egg; the llama lies down. The playwright went home and lay down.
• Lie; lay; lain; lying (I made a note in my book here: Past tense of lie is lay)
• Lay; laid; laid; laying

As much as this explanation is helpful, I still ponder the correct usage and have four different explanations for Lie and Lay in a Grammar file I keep on my computer. I finally found the most helpful explanation for Lie, Lay, Lain at Professor Malcolm Gibson’s website, “The Wonderful World of Words.” This site is fun for anyone who loves words.

• The principal parts (most-common verb forms) of lie are:
• lie (present,) lay (past) and lain (past participle).
•      The principal parts of lay are:
• lay (present), laid (past) and laid (past participle).

As an aid in choosing the correct verb forms, remember that lie means to recline, whereas lay means to place something, to put something on something.

Correct Usage

Lie

• Present tense: I lie down on my bed to rest my weary bones.
• Past tense: Yesterday, I lay there thinking about what I had to do during the day.
• Past participle: But I remembered that I had lain there all morning one day last week.

Lay

• Present tense: As I walk past, I lay the tools on the workbench.
• Past tense: As I walked past, I laid the tools on the workbench. And: I laid an egg in class when I tried to tell that joke.
• Past participle: . . . I had laid the tools on the workbench.

The professor has discovered an easy way to remember the rule so that it is used correctly every time. He has named it after one of his students who invented her own way to remember the rule. He calls it The Michiko Sato Rule.

Write these six words and then try them out:

                                Lie         Lay         Lain

                                Lay        Laid        Laid

Don't get me started on swim, swam, swum. Swum just doesn't sound right to me. Normally, I avoid it by tiptoeing around it. There are other ways to describe your characters while they're swimming than using the word swum, right?

Do you have a method for keeping track of word usage that you'd like to share? Please leave a comment and tell us about it. After all, anyone who reads this post must care about words and therefore is qualified to call himself or herself a writer.

Source:  Malcolm Gibson's website: Wonderful World of Words: Malcolm Gibson

Reading my stories 
to children is even
more fun than
writing them!

Linda Wilson is the author of the Abi Wunder Mystery series and other books for children. Her two new releases are the Spanish versions of Tall Boots, Botas Altas (2024), translated by Graciela Moreno and Adriana Botero, and Cradle in the Wild, Cuna en la Naturaleza (2025), translated by Adriana Botero. You'll find Linda on her Amazon author page, on her website at LindaWilsonAuthor.com, and on Facebook.

Put Yourself in the Spotlight to Get New Fans for Your Book

Writing a good book is step one. The next step is getting it to sell. Gone are the days when the big publishing houses scheduled your book tours, television interviews, and radio spots.

Now is the time start shouting from the rooftops about your book because if you don’t tell people about it, they simply won’t know it exists. Get the word out with these steps;

Put yourself in the spotlight.  No more hiding behind the keyboard if you want to make a book sales! Be proud of what you’ve produced and tell the world. Not a single soul will know about your book unless YOU tell them about it, via social media, press releases, and publicity events.

You Get to Publicize Your Book with Fun Social Media Events

As an author, you have the opportunity to become the life of the party in your industry leading up to the official launch of your book. Build excitement with pre-launch parties and events plus celebrate post-launch milestones as well. Your followers will adore your for it. Plus, they will share the love by inviting their friends to follow you as well.

Connect with your social media followers. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to connecting with your followers online. It’s all about building a trust relationship so your fans know without a doubt that you are credible. Build that relationship, share parts of your life and/or business, be silly, and of course talk about your book. Just don’t hit them over the head with sales post consistently. Show them you’re a real person who cares about helping them more than about selling your book.  

Arrange blog tours and podcast tours. Don’t discount blogs or podcasts as part of your promotional efforts. A blog tour is simple a written interview which is published on a blog but they usually include links to your website. Podcasts are audio recordings, similar to traditional radio talk shows, Research who the influencers are in your industry and check out their numbers of readers and listeners. Many blogs or podcasts have national reach so those are the ones to target with your pitch.

Keep the Messages Going Even After You Launch

A book launch is great but when it’s over don’t allow the momentum of your book to die in a post-launch slump. Even if you plan to take a break for a few days following the main event, make sure you have social media messages lined up and ready to go during your downtime.

Writing a book shows that you are the expert but staying in touch and building relationships shows that you are relatable and compassionate.

 

About Rebecca

Rebecca Camarena is a Book Coach and author who helps women write, publish and market their impactful books about their heartfelt story of the challenges they’ve overcome so they can be an inspiration to others by sharing their words, their voice, their journey.

From refining your narrative to navigating the complex world of publishing I provide tailored editing and publishing strategies that will make your book shine.

Are you’re ready to turn your heartfelt story into your dream book and become the author you were meant to be? Connect with me here, www.rebeccacamarena.com/contact

 

 

 

 

How to Stay Patient While Your Writing Dreams Take Root

by Suzanne Lieurance

One of the hardest parts of being a writer—or honestly, of chasing any dream—is the waiting.

You do the work.

You show up.

You plant the seeds.

And then… nothing happens.

At least, not right away.

It’s tempting to think you’re doing it wrong.

That you’re not good enough.

That you should be faster, bigger, better by now.

But the truth is, dreams don’t bloom overnight.

And the mindset you hold while you wait matters more than you might think.

Here’s how to tend your mindset and stay patient while your writing dreams take root.

Remember: Roots Grow Before Blooms

In nature, most of a plant’s early growth happens underground.

Roots spread wide and deep before anything pokes through the surface.

It’s the same with your writing life.

• The days you write but don’t feel inspired?
• The times you submit and hear nothing?
• The drafts that don’t come together yet?

All of it is root work.

It’s building a foundation you can’t always see—but one you’ll stand on later.

Keep Showing Up Without Measuring Too Soon

One of the biggest mistakes writers make is digging up their seeds to check if they’re growing.

If you constantly measure your worth by external results—likes, sales, praise—you’ll exhaust yourself.

Instead, measure by effort:

• Did you show up today?
• Did you take one small step toward your dream?
• Did you keep the faith when it would’ve been easier to quit?

That’s success.

That’s momentum, even if it’s invisible for now.

Celebrate Signs of Growth (Even Tiny Ones)

Not all progress looks like a book deal or a bestseller list.

Progress can be:

• Finishing a messy first draft.
• Sending a query even though you’re scared.
• Showing up for five minutes on a hard day.
• Feeling a little more confident this week than you did last month.

Small wins are signs of life.

Notice them. 

Celebrate them.

The more you acknowledge growth, the more you encourage it.

Be Careful What You Water

Mindset is like soil—it can nourish you or choke you out.

If you spend your time feeding doubts, comparisons, and self-criticism, that’s what will grow.

Instead, water:

• Belief in your journey.
• Gratitude for what’s working.
• Faith that your writing matters.

Choose to feed the good stuff daily. 

Even if you have to fake it a little at first.

Trust the Timeline You Can't See

Some seeds bloom fast. 

Some take years.

That doesn’t make them any less worthy—or any less beautiful.

You are not behind.

You are not failing.

You are growing at exactly the right pace for your life and your path.

Trust it.

Stay in the Garden

Most people don’t fail because they aren’t talented.

They fail because they get tired of waiting and walk away before the blooms appear.

Stay in the garden a little longer.

Keep tending your dream with care, patience, and love.

The work you’re doing matters—even when it feels slow.

Your season is coming.

And now, for writing tips every weekday morning delivered to your inbox, get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge.

Suzanne Lieurance is the award-winning author of over 40 published books and a Law of Attraction coach for writers.

Learn more about her products and services for writers at writebythesea.com.