• Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.

Scarlet Scribe Edits / Scarlet Scribe Editing Services

jennontheisland

the world is at my command
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,270
Reaction score
2,125
Location
down by the bay
Seems to be targeting romance writers. (lengths match most romance epub lengths as does their "we will not accept" list)

http://www.scarletscribeedits.com/

There are what I consider errors on almost every page. It could just be awkward sentences. Or I could just be that I'm not a professional editor.

But I'm not going to cough up 5 bucks a page for
For us here at Scarlet Scribe Editing, we're always looking for ways to grow and develop both our skills and our client base.

or
Designed to help you clean up your work, we will work with you to identify any weak points or issues that you can improve for your final manuscript.
 

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
13,952
Reaction score
1,745
Location
Coastal Desert
This looks to be the Patricia Bates behind the venture: http://www.patbatesromances.com/

Generally speaking, were I to seek a professional editor, I'd want one who has either 1) worked for a commercial publisher, or 2) achieved commercial publication at or above the level I seek for my book.
 
Last edited:

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
Many authors have a very difficult time editing their own work. Some have great stories but don't know how to get it down on paper correctly. Or how to take the next steps to getting it ready for publication. That is how I can help my clients.

I am currently employed as an full-time editor with a publisher, as well as have had seven novels published with reputable publishing houses.

If you wish to find out about my credentials I would appreciate it if you would contact me personally via pm or you can email me directly just go to my profile.

Thank you.
 

DreamWeaver

Shakespearean Fool
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 11, 2005
Messages
2,916
Reaction score
403
Many authors have a very difficult time editing their own work. Some have great stories but don't know how to get it them down on paper correctly. Or how to take the next steps to get ting it them ready for publication. That is how I can help my clients.

I am currently employed as an full-time editor with a publisher, as well as have having had seven novels published with reputable publishing houses.

If you wish to find out about my credentials I would appreciate it if you would contact me personally via pm, or you can email me directly--just go to my profile.

Thank you.
Fixed the antecedent/pronoun disagreement and the punctuation for you. Left the sentence fragment alone as it seemed to flow well, and one could count that as personal style. However, I'm not a paid editor so I may not have found everything. Was this a test?
 
Last edited:

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
Thanks for the feedback, Dreamweaver. Ineresting what on can find when looking lol.

Style and grammar are very different - and both need equal focus...thanks for pointing out the 'grammar' errors.
 

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman
Super Moderator
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
22,454
Reaction score
4,956
Location
In chaos
I am currently employed as an full-time editor with a publisher, as well as have had seven novels published with reputable publishing houses.

Patricia, welcome to AbsoluteWrite.

If I were considering using an editorial service then I'd want to know what qualified the people behind it to edit my book. So I'd want specific information about their publishing experience including names of the publishers they've worked for; and I'd want information about the books they'd had published--titles, publishers, sales levels and so on. It's not difficult to include that sort of information and I strongly suggest you add it to your website because without it there, it looks as though you're trying to hide something, or are avoiding the issue because you don't have the experience you claim to have, or you have only worked for insignificant or failed publishing houses.

If you wish to find out about my credentials I would appreciate it if you would contact me personally via pm or you can email me directly just go to my profile.

Thank you.

Thing is, if we email you instead of asking questions here, you might well find that you have to answer those same questions over and over again; whereas if we ask questions here, then the answers remain in place for everyone else who turns up looking for information on your service. So in the long run, it saves you time.

By having your editorial service discussed here, you also have the benefit of AbsoluteWrite's huge standing on the internet. It'll bring your service to the attention of a large number of people who are interested in finding editors for their own work.
 

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
Please forgive my absence, its been hectic with getting the company going and meeting deadlines. I've been lurking as we say, and I must admit that when this thread was first put together I was troubled, but as they say, if you do no wrong how can you develop a bad reputation.

Having said that, please feel free to ask any question you like. I will be as honest and forthright with my answers as I can be without getting into too personal of territory.
 

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
9,316
Reaction score
1,064
Age
72
Location
Out side the beltway...
First things first...

What is your professional credentials as an editor?
What publishers have you worked for as an editor?
Do you belong to any professional editing associations?
What style book do you use if there is something questionable?

Please bare in mind, the only reasons these questions come up is when someone is being too vague.
 

Parametric

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
10,818
Reaction score
4,684
What are the seven "reputable publishing houses" you've published with?
 

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
Do you ONLY work with romance?

By no means am I limited to romance. I have clients who write horror, sci-fi, and am in talks with a prospective client who writes children's books.

Romance is but one slice of the writing pie and I'm open to all genres that are out there.
 

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
What are the seven "reputable publishing houses" you've published with?

