Author Services

Editing Services

I have been editing professionally for over fifteen years and worked for online publishers as a senior content and line editor. I've taught writing for ten years and have a master of fine arts in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. If you are a writer looking to submit a polished manuscript to a publisher or agent, or for self-publishing, consider hiring a freelance editor to help you prepare.

My rates are reasonable: $0.007 per word for the first read, $0.004 per word (based on updated word count) for each read after of the same manuscript, post revisions. I do line-by-line edits and revision suggestions in addition to an at least one-page critique. Following the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster, I can also help you develop your own style guides and series bibles. I edit all genre fiction, including science fiction, horror, and romance. You have the protection of a contract as well!

Contact me if you are interested in learning more and for a free, 2000-word sample edit.

Reviews

If you would like a review, drop me an email, cbcalsing AT gmail dot com.

Currently, I review young adult, mainstream, and romance in the subgenres of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and horror. I prefer novellas (around 15,000 to 40,000 words) and short story collections. Mobi is the preferred format.

I will post my review here, with your biography, links, and cover art, as well as on Amazon and Good Reads.

I will only post four and five star reviews. Anything less, we'll keep between ourselves.

Comments

Book Review of "The Dare Club: Nita" by Laurie Bradach and Kim “Howard” Johnson

Laurie and Kim will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so make sure to leave a comment here and visit the other stops on the tour: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/11/virtual-review-tour-dare-club-nita-by.html Series: The Dare Club Format: E-book & Paperback Genre: Contemporary YA, Mystery Length: 330 pages in paperback Blurb: Nita Conroy has relocated to the most boring town on the planet. That is, until would-be boyfriend Brad Keeley spills the beans about a secret group of girls known as The Dare Club. During her subterranean initiation below the high school, Nita overhears a plan by contractors and school officials to embezzle millions of dollars in grant money. When she is betrayed, The Dare Club's pranks become deadly serious. With the clock ticking, Nita will need the help of her new friends to expose the chilling plot--and hopefully survive long enough to snag a date to the homecoming dance. Exce...

Show, Don't Tell!

Another common error young writers make is telling a story, rather than showing a story. This is probably because many of the short stories they have been exposed to are fairy tales, which have a distant point of view and summary-like narration. They start with phrases like "There once was..." and use direct characterization, like "She was the kindest girl in all the land." When we write, we need to show our stories, using vivid verbs, specific details, and deep point of view. Here's an example of a passage that is told. The action is summarized and the reader feels as if the action is happening far away: It was June of 1943. Eric's older brother had gone away to become a fighter pilot. Eric wanted to be a pilot too, so he got in the family's crop dusting plane and started it up. He flew it out of the barn and crashed it into the old oak tree in the yard. He hit his head. The doctor had to come. His brother came back, injured from the war. The two healed...

Exposition: One tool the author has to tell a story

Exposition is used in two ways when talking about fiction. First, it is the set-up at the beginning of the plot arc. Where we learn the basic who, what, when, and where. This is a necessary part of plot to ground your reader. I'm going to address the second way exposition is used in a story. This is when an author gives background information, description of characters or setting, or summarizes events that have already happened. It can happen at any point in the story. This is a necessary, key element of writing and one of the three tools an author has to tell his or her story, along with scene and dialogue. A good author does this without slowing down the forward progress of the plot. That is, the exposition makes sense in the context of the scene (or action) of the story and does not trip up the reader or bore him or her. She turned her blue gaze toward him. Here, we get the fact that she has blue eyes in the context of the action. That's the best way to give description. One...

Writer and Editor C.B. Calsing/ G.G. Royale

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