Hannelore and all, when I receive a manuscript, the first thing I do is sit in my favorite comfortable chair and read it through thoroughly. I make notes of character names and places etc. You'd be surprised how they can change from chapter to chapter.

The next step is red penning any errors. I am a line editor, I look at each letter, each punctuation mark, nothing goes unchecked.

If a writer takes, lets say 13 words to say what can be said as well in 7 or 8 words, I change it. I teach how to Write Tight every Friday here in Vegas, my beginners class is at 12:30 and the advanced class is at 2:30 p.m.

A GOOD Editor doesn't just check for spelling and punctuation. They should be able to help you in making it the best/most correct book it can be. It is ultimately your work but with me I treat it like my own. I make corrections and suggestions, thats all I can do...

Oh, Lord Hannelore, I have a 576 page manuscript right now where the writer just wrote, line after line, NO indents or a new line for new speakers or new paragraphs. And she has tons of dialogue...This manuscript was so bad, two other editors sent it back to her with a note, 'thanks, but no thanks.' When I saw it, I nearly passed out, but I considered it the challenge of a lifetime, so I said "okay!"

It took me nearly two months working constantly. I returned it finished with ALL the changes and corrections. There were nearly 20+ errors per page, spelling BAD! Punctuation BAD! Grammar, REALLY BAD!!

Once she had it back, rather than do the tedious corrections herself, she set out to find a typist. After a half dozen tries and failures, she called me to say. "You ghostwrite too right? My author friend Robert says you did most of his book. Well, since you know my book so well and were the editor, I will pay you to retype it with the corrections." First I said NO, but the offer was just too good to pass up (mucho dinero) so I said all right. So guess what? I am practically rewriting the entire book. To me this woman is not a writer. Oh, she does have a good story, true story too, or I wouldn't bother but shes rich and extremely lazy in my book!! Just imagine, there are so many errors on every page that each page now becomes two pages for the rewrite. Yikes!!!

I edit, ghostwrite, teach/mentor, write reviews, and book jackets. I will also conjure up a title as well, if the writer is having a problem in that area. Its a rough job but someone has to do it. LOL.... I LOVE IT!!!