Monday, May 24, 2010
MESSAGE FROM ANNE
Due to a recent book deal, I will no longer be freelance editing. This could change at some future date. If you are a current client and have a project that requires a light, quick edit, feel free to contact me!
Friday, February 12, 2010
OFFERING SPECIALIZED EDITS OF THE FIRST FIFTY PAGES, PLUS FULL MANUSCRIPT EDITS
First Fifty Pages
Writers tend to make a lot of the same mistakes, and they make them in the first fifty pages. Published and unpublished writers need a story that hits the ground running and has a high concept/big idea/exciting main story arc that will remain strong and present throughout. In these tough times, plot is more important than ever. I'll be reading with attention to concept, structure, and character motivation, hoping to zero in on plot problems before the entire manuscript is written.
note: I've recently expanded my services to include full manuscript and short-story edits.
Confidentiality: As a writer, I understand the need to protect the work. Your project is between the two of us, and I will not discuss it or you with anyone else, not even my cat. Because let's face it, my cat can't be trusted.
No snark: Anyone who has completed fifty pages, anyone who has written a short story, anyone who has written a novel, deserves to be treated with respect.
What to expect from my edit:
Critique: I will tell you what works, what doesn't work, and I will suggest fixes. I prefer to use the edit feature in Word, and will leave comments and suggestions in your manuscript. This type of edit works well for material that is still in the early stages of development.
Critique plus line edit: This is more of an overall content edit. I will do the above, plus edit for clarity and sentence structure.
Please note that my services do not include a copy edit.
Friday, April 24, 2009
editing sample
If I were actually editing, I wouldn't use my own words, I'd just make suggestions. I've added my own text in order to give a solid example of what I'm talking about. This material works very well for this because I'm starting with a first draft.
original opening
Fisher of Beasts
by:
Matthew M
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
-- Matthew 4:18-20
Chapter 1
Some were called to be fishers of men, but I was called to be a fisher of beasts.
Azazel, one of the Grigori, the Watchers of Men, once had fallen and revealed the art of sword making and war to mankind. Now, he stood at a corner under a flickering street lamp smoking a cigarette and hawking cheap guns. A cool breeze barely moved the black hair matted against his forehead. His red-ringed eyes watched each passing car as he pulled another drag from his cigarette. The ash glowed red and faded away.
“Men shouldn’t fight,” I said, stepping out of the dark alley and into the dim circle of light from the lamppost.
“We’re not men, are we Baraqel?” he laughed, dropped his cigarette, and stamped it out. He exhaled the last of the smoke and it hung as a halo around his head.
“It’s never too late,” I said. “I’ve recruited many and they believe this too.”
Azazel laughed through a deep cough.
I smiled. “Not as well as we used to be?”
edited opening
Fisher of Beasts
by:
Matthew M
Chapter 1
Some were called to be fishers of men, but I was called to be a fisher of beasts.
Hard to believe I've been in/on (where?) twenty cycles/years. The streets paved in stones from (where?) or: streets paved with recycled (what?) still feel alien to me. The lamps, with their iron shields, cast an unfamiliar shadow, constant reminders that I'm the stranger here. (just an example!!! immediately ground us and pack as much what/where/who info in these first few paragraphs as possible without doing a dump. The first two paragraphs might be all an agent looks at. Make them really count.)
From my hiding place in the dark alley, I spotted Azazel standing on a corner under a flickering light, smoking a cigarette and hawking cheap guns. (has he been looking for him? Hoping to find him?) A breeze barely moved the black hair matted against his forehead. His red-ringed eyes watched each passing car as he pulled another drag from his cigarette. The ash glowed and faded away. Azazel had once been one of the Watchers of Men, but he'd fallen, tempted by (?) My purpose wasn't to kill him, but recruit him. (why?
“Azazel.” I stepped from alley and approached my enemy, stopping a few feet away. (or whatever.) "How does it feel to have so much blood on your hands?" The man (or beast or what?) before me had betrayed (what? who?) by revealing the art of sword making to mankind. He deserved no small talk.
"You give me too much credit." He dropped his cigarette and stamped it out. Smoke hung as a halo around his head. “We’re not men, are we Baraqel (explain this with Baragel's reaction)?” He was right, but it was something I tried not to think about too deeply. (Or something I would never admit, or whatever. What are they?)
“It’s never too late to help the cause,” I said. “I’ve recruited many.”
Azazel laughed through a deep cough. "And what do these recruits of yours do? Bake brownies and knit?" (or whatever. or could say something like this instead: "Are you offering me absolution?"
