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10 Steps to Save Your Editor's Sanity
Dreading the moment when your manuscript comes back from the editor dripping in red lines?
You can save both of you time and energy with a few basic steps. Sending your work to an editor can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it is possible to make the moment worth celebrating if you have confidence in your writing quality and edit for the most common issues that plague manuscripts. Follow these 10 steps before hitting send and your editor will thank you!
Part Start with the Big Picture
Step Consider Point of ViewStep Fix Pesky Dialogue Formatting StuffPart Zoom in to Examine the Nitty Gritty
Step Up Your Verb GameStep Use Punctuation as IntendedStep Track Your Bad HabitsPart Come Over to the Deep End–you’ll be fine!
Step Tweak Your Sentence StructureStep Add Sentence VarietyPart Before You Click “Send”...
Step Know What You WantStep Create a Style SheetStep Just Breathe
You can save both of you time and energy with a few basic steps. Sending your work to an editor can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it is possible to make the moment worth celebrating if you have confidence in your writing quality and edit for the most common issues that plague manuscripts. Follow these 10 steps before hitting send and your editor will thank you!
Part Start with the Big Picture
Step Consider Point of ViewStep Fix Pesky Dialogue Formatting StuffPart Zoom in to Examine the Nitty Gritty
Step Up Your Verb GameStep Use Punctuation as IntendedStep Track Your Bad HabitsPart Come Over to the Deep End–you’ll be fine!
Step Tweak Your Sentence StructureStep Add Sentence VarietyPart Before You Click “Send”...
Step Know What You WantStep Create a Style SheetStep Just Breathe
80 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2024
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 19, 2024
The Book I Always Planned to Write!
Like the author, I've been an editor for decades, covering the range of editing, from proofreading to developmental editing, and editing both fiction and nonfiction. A few years ago, I actually started making a list of topics similar to the ones in this book! Even down to the suggested words and phrases for an author to search for in Word or Google Docs to strengthen their writing and eliminate inconsistencies around these pivotal words.
I love the structure of this book. It is completely logical, at least to my editor brain. The book is broadly divided into four sections, starting with a high-level look at the book (e.g., point of view) and ending with what you should consider and do before you send your book off to your editor. In between those, the author drills down into the nitty-gritty, like punctuation and sentence structure.
While I agree with just about everything in this book, I have a few quibbles. First, and probably least important, is that I'm not wild about the book title. While I value my role as an editor, I don't have any delusions that my writers care anything about my sanity! What they may care about is money, though. I always ask a writer to send me a sample chapter before I will quote my rates. If I can tell a book is going to take scads of time because of punctuation I will have to correct every other line or other issues that will take much time to comment on, I will have to charge my highest rate—or I may even decline the work. Also, I also think that authors should care about their readers. Nearly everything suggested in this book makes for a better story/book, ultimately creating a better experience for the reader. So, I would have chosen a different title for several reasons!
As I'm sure the author of this book will appreciate, editors don't agree about everything. (In fact, we enjoy nerdy, lively debates about all things editorial!) I don't agree with some things in this book, nor would I recommend them all to my writers. For instance—and this is just a personal pet peeve as a reader—I would never recommend all my romance writers use the present tense. The author casually stated this as a given at the start of the section on tense. I've been reading romances since I was a teen 40 years ago. Back then, few genre romance books were written in the present tense. Present tense was relegated to literary fiction. Dig up an old Harlequin or Mills & Boon from the 1970s and 1980s; you certainly won't see books written in any present tense. My beloved Jane Austen, the queen of romance in my book, didn't write books in the present tense. Only recently has present tense become such a “thing” in contemporary genre romance—something I wish would go away but undoubtedly is here to stay. To me, at all times, it feels contrived and intrudes into consciousness, making me more aware of the awkward language constructions and thus distancing me from the story. (And don’t get me started on the tense contortions that using present tense creates and that few authors navigate well!) Past tense just fades into the background, allowing me to immerse myself in the story. End rant!
I like how the author has “homework” at the end of each brief chapter (even if I'm not a fan of using that word for adults who may have PTSD about such in school). Some exercises are more general to help you appreciate particular points the author is getting across, but most are very specific to the story you are working on. Certainly, if you read this book, think about its contents, and do the exercises diligently and carefully, your manuscript will be in much better shape before you send it off to your editor or publish it. Both your editor and readers will thank you. (And, yes, you may indeed pay less for your editing!)
I also love the smiley-face cartoons scattered throughout the book. They add a lot of fun to what some may consider to be a dry topic—though, as a word nerd and grammar cop, I would never think it so!
