Karl Morgan -- Book Editor, Script Doctor, Writer, Food Reporter, Book Reviewer

Karl Morgan is a book editor, script doctor, and writer. Since 1981, he has written for Epicurious, nerve.com, Whole Foods, and Thinkwell, among many other companies and publications online and off. In 1997, Boston University named Karl its Helen Deutsch Fellow—a free ride to the school’s renowned Master's program in creative writing that at the time included study under Nobel laureates Saul Bellow and Elie Wiesel as well as Robert Pinsky from PBS's The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Karl's award-winning short fiction ("A Day") has been read at Borders Books and on KUT public radio. As an editor he has worked with writers whose work is shown regularly on Cinemax, Showtime, and the Sci-Fi Channel as well as with film industry professionals who are featured speakers at film festivals the world over. Books he's edited have been singled out by the Chicago Review Press and Independent Publishers Group and have been praised by the likes of Deepak Chopra and David Zucker (writer/director of Airplane! and Naked Gun).

THE WRITER/EDITOR RELATIONSHIP

The best results come when the writer and editor bring their minds together and commit to working toward a mutually agreed upon vision for the manuscript. Each person contributes something vital to the process, making the relationship absolutely critical in the formation of a worthwhile and promising product. The key to good editing is to refine the flow of the text and instill in it—through revision and critique—the substantive fingerprints that publishers look for while retaining the author's voice and narrative intention. Karl goes on to work with perhaps 25% of those who approach him; the other 75% he refers to more appropriate editors or advises them their manuscript needs more work before they approach any editor. Karl works from the core belief that every book that hits the market must have earned a place there, and this can only come about when premeditated and well considered writing and editing go into the mix.

EDITING SERVICES

The service Karl offers include editing for structure, flow, and consistency—in other words, developmental/substantive editing. He performs editing with an eye toward developing an ongoing professional relationship with publishing writers over the long run. In fact, the majority of his clientele, he is proud to say, consists of regularly published authors. At the same time, Karl constantly working with first-time writers and, in this respect, can prove helpful when it comes to such matters as query letters, agents, and publishers. He maintains an intense involvement with the writing community, and his knowledge of popular trends in television, fiction, and film supports an awareness of the marketability of story projects.

Delivering stylistic excellence to authors, screenwriters,

publishers, and literary professionals

Specialties

Fiction: Mainstream and literary, sci-fi/horror/speculative, psychological thriller, suspense, mystery, fantasy, erotica.

Non-Fiction: Memoir, biography/autobiography, works in translation, regional and world history, psychology, theology, physical and biological sciences.

Screenplay: all genres.

Reference/Academic/Scholarly: all genres.

Feedback

HORROR / SCI-FI / SPECULATIVE FICTION

Horror, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction

"After breezing through four editors on my latest project, I handed things off to Karl. He latched right onto my style, got his mind around my content, and took it from there. His work is excellent." --Stephen Romano, author of Zombie and Invasion of the Mutanoids

"Karl took my novel right where I wanted it to go. I only wish I had met him before I made some of my movies!"
--Tom Chaney, author of The Wind Walker, director of Wrath of the Wendigo, and screenwriter of Mosquito

HISTORICAL NON-FICTION

"Karl's editing is precise and intelligent. He knows how to deal with the most complex areas of my writing and how to make it more accessible for the audience. Karl's assistance was of great help to my book."
--Eiko Ikegami, author of The Japanese Path to Modern Civility and The Taming of the Samurai, Harvard University Press

"As I am putting the finishing touches to my book, titled: The Muslim Vote: Counts and Recounts, I would like to thank Karl Monger for suggesting another dimension for the book--"dramatization." I am confident that with Karl's keen eye for detail, his awareness of dramatic structure, and his sensitivity to the etymological nuances of the English language, this title will merge into a successful screenplay as well."
--Tahir Ali, author of The Muslim Vote: Counts and Recounts

LITERARY / MAINSTREAM FICTION

"I can only submit positive comments regarding the editorial skills of Karl Monger. Under the constraints of a quick turn-around, he handled my last project with a patient, watchful eye, sharpening an often lax attitude with the rules of grammar, and offering suggestions without interfering with the integrity of the story or the author's overall vision/tone. I would recommend him to anyone preparing a manuscript for publication."
--Dave Cunningham, author of A Trip To The Inn and Shitwood, Americana Books

"Karl made improvements to our novel in places we never thought to look. We hugely appreciated his thorough care for detail. After seeing The Big Cookie after Karl finished with it, we realized the invaluable importance of having a strong editor."
--Scott Dunn, co-author of The Big Cookie

"Under the constraints of a quick turnaround, he handled my last project with a patient, watchful eye, sharpening an often lax attitude with the rules of grammar, and offering suggestions without interfering with the integrity of the story or the author's overall vision/tone. I would recommend him to anyone preparing a manuscript for publication."
--Dave Cunningham, author of A Trip To The Inn and Shitwood, Americana Books

"I am more than pleased and delighted with Karl's work. Without interfering with my writing style, he suggested wonderful descriptive words and phrases, pointed out problem areas, and helped to smooth out the prose. He is truly professional and I will be handing over my second work without hesitation and look forward to his input."
--Ray Self, author of The Wicked Current

