What do you need edited, developed, or written? A memoir or autobiography of your personal life experiences? A book about spirituality? A nonfiction or business book? A business manual, business letter, nonfiction book proposal, novel synopsis, query letter? Do you need your dissertation edited or formatted? What about your novel - funny, mystery, spy thriller?
An editor polishes your writing. How much polishing is needed varies. Do you ramble or go off on tangents? Are your ideas clear or muddy? Are you wordy or succinct? A number of factors go into improving one’s writing. What is your natural voice? Have you found it? Have you honed your writing style? Have you practiced the skill until it feels instinctual, second-nature?
Copyright 2010 The Writing Doctor: Ghostwriters. All Rights Reserved.
What Kind of Writing or Editing Do You Need from a Ghostwriter?
A good writer has talent. A great writer practices, practices, practices (rewrites, rewrites, rewrites). Ghostwriters can help non-writers who have an idea but not the talent.
Whether you are an experienced writer or a beginner, an editor cleans up (tightens/eliminates excess words) what you mean to say. Your ideas remain intact. Your essential language and rhythm remain yours.
The tone of your writing is directly affected by the syntax (sound, rhythm, logic of the sentence structures) as well as the punctuation, which can slow down or speed up the pace (e.g., in fiction, shorter sentences heighten suspense).
The depth of editing can vary from minimal to extensive, depending on what the manuscript requires to be its best and reach your readers dynamically. Each level of editing goes deeper in addressing a writing’s weaknesses.
Final proofreading corrects typos, punctuation, and minor oversights in already edited and finished writing.
Final light editing or copyediting corrects minor problems with grammar, punctuation, and syntax on finished and exceptional writing.
Comprehensive line editing addresses every word, improves the active voice (active verbs, sentence structures), and is the first essential step in the editing process.
Content and heavy editing illuminate a writing’s strengths, tighten and cut out typical wordiness; improve the reading flow, organizational structure, emotional impact, and clarity of ideas and message.
Rewriting takes a manuscript to the next level. Corrects circular and redundant writing. Strengthens the clarity and emotional appeal to the readers. Illuminates your vision.
Developmental writing is shaping and expanding your draft and raw materials into a complete professional book. Writing from scratch and doing all the work for you is ghostwriting. Giving you ideas about your plot, characters, etc. is a manuscript critique.
With novels, additional elements include: story flow, plot points, characters that live and breathe, emotionally connecting with the readers, succinct and relevant dialogue, tight narrative descriptions and settings, visual sequencing of actions, dynamic point of view (viewpoint, character perspective), transitions, piecing in backstory, and much more!
A writer/editor is part of your production team. My intention is to deliver a book ready for you to publish and of which you can be proud.
Completing a book requires a clear focus, exceptional organization, powerful ideas, compelling writing, and vivid titles. A ghostwriter/editor helps you achieve these.
