Hello! I am a reader and a lover of good stories!
As a reader, I gravitate to certain genres - or combinations thereof - and for the most part, these are also what I prefer to edit:
With developmental editing as well as beta reading, it’s smart to hire an editor who knows, reads, and enjoys the genre of your story. You want an editor who understands their conventions, tropes, rhythms, structure, etc. Even if your story is a mashup of genres, this familiarity is important. We need to know what the tropes are in order to avoid overuse which leads to cliches. We also need to understand the tropes before we can bend or blend them effectively. :)
- Fiction: historical, contemporary, general, speculative, and women's literature
- Romance: contemporary, historical, humorous, mature, suspense
- Retelling, adaptation, and modernization of fairy tales, legends, and classics
With developmental editing as well as beta reading, it’s smart to hire an editor who knows, reads, and enjoys the genre of your story. You want an editor who understands their conventions, tropes, rhythms, structure, etc. Even if your story is a mashup of genres, this familiarity is important. We need to know what the tropes are in order to avoid overuse which leads to cliches. We also need to understand the tropes before we can bend or blend them effectively. :)
When it comes to copy editing and polishing, however, the genre doesn’t matter as much. Your editor just needs to know the rules of language mechanics: punctuation, grammar, syntax, etc. for whatever style guide you follow. (I am most familiar with CMOS but have also worked with the New Oxford Style Manual.)
Perhaps you think you'd like to work with me, but you’ve written a book in another genre (see my Miscellany and Add-On Services page) or one that defies classification (exciting)! Please feel free to contact me. :)
If your story needs genre-specific work beyond my scope, I’ll offer to refer you to one of my peers.
Similarly, if your story needs a sensitivity reader, I’m happy to refer you to resources or assist you.
Perhaps you think you'd like to work with me, but you’ve written a book in another genre (see my Miscellany and Add-On Services page) or one that defies classification (exciting)! Please feel free to contact me. :)
If your story needs genre-specific work beyond my scope, I’ll offer to refer you to one of my peers.
Similarly, if your story needs a sensitivity reader, I’m happy to refer you to resources or assist you.
