Gill Donovan – Editor

In my editing experience, writers aren't always aware of their strengths. That's why when I edit a manuscript, I don't only note every opportunity for improvement, but also call attention to authors' unique talents—so they can make the most of them! I do thorough edits with clear and supportive explanations that give authors fresh enthusiasm about their projects and empower them to take their stories to the next level.

In developmental edits, I look for opportunities to strengthen characterization, improve pacing, "show" rather than "tell" key elements, ensure believable motivation and story logic, and bring out conflict and emotion for a satisfying story. If a story has a plot hole, I won't just point it out; I'll suggest at least one possible fix!

In copy edits, I point out ways to make dialogue more natural-sounding, flag poor word choices, suggest fixes for awkward or unclear sentences, propose more effective paragraph and section breaks, highlight overused words, correct issues of punctuation, grammar, and syntax, and do much more to make it a smoother read. Like most fiction editors in publishing, I default to the Chicago Manual of Style.

I have an MFA in creative writing and I've taught creative writing workshops at the university level. My experience in journalism has given me a strong attention to detail. I love working with writers and helping them turn the characters, adventures, relationships, and magic in their imaginations into finished books.