B might wonder if A has any remorse. "Sins cannot be undone."
(have they met before? or is Baraqel famous?) this is a chance to reveal some of A's character. Also, Azazel should be a major character. Don't introduce someone this early if they will only have minor role or never appear again. I'm sure you know that!
original opening
Fisher of Beasts
by:
Matthew M
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
-- Matthew 4:18-20
Chapter 1
Some were called to be fishers of men, but I was called to be a fisher of beasts.
Azazel, one of the Grigori, the Watchers of Men, once had fallen and revealed the art of sword making and war to mankind. Now, he stood at a corner under a flickering street lamp smoking a cigarette and hawking cheap guns. A cool breeze barely moved the black hair matted against his forehead. His red-ringed eyes watched each passing car as he pulled another drag from his cigarette. The ash glowed red and faded away.
“Men shouldn’t fight,” I said, stepping out of the dark alley and into the dim circle of light from the lamppost.
“We’re not men, are we Baraqel?” he laughed, dropped his cigarette, and stamped it out. He exhaled the last of the smoke and it hung as a halo around his head.
“It’s never too late,” I said. “I’ve recruited many and they believe this too.”
Azazel laughed through a deep cough.
I smiled. “Not as well as we used to be?”
edited opening
Fisher of Beasts
by:
Matthew M
Chapter 1
Some were called to be fishers of men, but I was called to be a fisher of beasts.
Hard to believe I've been in/on (where?) twenty cycles/years. The streets paved in stones from (where?) or: streets paved with recycled (what?) still feel alien to me. The lamps, with their iron shields, cast an unfamiliar shadow, constant reminders that I'm the stranger here. (just an example!!! immediately ground us and pack as much what/where/who info in these first few paragraphs as possible without doing a dump. The first two paragraphs might be all an agent looks at. Make them really count.)
From my hiding place in the dark alley, I spotted Azazel standing on a corner under a flickering light, smoking a cigarette and hawking cheap guns. (has he been looking for him? Hoping to find him?) A breeze barely moved the black hair matted against his forehead. His red-ringed eyes watched each passing car as he pulled another drag from his cigarette. The ash glowed and faded away. Azazel had once been one of the Watchers of Men, but he'd fallen, tempted by (?) My purpose wasn't to kill him, but recruit him. (why?
“Azazel.” I stepped from alley and approached my enemy, stopping a few feet away. (or whatever.) "How does it feel to have so much blood on your hands?" The man (or beast or what?) before me had betrayed (what? who?) by revealing the art of sword making to mankind. He deserved no small talk.
"You give me too much credit." He dropped his cigarette and stamped it out. Smoke hung as a halo around his head. “We’re not men, are we Baraqel (explain this with Baragel's reaction)?” He was right, but it was something I tried not to think about too deeply. (Or something I would never admit, or whatever. What are they?)
“It’s never too late to help the cause,” I said. “I’ve recruited many.”
Azazel laughed through a deep cough. "And what do these recruits of yours do? Bake brownies and knit?" (or whatever. or could say something like this instead: "Are you offering me absolution?"
B might wonder if A has any remorse. "Sins cannot be undone."
(have they met before? or is Baraqel famous?) this is a chance to reveal some of A's character. Also, Azazel should be a major character. Don't introduce someone this early if they will only have minor role or never appear again. I'm sure you know that!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
ABOUT ANNE
Anne Frasier is a USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have spanned the genres of suspense, mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, and paranormal, and have been printed in both hardcover and paperback and translated into twenty languages. Writing as Theresa Weir she won a RITA for romantic suspense (COOL SHADE), and a year later the Daphne du Maurier for paranormal romance (BAD KARMA). In her more recent Anne Frasier career, her thriller and suspense titles hit the USA Today list (HUSH, SLEEP TIGHT, PLAY DEAD) and were featured in Mystery Guild, Literary Guild, and Book of the Month Club. HUSH was both a RITA and Daphne du Maurier finalist. Frasier served as hardcover judge for the Thriller presented by International Thriller Writers, and was guest of honor at the Diversicon 16 conference held in Minneapolis in 2008. Frasier books have received high praise from print publications such as Publishers Weekly, Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Crimespree, as well as online praise from Spinetingler, Book Loons, Armchair Interviews, Sarah Weinman’s Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind, and Ali Karim’s Shots Magazine. Her books have featured cover quotes from Lisa Gardner, Jane Ann Krentz, Linda Howard, Kay Hooper, and J.A. Konrath. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Crimespace.