Flubs2Fixes: Now with Developmental Editing! and more...

<Flubs2Fixes: Editing with a Keen Eye and an Understanding Heart>

Flubs2Fixes: Now with Developmental Editing!

Image from Pexels by Vlada Karpovich, Belarus

Does your writing need a boost? Are you stuck, not knowing what to do next? Is it the plot? Is it the characters? What is it?

I can help. I’m adding developmental editing to my editing services here at Flubs2Fixes. As the photo above says, I’m saying “yes” to new adventures.

I’ve been preparing for this by taking courses and webinars from the Editorial Freelancers’ Association, as well as reading and learning and growing in my knowledge of the writing process. I’m looking forward to working with writers to help make their manuscripts SOAR.

My developmental edits will include

an in-depth written analysis in an editorial letter (Word document)
comments made on the manuscript in Track Changes
feedback and suggestions on all aspects of your manuscript including character development, plot, pacing, voice, theme, and more.

I might also include

suggested resources
further reading such as mentor texts
information sheets on specific topics.

I specialize in kids’ fiction: picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels only. Non-rhyming text is preferred, but I will edit rhyming text. I particularly enjoy working with new writers – but all are welcome to request my services.

As a bonus during the launch period only, I am offering ALL new clients a 10% discount on their edit, either developmental edit or copy edit. This discount will only last until August 31, 2022.

During the launch period, I will be tweeting writing and self-editing tips on a regular basis. You can follow my Twitter feed at @BethStilborn. I’ll also be posting the tips on my Flubs2Fixes Facebook Page.

I look forward to helping writers make their manuscripts SOAR!

To learn more about my editing services, please check out my Services page. I hope you’ll soon be clicking on the Contact button!

Feel free to share this post, and my Virtual Business Card (below), with people you know who are looking for an editor.

Here’s to great manuscripts! Here’s to soaring!

New Features on Flubs2Fixes Website!

My trusty sidekick, the Grammar Owl, and I are pleased to announce a new feature on the Flubs2Fixes blog that will make it easier for you to find the answers to your grammar quandaries, formatting questions, and other perplexing conundrums.

If you’ll look up at the menu, you’ll see a new tab called Self-Editing Help and Hints. Clicking on the drop-down menu will lead you to a page called Grammar Growls with the Grammar Owl (G.O. is particularly pleased with that one), another page called Manuscript Basics, and one that lists Self-Editing Tools.

Grammar Growls gives a list of links to all the Grammar Owl posts on grammar quandaries that I have done both here on Flubs2Fixes and on my general blog, By Word of Beth, where I posted before launching this website.

Manuscript Basics gives a list of links to posts about such things as manuscript formatting, with more links to come.

Self-Editing Tools lists products and services available from other freelance editors, that you might find useful in your writing and self-editing process. Note that these recommendations are made because I believe in the product. These are not paid advertisements. Not everything works for every person, so I urge you to research for yourself and determine what is best for you before investing money or time in anything.

There will be other pages added to this Self-Editing Help and Hints category as time goes on.

I hope you’ll find it helpful to be able to locate the answer to your problem quickly and get back to writing, so that when you’re ready to look for an agent or publisher, or to ask for editing help from a freelancer like me, the basics will be in place, and your manuscript will show that you are a writer who cares enough to make your manuscript SHINE!

Happy writing and self-editing!

I’m on the GROG blog today!

I’m very pleased to be featured on the GROG blog today, as my friend and writing accountability partner Kathy Halsey interviews me about editing in general, and my editing services in particular.

The GROG blog is a group blog with a mission to provide guidance and support, resources for the craft of writing, opportunities to grow our skills, and great folks who care about readers and writers of all ages.

Come on over and read the interview!

Ready, Set, EDIT!

Flubs2Fixes is here and ready to help you make your manuscript shine! I’ve spent the summer doing professional development courses and webinars, reminding myself of my mother, in her teaching years, taking university courses during the summers. The professional development, learning, and growing continue.

I’ve updated my website in both look and information, as you’ll discover if you take some time and look around. Feel free to do that – I’ll be here when you get back.

New things you might notice:

Under the heading “Why Choose Me?” I have added a page about my qualifications, as well as the standard “About” page.

Under the heading “About Editing,” you’ll find my philosophy of editing, some posts (from my blog and from other blogs), and some editing tools. You’ll also find a listing of developmental editors that I trust and recommend, since I currently don’t do developmental editing.

Under the heading “Resources for Writers,” I’ve divided the resources I recommend into “Online Courses” and “Groups for Writers.”

Here, on my blog, I plan to post a couple of times a month, but may pop in now and then at other times to give you a heads-up on something I don’t want you to miss.

I mentioned that you can find my philosophy of editing in the “About Editing” drop-down menu above. I’d like to get this year off to a good start by repeating that post here.

