Creative Editing: A Secret Weapon for Authors As an author, you know that writing is hard work. You spend hours crafting your sentences, perfecting your characters, and weaving your plot. But even the best writers can benefit from a little help from a creative editor. As book editors we’ve seen it all. We’ve seen manuscripts that are well-written but lack a compelling story, and we’ve seen manuscripts with a great story but are poorly structured. In our experience, the story is always more important than the structure. A well-told story can make up for a structural flaw. A reader will forgive a few plot holes or pacing issues if they’re invested in the characters and the plot. However, a poorly told story will never be saved by a good structure. That’s where creative editing comes in. Creative editing is an editorial process that revolves around improving the ‘big-picture’ and overall quality of the manuscript, guiding the author’s vision, and enhancing the story’s potential to connect with the reader. Unlike copy or line editing, creative editing is not just concerned with correcting grammar, spelling, or punctuation alone. Instead, it seeks to make suggestions that improve the quality, depth, and emotional resonance of the story. What is Creative Editing? Creative editing is a type of editing that focuses on improving the overall quality of a manuscript. It goes beyond just correcting grammar and spelling errors to help authors strengthen their characters, develop their plot, and refine their style. At its core, creative editing is about collaboration. It is an opportunity for authors to work closely with an editor to gain new insights into their work. By bringing a fresh perspective to the table and taking the time to understand what the author is trying to achieve, our editors can provide constructive feedback that helps to enhance and elevate your manuscript. Why Hire a Creative Editor? Here are a some reasons why authors should hire a creative editor… Improved Quality A good creative editor can help you to improve the overall quality of your manuscript. They will identify and correct any errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. They will also help you to strengthen your characters, develop your plot, and refine your writing style. Increased Chances of Publication A well-edited manuscript is more likely to be picked up by a publisher or literary agent. This is because a polished manuscript shows that you are a serious writer who is committed to your craft. More Time to Write Let’s face it, writing is hard work. If you’re spending all your time editing, it can be hard to find time to write. A creative editor can help you to free up your time so that you can focus on what you do best which is writing! Find a Creative Editor Creative editing can help to lift an author out of writer’s block or address any issues with pacing, plot or structure. Many authors experience writer’s block, particularly when working on long projects, and creative editing can act as a stimulus to reignite creative flow by providing a sounding board for new ideas and an objective perspective on the manuscript. It is important to note that the creative editing process is not a quick fix. It is a collaborative and time-intensive process that requires authors to be open-minded and receptive to feedback. A high-quality editor will bring their unique perspective and insights to any manuscript and ask pointed questions that challenge the author’s concepts. As such, it may take several rounds of revision before a manuscript is ready for submission or publication. To reap the full benefits of creative editing, authors should work with an experienced editor who understands the nuances of the publishing process and genre-specific storytelling. It is important to choose an editor whose skills align with your manuscript’s genre and voice to ensure that their feedback is informed, insightful and serves the manuscript’s intended purpose. Reasons to Hire Us for Creative Editing: ✅ Experienced editors with expertise in a variety of genres. ✅ Detailed reports with feedback on plot, character development, dialogue, and pacing. ✅ Multiple rounds of revisions until the author is satisfied. Here’s what our authors had to say.. - Jo D. Thank you for the report. I like my premise for this work, but clearly I’m having trouble pulling it off. Thanks for catching so much. Best, Jo - Jo D.Read Moreread less - Allison D. Thanks very much, Declan—impressively speedy! I’ve passed your report on to the editor. Allison Draper - HarperCollins - Allison D.Read Moreread less - Thomas M. Hi Declan, I am, in a word, speechless. This is not at all what I expected from your beta read. Just to be clear, I'm thrilled! First, you pointed out a lot of things that got me thinking and realized I agree with you. I will make all or virtually all of your suggested changes in the next revision. You have made what I consider vital suggestions that will smooth out some of the rough edges still to be found in the book. Second, regarding your thoughtful commentary. I'm very happy that you found that the plot, characters, dialog, etc., worked well. As you know, the kind of praise in your evaluation is not something writers get to hear too often, if at all. - Thomas M.Read Moreread less - Rudy S. