Book Editors

Humor

Editors

BETH BRUNO is a columnist, author, and book editor. Hundreds of her articles have been published in print and online, and her first book, Wild Tulips, came out in 2001 and went into a second printing in 2002. Beth's proximity to New York and her position as President of the CT Authors and Publishers Association give her unique access to literary agents and publishers in and around New York City. Several of the authors whose manuscripts she has edited have been published in the mainstream, thanks to her referrals on their behalf. Beth's editing interests are eclectic and include a delicious mix of fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and children's works.

Developmental editing

Writing assistance

Fiction and nonfiction: adventure, children's books, contemporary, education, humor, memoir/biography, mystery, romance/women's fiction, historical, creative nonfiction, literary fiction

"I want to thank Beth for the spectacular job she did editing my book, which has just been published. When Beth first*** received the manuscript, she understood what was missing and recognized the changes needed to improve the flow, characterization, plot, etc., of my novel. She had a keen eye for small details. Beth was also always very available to discuss suggestions, and she quickly came up with alternatives to solve the problems we encountered along the way. She guided me through the particulars of my novel to the final polished product. The result: A published book." Oscar Medina

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TIM GRUNDMANN, is an author, playwright and TV scriptwriter and story editor with 25 years of experience. His books in the Doug Chronicles series are published by Disney Press. He was part of the creative team behind Pee-wee's Playhouse on CBS (for which he wrote the show "bible"), and developed the HBO comedy Norman's Corner with Seinfeld creator Larry David. As head writer and story editor for the Disney Channel's New Mickey Mouse Club and Nickelodeon's Doug, he guided scripts from concept to final draft. He's written episodes of Allegra's Window and Welcome, Freshmen for Nickelodeon, and was developmental writer for Mowgli and His Friends and WaysideSchool for the Disney Channel and ABC-TV. As house writer for Broadcast Arts in NYC, he wrote scripts, proposals, treatments and show bibles for TV shows starring Gilbert Gottfried, Madeline Kahn and others. Recently he wrote scripts for the PC game My Scene Goes Hollywood for Vivendi Universal Games.

BOOKS

Doug Chronicles: Lost in Space
The Funnie Haunted House
Winter Games

3 chapter books for kids (ages 7-12), published by Disney Press, 1998-2000.

WRITER-EDITOR

Pee-wee’s Playhouse - CBS Television. Wrote show bible, proposal, developed show with Paul Rubens and Broadcast Arts for CBS. 1985-86.

Norman's Corner, a Cinemax Comedy Special with Gilbert Gottfried, co-written with Larry David. 1987. Story Editor and writer. “Developed by” credit.

(The New) Mickey Mouse Club - for Disney Channel (Blue Wave Prods). Head writer, (1991-92). Duties included managing writing staff and scripts from concept to final drafts, as well as writing comedy sketches and interstitial material for a daily show. Also for "Mickey Mouse Club": writer for pilot (1988), 4 seasons as staff writer, 1989-91. Also wrote songs (music and lyrics) for several episodes.

Doug - cartoon series for Nickelodeon (Jumbo Pictures). Story Editor for 2nd Season (1991-92). Duties included managing writers, as well as working with executive producer and Nickelodeon story editor throughout the script-writing process from concept to outline to final draft. Wrote the episodes “Doug’s Secret Song” and “Doug’s Big News”.

Marx Madness - animated TV series for Gaumont (French TV) based on the Marx Brothers, co-produced and wrote development material, show bible; 1998-98.

The Misfits: animated feature for Good Times Video and Pop Inc. Prods., sequel to “Rudolph”; co-produced and wrote development material, show bible; 1999.

How My Body Works - writer for pilot segments for Reader's Digest CD-Rom, Aug. 1995.

How To Show Grown-ups the Museum - writer, for Roberts/Strong Prods. Educational video promotional script, Dec-Jan, 1995.

The Wheels on the Bus - for Good Times Video. CD-ROM for kids. Writer for 2 stories, June-Oct 1994.

My Scene Goes Hollywood – PC Game for Vivendi Universal. Script writer, 2005

Allegra's Window - for Nickelodeon. Writer for "I've Got a Secret" episode. May 1994.

Welcome Freshmen - for Nickelodeon. Head writer for five episodes, wrote two, 4th season (July-October 1993). Duties included managing staff writers, editing and rewriting scripts.

Greetings from Gilbert - HBO Video with Gilbert Gottfried featuring “Norman’s Corner” (writer). 1988.

Staff writer at Broadcast Arts, 1985-88, wrote proposals, bibles, scripts and developed several shows, among them: “Pee-wee's Playhouse” (wrote proposal, bible, developed show), "Norman's Corner", a Cinemax Comedy Special with Gilbert Gottfried, “Wayside School" for ABC (proposal, bible, draft), Mowgli and His Friends for unproduced Disney Channel series based on "Jungle Book".