~ ~ ~

“I want to tell you a bit about the philosophy and attitude I bring to my editing, so that you can get to know the person behind Flubs2Fixes a little better.

In the “About” section of this site, you’ll learn that I’m a writer as well as an editor, so I understand how scary it can be to entrust your manuscript to a stranger.

When I started writing, I was too nervous to show what I wrote to anyone but the closest of friends or family. I was fearful of possible criticism.

I knew that some people took classes or joined writers’ groups, but I couldn’t imagine having a virtual stranger reading and critiquing my work.

Then I learned about Emma Walton Hamilton, who was offering a writing class in the craft of picture book writing – Just Write for Kids – online. Online! I could take a class and not have to shiver and quake in front of others!

Emma’s gentle, encouraging teaching style not only taught me much about the craft of writing, but also made me feel safe enough to send my manuscript to her for a manuscript evaluation.

I admit to nervousness about reading the evaluation, but her comments were filled with insight, and the positivity and affirmation I’d found in her teaching was present in every comment and suggestion she made.

Over and over, I have been amazed at the way I’ve been able to improve my manuscripts after receiving such editorial comments. A chance comment on the side of the page can get my brain churning with ideas!

Now, I find it exciting to send a manuscript off, knowing that the feedback will help in ways I could not have imagined.

This has certainly boosted my confidence in my writing ability. My experiences in the writing community have also increased my confidence in sharing my thoughts and knowledge.

All this has, I believe, helped me to become a better editor. After having such insightful and inspiring editing assistance for my own manuscripts, I want to provide the same encouragement to my clients.

As I’ve said in the “About” section of this website, the joy of editing for me is not pointing out errors, but rather is helping another writer to learn and grow and make his/her manuscript shine.

I find that all I learn with the goal of honing my own writing also makes me a better editor.

I continue to learn and to teach — as my mother often said, we are all teachers — and I love to help my editing clients learn more about the craft of writing through the comments and suggestions I make on their manuscripts.

As my clients could tell you, instead of just writing a quick comment – “comma here” – I often add the reason there should be a comma and sometimes give a link that leads to a longer explanation.

Tied to that desire to teach is my passion for connecting people with the right resources. I often suggest resources to clients during the editing or consulting process.

And, as I learned from Emma, I try to do all this with gentleness, with humor, and with a spirit of caring for the person and his/her manuscript.“

Here’s to a great year of writing and editing and making manuscripts SHINE!

Sources for webinars — a boon for writers

In the first half of this year (can we be halfway through the year already?) I benefited from several webinars about different aspects of writing. A few were free, a few had a fee, but all were worthwhile.

Among them were an Agents Day hosted by SCBWI Wisconsin, a webinar about writing first pages in middle grade and YA novels hosted by SCBWI-SouthWest Texas, one on writing the middle of novels entitled (Un)Stuck in the Middle presented by Lorin Oberweger and hosted by SCBWI Nebraska, a couple of webinars about revision from the Children’s Book Insider, and a couple from KidLit Nation. It was a rich time of learning.

How did I find out about such fabulous webinars, you ask? Here’s the scoop:

SCBWI-Nevada does all SCBWI members (and others) a huge favor by keeping track of SCBWI webinars that are happening all over the United States. You can access the list at their site, Nevada SCBWI (you’ll see webinar in the sidebar if you’re on their homepage). Their listing of webinars is kept current and there are always gems to be found. Usually there’s a charge for non-members, as well as a lower charge for SCBWI members. For someone like me, who lives out of easy traveling range to my SCBWI chapter, this gives me an opportunity to make use of my membership in a tangible way. And my writing has definitely benefited!

Children’s Book Insider is a fantastic resource for anyone who writes children’s books, from board books on up through YA. There’s a membership fee involved, but the tons of resources, monthly ‘magazine’, and frequent learning opportunities make the fee worthwhile. Some of the webinars I’ve participated in have been free, others have had a fee, but all have been excellent.

KidLit Nation is a fabulous source of webinars and of great discussion on Own Voices writing, and on ensuring that diverse books are available to all, and that our writing is sensitive to the needs of all. In their own words: Our mission is to help educate and provide opportunities for diverse children’s writers and illustrators of color and connect them to resources and opportunities from around the publishing industry.

Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Foster Hedlund offer great webinars from time to time, as well as the fantastic one-day online conference, Picture Book Summit, coming up this year on Saturday, October 6. For the Summit, they are joined by Laura Backes and Jon Bard of Children’s Book Insider and Katie Davis of the Institute for Children’s Literature. Watch for the Mini-Summit coming up at some point before the full one!

There are many other sources of great webinars. This should get you started.

<Flubs2Fixes: Editing with a Keen Eye and an Understanding Heart>