Hmm, not sure where the seven publisher's came from. I'm published with several reputable publishing houses including Champagne Books, Carnal Passions, Passion in Print, and until recently the not so reputable Blade Publishing - which has since closed its doors due to an unforseen health issue.

As well, I have manuscripts either submitted or slated for submission with several other publishers such as Harlequin and Kensington in the new year and have set my sights on some other big named publishers such as Harper Collins.

Beyond that I have had personal contact via email or phone with editorial staff and authors for Kensington, St. Martins, Harlequine, and more.

Currently, beyond my own firm, I am employed as an editor for eTreasures Publishing LLC. A smaller independent press based out of Florida.
 

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
First things first...

What is your professional credentials as an editor? I've worked as an editor in both the romance industry and in the journalism industry after spending two years working for a newspaper conglomerate.
I do have a Business Mangement diploma.

What publishers have you worked for as an editor? eTreasures Publishing is the only publisher I work for at this time. I am looking at a few others including Lyrical Press.
Do you belong to any professional editing associations? I currently am awaiting word back from the Editor's Association of Canada.

What style book do you use if there is something questionable? I have several resources that I use in case of a questionable issue. Element's of style by William Strunk is one, and a host of others that are in my personal library. As well, I have access to my local university's library with their extensive resource so if I need something and can't find it within my collection I can go there.

Please bare in mind, the only reasons these questions come up is when someone is being too vague.

I'd rather you asked me outright rather than making assumptions. I don't take the asking of these questions personal or anything, if you need information, or want more details then you can by all means ask! If there's something specific to your own writing please feel free to post it or pm me with your question. A prompt and forthright answer is the best way to put any doubts to rest.
 

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
19,519
Reaction score
22,746
Location
Aotearoa
Hi Patricia

I've quoted your answers but reformatted it a bit because it looked a little confusing.
The Q: What is your professional credentials as an editor?
The A: I've worked as an editor in both the romance industry and in the journalism industry after spending two years working for a newspaper conglomerate. I do have a Business Mangement diploma.
Could you tell us the names of the romance publishers, journalistic venues, and newspaper conglomerate you worked for, and in what capacity? And what university you got your diploma from?

I know it sounds picky, but we do find that concrete information is so much more useful. And on AW we have run across the occasional shyster who says "I worked for a newspaper conglomerate, therefore I am a journalist" and then it turns out that "worked for a newspaper conglomerate" means "had a paper route delivering the Detroit Free Press when I was twelve years old."

The Q: What publishers have you worked for as an editor?
The A: eTreasures Publishing is the only publisher I work for at this time. I am looking at a few others including Lyrical Press.
Great, thanks!

The Q: Do you belong to any professional editing associations?
The A: I currently am awaiting word back from the Editor's Association of Canada.
I hope you get a Yes!

The Q: What style book do you use if there is something questionable?
The A: I have several resources that I use in case of a questionable issue. Element's of style by William Strunk is one, and a host of others that are in my personal library. As well, I have access to my local university's library with their extensive resource so if I need something and can't find it within my collection I can go there..
Perhaps Thoth didn't phrase his question clearly. I think that what s/he meant was, 'What style book do you as a freelance editor use?' Of course in your capacity as an in-house editor at eTreasures, you will make sure manuscripts conform to house style, whether that's CMoS or whatever. But we would assume you have a style book that you use as standard for your freelance work. Would that be CMoS?
 

Parametric

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
10,818
Reaction score
4,684
Hmm, not sure where the seven publisher's came from. I'm published with several reputable publishing houses including Champagne Books, Carnal Passions, Passion in Print, and until recently the not so reputable Blade Publishing - which has since closed its doors due to an unforseen health issue.

I was following up on your own comment:

I am currently employed as an full-time editor with a publisher, as well as have had seven novels published with reputable publishing houses.
 

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
9,316
Reaction score
1,064
Age
72
Location
Out side the beltway...
I'd rather you asked me outright rather than making assumptions. I don't take the asking of these questions personal or anything, if you need information, or want more details then you can by all means ask! If there's something specific to your own writing please feel free to post it or pm me with your question. A prompt and forthright answer is the best way to put any doubts to rest.

Ahhh, please point out where I made any assumptions. You clearly stated in the post before mine...

Having said that, please feel free to ask any question you like. I will be as honest and forthright with my answers as I can be without getting into too personal of territory.

The questions I asked are questions any writer should be asking of an editor they are going to pay big $$$ to polish their book. Take no offense, but anyone can hang a shingle out these days and claim to be a professional editor. This is why AW and Writers Beware are so important.

I did not ask anything too personal, nor did I make assumptions. From my point of view, you seem to be the one making assumptions...

By the way, thank you answering several of the questions I put forth.

I would still like to know what professional style book you follow when there are editing differences.
 