I wasn't wild about how much of the book is in bulleted list format. I think, in general, a little is okay, but too much makes the writing seem choppy and disconnected, which makes the concepts harder to grasp fully and successfully. A well-placed list distills information, but much information is too complex to be explained in that format.
One final thing I didn’t like: the author assumes the author-reader of this book understands grammatical terms. While I would agree that writers should have a firm grasp of how to wield grammar and usage appropriately, writers may not always know the technical terms. I know some of my authors would stumble over some concepts stated in this book because they don't know the terminology.
Despite my quibbles, I will recommend this book to my authors—even though I may also give them my own list of self-editing recommendations, including a link to an article available at Writers Online about tense choice!
I received a free digital copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Like the author, I've been an editor for decades, covering the range of editing, from proofreading to developmental editing, and editing both fiction and nonfiction. A few years ago, I actually started making a list of topics similar to the ones in this book! Even down to the suggested words and phrases for an author to search for in Word or Google Docs to strengthen their writing and eliminate inconsistencies around these pivotal words.
I love the structure of this book. It is completely logical, at least to my editor brain. The book is broadly divided into four sections, starting with a high-level look at the book (e.g., point of view) and ending with what you should consider and do before you send your book off to your editor. In between those, the author drills down into the nitty-gritty, like punctuation and sentence structure.
While I agree with just about everything in this book, I have a few quibbles. First, and probably least important, is that I'm not wild about the book title. While I value my role as an editor, I don't have any delusions that my writers care anything about my sanity! What they may care about is money, though. I always ask a writer to send me a sample chapter before I will quote my rates. If I can tell a book is going to take scads of time because of punctuation I will have to correct every other line or other issues that will take much time to comment on, I will have to charge my highest rate—or I may even decline the work. Also, I also think that authors should care about their readers. Nearly everything suggested in this book makes for a better story/book, ultimately creating a better experience for the reader. So, I would have chosen a different title for several reasons!
As I'm sure the author of this book will appreciate, editors don't agree about everything. (In fact, we enjoy nerdy, lively debates about all things editorial!) I don't agree with some things in this book, nor would I recommend them all to my writers. For instance—and this is just a personal pet peeve as a reader—I would never recommend all my romance writers use the present tense. The author casually stated this as a given at the start of the section on tense. I've been reading romances since I was a teen 40 years ago. Back then, few genre romance books were written in the present tense. Present tense was relegated to literary fiction. Dig up an old Harlequin or Mills & Boon from the 1970s and 1980s; you certainly won't see books written in any present tense. My beloved Jane Austen, the queen of romance in my book, didn't write books in the present tense. Only recently has present tense become such a “thing” in contemporary genre romance—something I wish would go away but undoubtedly is here to stay. To me, at all times, it feels contrived and intrudes into consciousness, making me more aware of the awkward language constructions and thus distancing me from the story. (And don’t get me started on the tense contortions that using present tense creates and that few authors navigate well!) Past tense just fades into the background, allowing me to immerse myself in the story. End rant!
I like how the author has “homework” at the end of each brief chapter (even if I'm not a fan of using that word for adults who may have PTSD about such in school). Some exercises are more general to help you appreciate particular points the author is getting across, but most are very specific to the story you are working on. Certainly, if you read this book, think about its contents, and do the exercises diligently and carefully, your manuscript will be in much better shape before you send it off to your editor or publish it. Both your editor and readers will thank you. (And, yes, you may indeed pay less for your editing!)
I also love the smiley-face cartoons scattered throughout the book. They add a lot of fun to what some may consider to be a dry topic—though, as a word nerd and grammar cop, I would never think it so!
I wasn't wild about how much of the book is in bulleted list format. I think, in general, a little is okay, but too much makes the writing seem choppy and disconnected, which makes the concepts harder to grasp fully and successfully. A well-placed list distills information, but much information is too complex to be explained in that format.
One final thing I didn’t like: the author assumes the author-reader of this book understands grammatical terms. While I would agree that writers should have a firm grasp of how to wield grammar and usage appropriately, writers may not always know the technical terms. I know some of my authors would stumble over some concepts stated in this book because they don't know the terminology.
Despite my quibbles, I will recommend this book to my authors—even though I may also give them my own list of self-editing recommendations, including a link to an article available at Writers Online about tense choice!
I received a free digital copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
September 22, 2024
I wanted to read this book to learn how to write better book reviews and provide helpful, accurate feedback to authors. I am not a writer and my knowledge of grammar is basic at best. This book helped me remember things I learned 45 years ago in English class, and taught me a lot of new information.