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I wanted to say the notes were extremely helpful and gave me alot to think about. I don't know if too much time has passed by now but I thought I should try. My only question for the reader to clarify on is that I forgot to mention that this book is the first of a planned series. And she said the characters didn't feel developed, and i'm just wondering if knowing that changes anything? I hope the Covid didn't knock you around too much and that you're feeling better. I've read the notes and first wanta thank you for the feedback. I genuinely appreciate it. - Rudy S.Read Moreread less - Jo V. Thanks so much for arranging this review. I really enjoyed it. I have a bit of distance from the writing now so it’s great to have this feedback and it will fuel my current and future writing. Many thanks! Jo - Jo V.Read Moreread less - Mel K. Thanks for your feedback. Its quite critical, but better to get it now than later. Mel. - Mel K.Read Moreread less - Naomi L. Thanks, Declan! We will review these reports soon. Naomi @ The Artful Editor - Naomi L.Read Moreread less - Kevin O. I was clearly led to the right Irishman to beta read the book: what with a daughter with Iona in her name, a Jamaican connection and a knowledge of that part of Irish history, who better? I really appreciate all of the details that you replied with, it's very helpful. I mentioned that I have two endings and would love your opinion on them. I have attached a new file. This is actually the first ending. The one you read was the new alternate. This version begins at chapter 53. Thanks for doing this. I'm really curious to hear what your thoughts are. I am just beginning the agent query process.. - Kevin O.Read Moreread less - Jennifer B. Thank you so much. This feedback was extremely helpful and I think it will be crucial in assisting me to tell the story I want. I greatly appreciate it! Sincerely, Jennifer Byrd - Jennifer B.Read Moreread less - Elizabeth S. Thanks very much for this. I will work on the recommendations, especially to speed up/improve the beginning. I’m feeling a little more hopeful about the story overall. Best regards, Elizabeth. - Elizabeth S.Read Moreread less - Jodi L. I just read your comments and am feeling deeply grateful. You've given me a new confidence that the subtleties I was hoping to convey are coming through to a caring and thoughtful reader. I will certainly work on the few words you suggested reconsidering. One one of them ("knacker") I was wondering about myself ... whether it had too many other meanings to be clear in that context. Indeed I struggled with hating to use the language of the era, but knowing it was how the characters would speak. I am glad you felt that was a reasonable choice. Also, as this was a new epilogue (after several tries that weren't working all that well), I am quite grateful that you've given it a stamp of approval. I do feel that I'm finally ready to send this book to agents... to let it out of my own little world. It's been a very long road of discovering this challenging craft, and readers like you make it worth it. Many thanks to you, and I quite expect I'll get back in touch for the next one. Rinse and repeat.... that's a writing life! - Jodi L.Read Moreread less - Jason U. Please thank the sensitivity reader for me. The comments are very helpful! - Jason U.Read Moreread less - John B. Hi Declan, I finally got The Last Five Swords published and would like to send you a copy as you were very instrumental in getting it over the line! Thanks for your help, John. - John B.Read Moreread less - Alan C. Thanks very much for taking the time to read my story and for your kind comments, highlighting errors and raising points for further consideration. It's all very helpful and reassuring to know there's a story in it, from someone other than my girlfriend. Thanks again. Take care, Alan Corcoran. (Author of Marathon Man) - Alan C.Read Moreread less - Heather P. Thanks so much for this report, having had a quick read over I’m extremely happy with it. Everything that’s been said is fair, great food for thought and really helpful. I feel much more confident now about self-publishing, so kudos to the reader for not only doing this in such timely fashion but also with such style and understanding. - Heather P.Read Moreread less - Latifa J. Thank you for the manuscript assessment. I really appreciate how quickly you've gotten back to me. I'll start working on it as soon as possible, (rewriting it, taking everything you've mentioned into consideration). Thanks again! Regards, Latifa - Latifa J.Read Moreread less load more A creative editor can help you to take your manuscript to the next level. Benefits of Hiring a Creative Editor: ✅ Help you to identify and fix any plot holes or inconsistencies. ✅ Offer suggestions on how to improve your pacing and structure. ✅ Help you to strengthen your characters and make them more believable. ✅ Polish your writing style and make it more immersive. ✅ Provide you with feedback on your manuscript and help make it the best it can be. Creative editing is a collaborative and creative process that adds value to any manuscript. It is much more than just correcting grammar and spelling errors. Creative editing helps to refine an author’s story, gives the manuscript a unique voice and emotional depth, and increases the manuscript’s potential for publication. At its best, the creative editing process results in a story that deeply resonates with readers and leaves a lasting impression. If you’re an author seeking to elevate your manuscript, consider investing in creative editing to make your story shine! Our team of experienced editors are committed to providing you with the highest quality service possible. If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with the quality of our work, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We will work with you to address any issues or concerns and either redo the service to your satisfaction or provide you with a full refund. We are dedicated to exceeding your expectations and helping you create the best book possible. You can have full confidence in our commitment to quality and client satisfaction. Request a Quote Below! 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