Frank W. Lewis – Editor

Writing is a journey, and a good editor is a guide. The writer determines the destination, the editor helps them find the best path, and stay on it. My role differs in every case, depending on what the writer needs. Sounding board. Devil’s advocate. Co-conspirator. Therapist. Noodge.

I specialize in developmental editing and line editing. Developmental editing is mostly about big-picture stuff. It’s less about “fixing” the writing and more about collaborating with the author on a plan for writing the next draft. Line editing is looking at the forest and the trees — it’s developmental editing that includes sentence-level work. I can provide one or both.

When I read a manuscript, these are the main things I’m looking for:

Structure: Does the story begin “as close to the end as possible”, as Kurt Vonnegut advised? Does the narrative progress in a coherent way? Does it move at a pace that will hold a reader’s interest while also providing the details and background that bring the characters and setting to life?

Voice: Does the point of view from which the author is writing suit the story, and does the author adhere to it throughout? Is the writing style also suitable and consistent?

Engagement: Are the characters developed enough that readers will care what happens to them? Will they feel invested in the outcome of the characters’ (literal or metaphoric) journey?

My editing process starts with a get-to-know-you conversation, so that I understand the writer’s vision, concerns and goals. As I work I generate lots of notes. After handing over those notes, I give the writer time to digest, then schedule another meeting to review and to offer whatever advice I can for next steps.