Even though this book was intended to help writers polish their work before sending it off to their editor, I think it would be a LIFESAVER, (or should I say BOOK-SAVER) for any Indie writer.
This book would also be a big time saver and huge money saver for writers who use professional editors. It takes you through all levels of writing mistakes, how to spot them, and how to correct them. You are given homework assignments to help retain the information. The best thing is the homework is done on your own writing. So, if you have a book you believe is completed, read this book and do the work to ensure your book is really ready for publication.
My favorite section was the explanation of POV, I always get confused with that and don’t know how to explain it in private feedback to authors. This author had me giggling at some of the examples of POV and comma misusage. So don’t go thinking that this is a boring book, there is humor and cute little illustrations to help hold the reader’s interest.
If you are looking for a gift for the Indie writer in your life, are contemplating writing your first book, or are an established author, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, It will pay for itself.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Even though this book was intended to help writers polish their work before sending it off to their editor, I think it would be a LIFESAVER, (or should I say BOOK-SAVER) for any Indie writer.
This book would also be a big time saver and huge money saver for writers who use professional editors. It takes you through all levels of writing mistakes, how to spot them, and how to correct them. You are given homework assignments to help retain the information. The best thing is the homework is done on your own writing. So, if you have a book you believe is completed, read this book and do the work to ensure your book is really ready for publication.
My favorite section was the explanation of POV, I always get confused with that and don’t know how to explain it in private feedback to authors. This author had me giggling at some of the examples of POV and comma misusage. So don’t go thinking that this is a boring book, there is humor and cute little illustrations to help hold the reader’s interest.
If you are looking for a gift for the Indie writer in your life, are contemplating writing your first book, or are an established author, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, It will pay for itself.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 23, 2024
I’ve read countless writing craft books over the years from the basic and general to the advanced and trope-specific. I’ve learned something useful from just about every one of them, but very few have contained as much concentrated useful information as this book. It’s like having an editor friend sit down, walk you through your manuscript and gently point out your errors.
Starting with the 10,000-foot items like what Point Of View, Dr. Paquette asks why did you choose a specific POV and did you use it consistently. Then it’s on to drilling down to things like dialogue, punctuation, and sentence structure. This book helps you wring out as many issues as possible before paying to have a professional editor go through your work.
I found the writing style clear and easy to follow, the examples very illustrative, and the homework at the end of each chapter very helpful in applying the lessons to my own work. This is also the first book that has laid out specific search terms to look for and correct or eliminate in my manuscript. No question, this is a working book I will return to, not one I will read once and relegate to the shelf.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Starting with the 10,000-foot items like what Point Of View, Dr. Paquette asks why did you choose a specific POV and did you use it consistently. Then it’s on to drilling down to things like dialogue, punctuation, and sentence structure. This book helps you wring out as many issues as possible before paying to have a professional editor go through your work.
I found the writing style clear and easy to follow, the examples very illustrative, and the homework at the end of each chapter very helpful in applying the lessons to my own work. This is also the first book that has laid out specific search terms to look for and correct or eliminate in my manuscript. No question, this is a working book I will return to, not one I will read once and relegate to the shelf.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 4, 2025
I initially picked this book because I'm working on a novel of my own, and this is aimed at authors who want or need a little help figuring out how to edit their books themselves. I found it incredibly useful for pointing out the errors and missteps that I need to watch out for a I'm working through my first draft (and after, when it's time to sit down and get to the nitty gritty of editing).
However, I'm also in grad school right now, and I've found that a lot of the steps and suggestions in this book are also incredibly helpful for students!
It's sort of like a little refresher course for all of the rules of writing that we're taught throughout our education and then promptly forget about upon completing high school, with the added bonus of "homework" (at the end of each chapter or step) that is genuinely useful for authors who want to take on some DIY editing. I'm contemplating ordering the paperback edition to keep on my desk for ease of use while I'm working.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
However, I'm also in grad school right now, and I've found that a lot of the steps and suggestions in this book are also incredibly helpful for students!
It's sort of like a little refresher course for all of the rules of writing that we're taught throughout our education and then promptly forget about upon completing high school, with the added bonus of "homework" (at the end of each chapter or step) that is genuinely useful for authors who want to take on some DIY editing. I'm contemplating ordering the paperback edition to keep on my desk for ease of use while I'm working.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 18, 2024
Dr Jennifer Paquette is an editor with more than twenty years of experience in her field. She has written an informative and helpful book that gives people invaluable tips and guidance to editing their writing before they submit their manuscript. This is a fantastic tool for any writer. Jennifer Paquette begins with an explanation of grammatical points in English but then goes onto give examples and exercises to hone your writing skills.