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
9,316
Reaction score
1,064
Age
72
Location
Out side the beltway...
Hi Patricia
Perhaps Thoth didn't phrase his question clearly. I think that what s/he meant was, 'What style book do you as a freelance editor use?' Of course in your capacity as an in-house editor at eTreasures, you will make sure manuscripts conform to house style, whether that's CMoS or whatever. But we would assume you have a style book that you use as standard for your freelance work. Would that be CMoS?

Thank you Unimportant. You obviously got the drift of the question.

The only reason I asked this particular question is because over the years I have seen and run across too many would be editors who claim, "The Elements of Style as their source. Many have never even heard of the CMoS.

The Elements of Style is a fine primer to grammar issues and style, but that is all it was ever meant to be at the time it was written and not the last word.

Of course, style is subjective with different houses and editors. But when paying someone to do editing, I would like to know that their knowledge is a bit more detailed than mine...

I don't buy a house without first doing a title search and inspection...
 
Last edited:

PatriciaB

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
3
Hi Patricia

I've quoted your answers but reformatted it a bit because it looked a little confusing.

Could you tell us the names of the romance publishers, journalistic venues, and newspaper conglomerate you worked for, and in what capacity? And what university you got your diploma from?

Sure, I'm happy to expand upon this for you. I'm currently employed as a full time editor for eTreasures Publishing which is based out of Florida. They do a lot more than romance though including horror, YA, and children's books. I worked for the Star Journal which was one paper within the larger conglomerate of the Black Press company. Probably won't be familiar to you because it is a smaller company based in BC Canada. I ran the front office, doing up typesetting, editing, writing articles, doing classified ads, handling cash, and was the accountant's assitant during my time there.

I got my dipolma(s) through Sprott Shaw Community College from 2003/2004 to 2005/2006. As well, each year I go back to them for 4 weeks of upgrades and refreshers. This helps to keep me up to date and capable of working within the industry that I've chosen.

Currently, I'm still waiting to hear back from Lyrical Press. I've been approached as well by a fellow author who is interested in starting up our firm with me as Executive Editor since she's used my services for over a year and has had no complaints.

I know it sounds picky, but we do find that concrete information is so much more useful. And on AW we have run across the occasional shyster who says "I worked for a newspaper conglomerate, therefore I am a journalist" and then it turns out that "worked for a newspaper conglomerate" means "had a paper route delivering the Detroit Free Press when I was twelve years old."


Great, thanks!


I hope you get a Yes!


Perhaps Thoth didn't phrase his question clearly. I think that what s/he meant was, 'What style book do you as a freelance editor use?' Of course in your capacity as an in-house editor at eTreasures, you will make sure manuscripts conform to house style, whether that's CMoS or whatever. But we would assume you have a style book that you use as standard for your freelance work. Would that be CMoS?

Sorry, I did misunderstand. With the publishing house I do try to follow the house style rules as such. However, for all my freelancing I use the following books/guides so that I can maintain a distinct style and flavor to all my clients works.

I typically use a style-sheet form which allows me to pose valuable questions and thought-provoking ideas so that the writer can maintain their own style and their voice within the writing. To do this I utilize this manual The Chicago Manual of Style
- doesn't always work for fiction but at least it gives a good sampling and provides the ground work for a successful foundation.
 

jennontheisland

the world is at my command
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,270
Reaction score
2,125
Location
down by the bay
Last edited:

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
9,316
Reaction score
1,064
Age
72
Location
Out side the beltway...
Jennon,

To be fair, PatriciaB did not say what type of diploma she recieved, though the courses offered at Sprott Shaw Community College does not seem to have anything to do with publishing or MFA courses.

Not that I am making any assumptions...

I am sure she will come along and clarify...
 

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
19,519
Reaction score
22,746
Location
Aotearoa
Jenn, she said she got a Business Management diploma.
 

jennontheisland

the world is at my command
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,270
Reaction score
2,125
Location
down by the bay
Jennon,

To be fair, PatriciaB did not say what type of diploma she recieved, though the courses offered at Sprott Shaw Community College does not seem to have anything to do with publishing or MFA courses.

Not that I am making any assumptions...

I am sure she will come along and clarify...
No, she didn't say what she took. But having seen the ad on tv enough times that I recalled the jingle at the mere mention of the name, none of them for courses or programs that I thought were related to editing, I figured I'd ask.
 

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
19,519
Reaction score
22,746
Location
Aotearoa
I typically use a style-sheet form which allows me to pose valuable questions and thought-provoking ideas so that the writer can maintain their own style and their voice within the writing. To do this I utilize this manual The Chicago Manual of Style
- doesn't always work for fiction but at least it gives a good sampling and provides the ground work for a successful foundation.
Thanks. Though, sadly, Luddite that I am, I must be way behind the times, because that made no sense at all to me!