INSPIRATIONAL / SELF-HELP

"Karl has a phenomenal ability to organize complex thoughts. His insight into what I wanted to say in Passion Play is perfectly matched by his skill at turning a great phrase."
--Jack Tips, author of Passion Play and The Weight is Over and guest of the Fox Network's "The Po

BIOGRAPHY / MEMOIR

"Every writer needs an editor, and Karl is one of the best. He has a firm hand with a light touch, helping a writer find his voice while keeping a strict eye on consistency, logic, and usage. He helped turn what was a good story into a great story, and I became a better writer in the process."
--Tom LeCompte, author of The Last Sure Thing: The Life & Times of Bobby Riggs, finalist 2004 Best Book category, Independent Press Awards

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

"For a guy who never claims to catch a break, I better come up with a new line. When I was referred to Karl, little did I know that, aside from my novel experiencing an incredibly professional once-over, I'd also be nurtured and inspired as a writer. Karl sees the big picture, not only the details. If you're lucky enough to have found your way here, get on his waiting list."
--Jerry Eitel, author of Trail of Light

"As a neophyte writing my first novel you can imagine how I felt about looking for an editor. Credentials and professionalism mean a lot to me. I don't lose any of those attributes working with Karl Monger. My wife is also working on a manuscript. I wouldn't hesitate to put her work in his hands."
--Stan Neal, author of Skulker

WORKS IN TRANSLATION

"I appreciated working with Karl not only for his prompt help but also for his expertise in scholarly writing."
--Valentina Glajar, translator of Traveling On One Leg (nominated for the 1999 American Translators Association Award)

SCREENWRITING

"As difficult as the challenge of writing may be, equally daunting is the process of turning your work over to another set of eyes, another heart, another mind. Our trust in Karl’s expertise and his desire for a united vision is something for which we consider ourselves very fortunate writers."
--Howard M. Gluss and Scott Edward Smith, authors of REEL PEOPLE: Finding Ourselves in the Movies

Submission

Please fill out this form to request a quote

Cut and paste the questions and answers into an e-mail:

2008@book-editing.com

Required:
Submit a sample of your book manuscript or story (Word/DOC or RTF attachment preferred). The sample should be 5-50 pages. Large files should be zipped. Attachment not required if writing has not started (e.g., because you're looking for a ghostwriter).

Along with a sample, the following information is required. Ignore questions that do not apply to your project (e.g., footnotes).

(01) Word count of complete project (under "Tools" in MS Word):

(02) Put your 100-word (approx) synopsis/description here (or attach):

(03) Describe your genre and topic (e.g., nonfiction/self-help, science fiction, horror, romance, mystery, Western, young adult, children, poetry, Christian, creative nonfiction, literary):

(04) Deadline date, if any, for return of complete project. (Please be realistic. Remember that professional editors usually have a project in process.):

(05) If you have no immediate deadline, when do you want to start the editing process?: (For instance: within 30 days, within 60 days, within 90 days, 4-12 months)

(06) Level of editing desired/expected --

Copyediting / Proofreading / Line Editing (e.g., English corrections, typos, paragraph and sentence structure, word use)
Developmental (e.g., help with the big picture, such as flow/pacing, telling the story, characterization, structure, style)
Rewriting / Ghostwriting
Critique / Evaluation

(07) Number of charts/tables/pictures (if any):

(08) Writing style/format manual (e.g., Chicago Manual, APA, MLA), if applicable:

(09) Number of footnotes/references:

(10) Do you have a contract with an agent or publisher?:

(11) Do you plan to self-publish?:

(12) What is your budget for the entire project? $ ________________

(13) Your name:

(14) E-mail addresses:

(15) Day/evening phone numbers (required -- in case the response to your e-mail bounces or the editors need clarification regarding the scope of service needed, deadline, etc.):

(16) City, State, Country (or time zone):

(17) The name(s) of the editor(s)/writer(s) you'd like to contact.
(If no names are selected, your e-mail will be sent to several consultants chosen by the coordinator):

(18) How did you learn about our service?:

(19) Attach writing sample(s) (e.g., prologue, chapter 1, proposal, query)

Notes:

No hidden charges
We won't quote you one price and charge you another. When possible, we'll provide you with a per-word or per-page rate so you'll know up front exactly how much your project will cost. (Of course, we ask that you fairly represent the scope of your project.)

To learn more about the rates charged by professional editors, please see: Editorial Freelancers Association

It is a mistaken notion that freelance editors work "on spec" (speculation) with no payment to the editor. It is basically asking the editor to work for free. There's no guarantee that a book will see a profit (or even be published). The editors posted here do not work on spec.

LIVE AGENT

Note: Price quotes and time estimates for individual editors cannot be given over the phone or via chat. This is a network of freelance editors with varying prices and work schedules (see our FAQ). To obtain a price quote please follow the procedures listed on our quotes page. Contact live support if you do not receive a response within three hours. It is possible that your submission was not received. You may also page the network coordinator by leaving voicemail or sending a fax to 469-789-3030.

Please be as complete as possible in representing your project's scope and size so you will receive the most accurate estimate.

Disclaimer: Your agreement, whether oral or written, is with your freelance editor / proofreader / writer, not with the freelance network as a whole or its coordinator.