She mentions the importance of verbs, punctuation and work on sentence structure.
The last part of the book explains the different types of editing services on offer.
This book is not designed to replace an editor. An editor already has a complex task but 10 steps to save your editor's sanity is rather written to guide a writer towards possible difficulties that will save time and money.
A great resource.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She mentions the importance of verbs, punctuation and work on sentence structure.
The last part of the book explains the different types of editing services on offer.
This book is not designed to replace an editor. An editor already has a complex task but 10 steps to save your editor's sanity is rather written to guide a writer towards possible difficulties that will save time and money.
A great resource.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 4, 2024
Jenifer Paquette's book gives writers some good ideas on how to improve their writing and, specifically, how to help their editors work on actual editing rather than fixing careless mistakes. If you follow Paquette's advice in this book, you will improve your writing. The only person who won't be helped is the one who doesn't read the book!
This book doesn't replace an editor; it is meant to help you get the most out of the time you pay for your editor by spotting common mistakes writers make. Paquette has solid experience and training that make her very qualified to write this book.
Every writing can learn something by reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book doesn't replace an editor; it is meant to help you get the most out of the time you pay for your editor by spotting common mistakes writers make. Paquette has solid experience and training that make her very qualified to write this book.
Every writing can learn something by reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 22, 2024
The book advises writers on how to make their editor's life easier before passing them the manuscript. However, the advice seems more appropriate to how writers should review their own work. If writers can recognise their style and the consistency required in their work, it will be easier for their editors to pinpoint the bigger picture such as loopholes and inconsistencies in sentence structure as opposed to whether the character perspective changes by chapter 7 and there are too many pronouns. Nonetheless, it is a useful book for writers to identify their bad habits instead of relying heavily on editors.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 10, 2024
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As someone who focuses on nonfiction, the topics and suggestions in this book weren't always directly applicable, but I can definitely take the knowledge that I gained and apply it to my practice. I find myself editing quite a few memoirs lately, though, which makes the advice and skills even more practical and applicable for me.
I really enjoyed the tone of this book as well. It felt friendly and welcoming, which made the suggestions inside seem more like they were given by a friend than like they were given by an academic. It felt like Dr. Paquette wanted you to learn and retain the information while guiding you to improve your work or the work of your clients.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to writers and editors alike.
As someone who focuses on nonfiction, the topics and suggestions in this book weren't always directly applicable, but I can definitely take the knowledge that I gained and apply it to my practice. I find myself editing quite a few memoirs lately, though, which makes the advice and skills even more practical and applicable for me.
I really enjoyed the tone of this book as well. It felt friendly and welcoming, which made the suggestions inside seem more like they were given by a friend than like they were given by an academic. It felt like Dr. Paquette wanted you to learn and retain the information while guiding you to improve your work or the work of your clients.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to writers and editors alike.
May 26, 2024
This is a great little guide for all writers. It would be helpful for both fiction and non-fiction authors and I will be recommending it to my academic writing students as well. There are a couple of topics I would have liked to see included, e.g. noun/verb agreement and also the clarification of what is and isn’t a dialogue tag. However, other than these points, it covers everything I try and check for myself and more. The book is also written in a friendly and engaging style, which makes it enjoyable to read. Thank you, Dr Paquette. I will be keeping my copy for future reference.
June 14, 2024
This is a helpful guide for new authors, making the editing process easier and less scary. The book is divided into four parts, covering big things like point of view and dialogue, as well as details like verbs, punctuation, and sentence structure. It also gives tips for final touches before sending your work to an editor. The author's friendly and easy-to-understand style makes it a great read. I found it really useful for improving my own writing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 9, 2024
A very useful little book if you're a author.
Written by an expert, this is invaluable advice presented in an easy to understand fashion. I particularly like that it's divided into four clear parts,
each brimming with hints and tips you won't find anywhere else.
This book doesn't care if your an experienced author or a total novice. It will help you cut back editing time and maybe educate you along the way!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Written by an expert, this is invaluable advice presented in an easy to understand fashion. I particularly like that it's divided into four clear parts,
each brimming with hints and tips you won't find anywhere else.