SEGMENT PRODUCER

fX network (Fox cable channel - March ‘95-April ‘97). Duties included writing and producing 42 light and informative 50-second “channel hosting” hits per week for on-air talent. Content varied from background info on fX acquired programs, to promos.

NEWS PRODUCER

fX network from March ‘95-to March ‘96. Duties included checking news copy and supervising 8 live one-minute news breaks per day.

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CAROL HEGBERG is an internationally published, award-winning writer and content editor. Her novel is entitled Pen Pals. Her poetry, scripts, short stories, and articles have been published in many magazines and books. Carol knows the endurance, tenacity, and patience a writer must possess to become published. Beginning writers, published authors, agents with needy clients, and publishers who need developmental editing for their writers use her services. She helps rewrite speeches, short stories or collections, articles, essays, and manuscripts. She helps develop inspirational, Christian, and picture-book manuscripts, children and young-adult fiction and nonfiction. She's available for writing help with manuscript submissions, query letters, and book proposals.

Developmental editing, rewriting, mentoring

Juvenile & young adult fiction/nonfiction, Christian topics

"Carol breathed life into my top-selling children's story with her wonderful way with words." Nancy S. Mure, author of Irregular Joe

Read How To Write a Non-fiction Book Proposal.

Read The Little Problems that Count in Writing.

For more information about Carol Hegberg, read her self-interview.

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LINDA HINES critiques, rewrites, and edits novels, business manuscripts, self-help books, short stories, essays, articles, biographies, and literary fiction. She has edited over 100 fiction and non-fiction works and wrote and produced articles as managing editor of a subscription-based, B2B newsletter. She specializes in subjects such as humor, mystery, business, current events and politics, psychology, holistic healing, organic gardening, nature and the environment, weight loss, fitness, health, diet and nutrition, spirituality, alternative healing.

Book editor, developmental critique

Fiction: genre fiction, young adult literature, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, psychological, crime, supernatural, action, adventure, short story

Nonfiction: business, self-help, self-improvement, how-to, memoir, personal essay, biography, alternative medicine, holistic healing, diet, nutrition, spirituality

"[F]riendly and professional. ... Any writer knows how important it is to have an editor who is approachable. Linda also displayed marvelous editing skills that enhanced my work and prepared it for the competitive publishing market. I used Linda's skills a second time, I was that impressed. It pays to have an editor who has updated knowledge about the publishing market. Most of all, I enjoyed working with Linda because she saw our partnership as a team."

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TOM GRANT LEMONS is a successful novelist, editorial consultant, publisher, ghostwriter, and managing editor. His historical fiction has won awards and appeared on bestseller lists, and his novels have been translated and published in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Poland.

Tom is passionate about the written word, and he is eager to bring his passion and expertise to your writing project. Authors Tom has worked with include Oliver North, T.D. Jakes, Bob Hamer, Joe Moscheo, and Hamilton Gayden. The fiction and nonfiction books Tom has worked on both as developmental editor and ghostwriter have been published by major houses including Broadman & Holman, Warner Faith Publishing, Hachette/Center Street, and Greenleaf Book Group.

A skillful editor or ghostwriter can help you refine your words, create a flow that will pull readers in, and still leave the work stamped unmistakably with your unique literary voice. Tom has been able to do this for dozens of books and authors during his writing and editing career. One author told him, “It’s like you were inside my head.” Another wrote in the acknowledgments to his book, “…to Tom … who ‘got it’ immediately, and without whom this book would not have happened.”

Developmental and substantive editing, both fiction and nonfiction;
Line/copyediting (including scholarly/academic projects)
Ghostwriting
Coaching
Manuscript critique
Book proposal development
Christian, historical fiction, memoir/autobiography, scholarly publications/textbooks, music, nonfiction (general)

“Tom is simply one of the finest men I've ever known and one of the best writers I've ever encountered. His combination of creativity, craftsmanship, integrity, and intelligence puts him at a level I've rarely seen.”—Gary Terashita, Executive Editor, B&H Publishing Group

“Tom is an exceptional editor. An author himself, Tom is meticulous and creative in his work as he expertly brings a writer's best ideas forward. Not only are his editorial abilities outstanding, he is also warm, patient, caring, and thus a joy to work alongside. I recommend him wholeheartedly!”—Edwina Barvosa, Associate Professor, University of California at Santa Barbara

Evaluation and Critique of a "Spiritual Thriller" Novel By Tom Lemons

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LORNA LYNCH has over twenty-five years of developmental editing experience and has worked on more than a hundred books to date. She also co-owned a monthly newspaper and wrote hundreds of articles. She has a tremendous instinct for what "works" and what doesn't in both fiction and non-fiction, and has guided numerous authors to publishing success. Her primary goal is to see that writing with some potential becomes writing with great potential, and she works closely with authors to achieve that goal.

Her area of expertise is character-driven fiction; however, she has edited books of all stripes, including political commentary, how-to books, humor, mysteries, romance novels, children's books, young adult fiction, detective novels, and psychological thrillers.

Developmental editing

Fiction: young adult, contemporary/mainstream, detective/crime, humor, literary fiction, mystery, romance, women’s fiction, short stories, thriller/espionage

Nonfiction: creative nonfiction, memoir/biography, self-help/how-to, psychology, politics

"I was very happy with the job Lorna did for me. The edit was very sharp and the critique very detailed. She broke down the manuscript from top to bottom and all of her points were excellent. She not only focused on technical structure, but also the substance of the story. She pointed out many things that I would not have discovered on my own and she looked at the manuscript not only as an editor, but as a reader--which is very important. I would definitely use Lorna again as my editor." – Derek Lively, Diary of the Devil's Son

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ARLENE ROBINSON has developed and edited 450+ full-length manuscripts in a variety of genres since 1996. Her clients include women's fiction author Angie Daniels, sociology professor Joyce Tang and college-success guide author Josh Richardson. The true crime memoir The Twelfth Man Standing received Turner Broadcasting Network's Trumpet Award in 2002, and 'PRESSIONS: Memoirs of a Southern Cat by Edith M. Holmes won the YOUnity Reviewers Guild Top Honor Award. Arlene welcomes new or published authors as clients, and enjoys helping journalistic, business and academic writers transform their writings into marketable, polished products for mainstream readers.

While not a professional humor writer, she could be. Arlene lives in the Deep South with her probation officer/journalist husband and two almost-adult sons, and looks forward to the day when her human offspring venture into the world as independently as she envisions her writings springing onto bookshelves.

Substantive and developmental editing, copyediting
Fiction and nonfiction critiques
Book layout and graphics
ESL Style Conversions ("Americanization")

"Arlene is everything you want in an editor: thorough, timely and accommodating. If it weren't for her, I certainly would not have landed a publisher for my manuscript. Not only was her editing topnotch, her advice on everything about publishing was very helpful. Arlene really cares about the work she does and it shows!" — Josh Richardson, Ahead of the Pack: Balancing Your Way to Personal Success in College, Thomson Delmar Learning

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A. J. SOBCZAK is an editor, proofreader, and writer (business writing, business methods, business history, communication, literary analysis, fiction in various genres) with more than 25 years of experience in the publishing industry. He has edited nonfiction work, both articles and books, in a variety of fields, including various social sciences, technical research, and medical research. He has edited dozens of books and journals in the social sciences, research methods, mathematics, political science, psychology, business and management, history, and health and medicine, among other topics, and also has worked on several successful doctoral dissertations.

He is an expert in APA and Chicago styles and is on several publishers' lists of "go-to" editors for manuscripts with heavy math content. His fiction specialties include science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and young adult.

Writing, copyediting, developmental editing
Manuscript evaluations and critiques
Fiction: science fiction, horror, mystery, mainstream, short story
Nonfiction: business, labor, literary criticism, memoirs, math, technical & science documents
Academic/scholarly writing: theses and dissertations
APA and Chicago writing styles

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Submission

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

EditMyBook@Gmail.com

Alternates
2012@Book-Editing.com
Help2012@Airmail.net
Contact@Editing-Writing.com

You may send your initial submission to all addresses to make sure it's received.

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

A sample is required to receive an estimate
for editing services

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?
$ ________________
(Note: The editors will quote their regular rates, but having an idea of your budget allows the editors to tell you what services they can provide to stay within that budget.)

(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) Do you want the coordinator to reroute your submission if you requested editors/writers who (a) are not available by your deadline date, (b) do not handle the type of material you submitted, and/or (c) do not perform the service(s) you want?

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

(20) Attach the first 50 pages of your manuscript (include prologue/preface, 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: Questions about price and turnaround times cannot be given over the phone or via chat.
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 (M-F, 9a-7p central). Expect longer response times if you submitted after U.S. business hours or on weekends.

You may also send your submission to our alternate e-mail addresses if you do not receive a response within three hours M-F:

Help2012 at Airmail.net
editingnetwork at gmail.com
contact at editing-writing.com

You may also leave voice mail for the network coordinator: 469-789-3030. This number is for verification of e-mail submissions only.

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 editor or publishing consultant, not with the editing network as a whole or its coordinator.