Blog | Crystal Nevin

Editing Advice from Authors

Over Labor Day, I attended several writing panels at Dragon Con. It was great fun, and if you’re in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend it. In this blog, I’ll pass on some of the authors’ advice about editing. Note that this blog may seem a little disorganized, and that’s …

Ideas for Thanking Your Copyeditor or Proofreader

If you’re happy with the work your copyeditor or proofreader did on your work, here are some ideas for how you can thank her. Consider Her Suggestions Even if you end up rejecting or ignoring her suggestions or comments, if you can find a way to show that you considered …

Is Grammar Software a Replacement for an Editor?

Grammar-checking software is everywhere now. But does it replace an editor? No. Machines are not yet capable of catching everything a human can catch. Maybe they will someday, but we’re not there yet. So what does an editor catch that grammar software doesn’t catch? I’m glad you asked. Timeline and …

Should I Have a Contract?

Whether you are the copyeditor/proofreader or the author, you should have a contract in place. Contracts sound intimidating, but they’re really just written agreements. They establish expectations and rights for both sides. I do not pretend to be a lawyer, and you should definitely contact one if you have legal …

Risks of Free or Reduced-Rate Editing or Proofreading

A lot of new writers are struggling with income and want to cut corners on editing or proofreading. This blog is to point out some of the risks involved with going that route and, along the way, show why copyeditors and proofreaders are worth the money. Whether my blog convinces …

Preserving Author Voice

I recently received a comment from a client who wrote an epic fantasy novel. She said she appreciated that I preserved her voice during my heavy copyedit of her work and that it showed a lot of respect and craft. She went on to say that she couldn’t imagine trying …