This book doesn't care if your an experienced author or a total novice. It will help you cut back editing time and maybe educate you along the way!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 10, 2024
Step by step guide to improve your writing. Follow these 10 steps before you send your work to an editor. It doesn’t cover everything, but it’s a good place to start. If your editor has a better quality of your work to begin with, then it will be easier for them to spot the real issues with your work to be able to improve it.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 28, 2024
I can tell you right now.... step 10 is never going to happen :-)
The nine steps before it though? Excellent!
I wish for all (prospective) writers to have a look at just the headings and think, than read the book and go to work. There are many tips that should be no-brainers if you want to have pride in your product, but fall by the wayside in the grand adventure.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The nine steps before it though? Excellent!
I wish for all (prospective) writers to have a look at just the headings and think, than read the book and go to work. There are many tips that should be no-brainers if you want to have pride in your product, but fall by the wayside in the grand adventure.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 1, 2024
I think that this book could potentially be very useful for anyone preparing a manuscript for publication. It contains many useful tips for both the novice and the expert, presented in digestible, bite-size pieces. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
July 5, 2024I loved it. I thought it was wonderful. I found it very interesting and helpful. This is a good read for anyone who is using an editor.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 11, 2024
This was a great book for someone who does a lot of writing and needs advice on how to do it correctly. I recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 20, 2024
This book is a good source of information for writers who are writing their first book or even ones who are looking to improve their writing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 1, 2024
As a writer I'm always looking for ways to improve my use of the English language. 10 Steps To Save Your Editor's Sanity is a handy guide for grammar rules. I will definitely use this as a reference guide when I'm self-editing my projects in the future.
May 30, 2024
i liked the illustrations and i enjoyed the format but it could have been longer and maybe included more examples.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 21, 2024
This book helps writers with useful tips to edit their own work. It is an enjoyable read and you can learn a lot, no matter if you write fiction or non fiction. Go for it!
September 9, 2024
This book is so helpful. If you're looking for helpful hints that take you straight through without being confusing, then this is for you. I really enjoyed it. Totally worth the read.
October 1, 2024
10 Steps to save your editor's sanity is a short, 80-page, e-book, published in 2024 by: Accomplishing Innovation Press, an imprint of 4 Horsemen Publications, Inc.
The author, Dr. Jenifer Paquette, has 20 years of editorial experience and also teaches English in higher education with focus on the history of the English language and the intricacies of grammatical rules to guidelines for effective writing and communication across disciplines. This e-book provides practical advice to empower and inspire authors to improve their manuscript.
This book addresses the nitty-gritty of grammar, punctuation, and all the related tools and techniques that can be employed to improve the craft of writing and editing. It is full of practical tips. Its strength lies in the examples it provides. In each step, plenty of examples and scenarios were presented and discussed. For example, each homework provides in-depth explanations supported with examples. Moreover, in the first 6 steps or chapters, the author included “EXTRA! EXTRA! While we’re here” that provides further treatment of some aspects of editing tips and what to watch for. Examples include personal possessive pronouns in Step One, American versus British styles of punctuation with quotation marks in Step Two etc.
One fun fact that I liked about this book is the practical steps it provides on how to spot and troubleshoot a document using CTRL F (Command F on a Mac) to highlight, for example, a pronoun and check for accuracy. However, no such comparable advice was suggested for Microsoft users. In short, in my view, this book is a concise book full of useful tips in easily accessible form that authors and learners can benefit from. Furthermore, the e-book format makes it easily accessible/portable.
The author, Dr. Jenifer Paquette, has 20 years of editorial experience and also teaches English in higher education with focus on the history of the English language and the intricacies of grammatical rules to guidelines for effective writing and communication across disciplines. This e-book provides practical advice to empower and inspire authors to improve their manuscript.
This book addresses the nitty-gritty of grammar, punctuation, and all the related tools and techniques that can be employed to improve the craft of writing and editing. It is full of practical tips. Its strength lies in the examples it provides. In each step, plenty of examples and scenarios were presented and discussed. For example, each homework provides in-depth explanations supported with examples. Moreover, in the first 6 steps or chapters, the author included “EXTRA! EXTRA! While we’re here” that provides further treatment of some aspects of editing tips and what to watch for. Examples include personal possessive pronouns in Step One, American versus British styles of punctuation with quotation marks in Step Two etc.
One fun fact that I liked about this book is the practical steps it provides on how to spot and troubleshoot a document using CTRL F (Command F on a Mac) to highlight, for example, a pronoun and check for accuracy. However, no such comparable advice was suggested for Microsoft users. In short, in my view, this book is a concise book full of useful tips in easily accessible form that authors and learners can benefit from. Furthermore, the e-book format makes it easily accessible/portable.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews