Here’s one of my favorite experiences in publishing:

When my early novel, The Unrepentant, was accepted for publication, a friend whose book had come out with the same publisher gave me this advice:

“Whatever you do, make sure you don’t get Chantelle Aimée Osman as your editor. They assigned her to my book, and when she sent me the edits, every page in the manuscript was covered in red editing marks.”

After hearing that, I immediately requested that Chantelle be assigned to edit my book.

I believed the novel was good but knew it could be better, and I wanted someone eager to dive into the underbrush with me. I wanted someone invested in improving it and, after receiving her thorough, careful edits, I knew I’d made the right decision. Working with Chantelle was like finding a good pair of glasses; suddenly, I saw clearly. The Unrepentant was the first novel I wrote to be nominated for an Anthony and reviewed (wonderfully) in Publishers Weekly. It did what I’d hoped it would, and Chantelle was a big part of that success.

Editing that book brought us close and we became easy friends; our careers grew together. I watched as she went from being a freelance editor to working with outstanding writers at Agora, and then Amazon Publishing to, now, a Senior Editor with Simon and Schuster. And throughout it all, she’s been a close friend and confidant.

As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, my next novel is a departure. Not a complete one, but I’m stepping away from the hazy mix of noir and hardboiled that’s roughly classified my other work and embracing my absolute favorite subgenre – psychological thrillers. I’ve always considered my work character-driven, but writing this book made me feel that my past efforts only skimmed the surface. That’s not a complaint – the experience was wonderful. I relearned, and fell in love with, writing all over again.

But as fulfilling as the process was, I couldn’t get the book to work. I only had, after numerous early drafts, an idea of what I wanted to say. Friends of mine who read those drafts offered sound advice, but I needed more direction; I was too far inside the book to peer out. And so I hired Chantelle.

I hadn’t used her services for some time – my past books had editors attached and my writing had hit a comfortable stride (not, as it turns out, always a great thing). But I know a lot of successful, traditionally published writers who still use their own trusty freelance editors, and this seemed like something I needed to revisit.

That choice was one of the best I’ve made in my career.

Chantelle saved the book and it felt like (this sounds like a lot, but any writer knows exactly what I mean) she saved so much more than that. She narrowed down what I was trying to say and helped me reimagine the novel, without losing what I love about it – in fact, those elements ended up embraced. And now I have the novel I feel like I was always meant to write, and I know what a rare, wonderful thing that is.

Anyway, rather than me going on and on about how excited I am with the work she did, I figured I’d interview her and let her talk about editing, her work, and pyromania.

E.A. AYMAR: So what made me your favorite client ever?

OSMAN: Your check cleared.

It did?

Actually, yes, but you absolutely are one of my favorite editing clients. I think it’s because your goal is to make the book the best it can possibly be, not to be right, or praised for what you’ve already written (though you get a fair share of that, too). You’re always open to ideas (particularly to crazy ones) and know that being a successful writer is someone always learning and striving to be better.

Aw, you didn’t have to say all that nice stuff! Although it is the kind of thing I desperately crave, thank you, I’m glad you know me so well.

Do you ever have to turn down a potential client? What if they offer lots and lots of money?

Generally, I only turn down a client when they’re writing in a genre that I don’t specialize in (if you’ve written a non-fiction book about economics, I’m probably not the right editor for you). I’ll also – obviously – turn down a client if there’s a direct conflict of interest. Otherwise, I kind of feel like there’s brilliance to be found in every manuscript. And lack of experience shouldn’t make it prohibitive to getting where you want to be.

I think, for a lot of writers, especially newer ones, it’s hard to think about a book commercially. Sometimes you just want to write a good book, and you don’t really consider the market. When you edit a book, do those two things tend to naturally intertwine, or do you consciously steer the book toward a more commercial nature? To that point, do you ever suggest ways that a book would be more marketable, even if it moves the book or certain plot elements in a different direction? Lastly, isn’t this an intelligent question? I’m like Jim Lehrer up in here.

A good book is a good book. And whether you intend for it to be commercial, other people are going to read it. Which is why you have to put all those pesky details on the page when you already know what happens in your own mind.

You’re always writing for someone else, whether you intend to or not.

As an editor, my job isn’t to make a literary book commercial, or vice versa, but to figure out the places where the writer’s brain and the reader’s may not sync up, and to point out there needs to be a bridge there to get the point across.

Okay, but do you ever come across a book that just isn’t going to work? Are there some books that can’t be salvaged? For example, let’s say a writer has sent their book out and revised it and it’s still getting met with rejection after rejection. Is there a point where a book should be given up and placed in a drawer, and then that drawer set on fire?

Although I’m all for pyromania, I also firmly believe all books have potential, but that potential doesn’t always mean “NYT bestseller.” The scale for success is set by each individual author. Sometimes a success is finishing the book. And these days, some of the authors I know who are making the biggest splash are self-publishing.

That said, if your rejections are getting the same feedback (no connection with the characters, predictable plot, etc.) then that’s probably something you want to pay attention to.

Is it worth hiring a freelance editor if someone has already sent their book out and it’s been turned down? Is there still hope for them?

Every book can be better. I’m biased, but I think freelance editors are always worth it, especially if you have a clear insight into what needs fixing.

Why should a writer hire you, rather than feeding their work into AI and asking it for edits?

Speaking of editing and pyromania, I’d love to set fire to any sentence that has “writer” and “AI” in it. I cannot say firmly enough that a writer should not be asking AI for any help, feedback, or advice on anything that is creative. First of all, where’s the fun in that? It’s kind of the whole point of writing, so why farm out the best part of the job?

Second, publishers and readers aren’t going to stand for it. Most publishers today will ask if anything beyond spellcheck was used, and turn down your manuscript if so, and readers are savvy and on the lookout for any AI hallmarks. They want our brilliant, amazing, twisted human experiences to be on the page, and only humans can do that. Also, there’s the fact that AI seems to be wrong at least 50% of the time, not to mention the tremendous environmental impact.

Anyway, I’d prefer my Roomba stick to keeping my floors cat-hair free, and not start composing poetry.

Okay, last two questions. What’s your average turnaround time for an 80,000-word manuscript? And, given your work in the industry, do you also offer advice on the submission process – query feedback, or suggestions on agents and editors to pitch to?

Turnaround time depends since freelancing isn’t my primary job. I generally say budget 1-2 months, but that also depends on if you have a deadline, or if I have other manuscripts in the queue ahead of you. And I love giving additional feedback. 22 Literary, an editorial and mentorship service I work with, has a full list of services I offer on their website.

And speaking of interviews, I get to chat with Aggie Blum Thompson about her wonderful new novel, The Neighbors are Watching! Aggie is such a great writer, and she writes the exact kind of books I’ve always admired - character-driven with a sharp eye for detail and unexpected, but realistic, twists. Come join us at Politics and Prose on Saturday, June 27!

It's giveaway time! The winner of Aggie Blum Thompson’s upcoming novel, The Neighbors are Watching, is:

szel______rohl@gmail.com

Congrats, and I'll send you an email soon!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of other freelance editors that I can personally recommend. I worked with Alice Peck early in my career, and she was a fantastic guide into the world of editing and publishing. Ellen Clair Lamb has worked with some of today’s top bestsellers and has a wealth of experience in the field. And there’s a good chance that a lot of your favorite writers offer editing services (just check their sites), and they can speak to the experience of writing and publishing in ways that few can. Kathleen Barber has her own editing service, and she and I have traded work before, always to improved results.

Note: I know a portion of this newsletter’s audience are aspiring writers and, as I always tell aspiring writers, be very careful about any service that costs money – whether that’s publishers, agents, editors, PR or marketing, conferences, etc. You should be able to write a book, find an agent, and then a publisher, and get published, without spending a dime. There are times when you may decide you need outside help, as I’ve illustrated here, and that likely will cost money (good professionals in any field, like writers, deserve fair compensation), but make sure those services are thoroughly researched and vetted.