[Editor] Laurie Rosin

My wife has written 3 novels but has gotten nothing but rejection letters from agents she has sent letters to. I was hoping that she might be able to benefit from a professional editor. Has anyone heard of (i) Laurie Rosin or (ii) Bill Greanleaf? Has anyone worked with CEA?

Thanks!!

Re: Anyone Worked with CEA?

Before making any decisions about paying for "professional" editing, see the Book Doctors page of Writer Beware for some thoughts on editing and some tips for assessing the professionalism of an independent editor:

www.sfwa.org/beware/bookdoctors.html

- Victoria

Re: Anyone Worked with CEA?

A quick look at Laurie Rosin's website says to me:

<ul><li>Looks slick-ish.</li>
<li>No real editor claims the books she has edited (in any form: copyediting, line-editing, developmental editing, acquisitions) to be "books published by {name of editor}" -- the author and publisher are the published; the editor is simply the editor.</li>
<li>What on earth is she doing with her time? Only 4-5 books edited in an entire year?</li>
<li>What background does she have for editing? Any background information is notably absent in her bio. She appears to have sprung, fully formed, on the Net, without having worked in-house for a publisher. Or worked doing any sort of job in publishing, for that matter.</li>
<li>No references from in-house editors, no references from publishers, no references to her "success" rate (how many books get published? that may account for the 4-5 books/year ratio I noted previously), only references from unknown "authors"</li>
</ul>

For all I know, there really is good information out there about her, and she may turn out to be a good editor. But I highly recommend you hie yourself to the link Victoria gave above, and check out what questions to ask when looking for a freelance editor. Alas, anyone (and everyone) can hang out a shingle, claiming they're an editor -- doesn't mean they're really any good, or that you'll not get taken for a ride.

Re: Anyone Worked with CEA?

Has she tried a critique group? Beta readers who don't write and those that do? One of the best books on editing that I've read is:

The Complete Guide to Editing Your Fiction, by Michael Seidman

Shelling out money for an editor does not guarantee the book will sell, no editor can guarantee that. The story has to be good int he first place, and if you choose to hire an editor then it is a waste of money unless you have made the book the best it can be before you send it to an editor.

Shawn

Consider the Possible Impact of Casual Comments

I was astonished by the content of Editrx's response to a benign query about William Greenleaf and me, Laurie Rosin. Editrx, whom I do not know, calls my Web site "slick-ish" and appears to question my credentials and what I do with my time.

Friends, an ill-considered, thoughtless remark in a public forum can carry considerable consequences. I'm sure Editrx did not intend to do harm--at least let's hope not!--but she clearly might have created suspicion in the mind of a prospective client, and for no good reason. Yes, one must always exercise caution before hiring an editorial consultant, but I would challenge anyone to find fault in my abilities as a book editor or in how I conduct myself, personally or professionally.

Information about my background and education is clearly noted on my Web site, along with articles I have published in Writer's Digest. Briefly, I have been a book editor for almost thirty years and have edited thirty-seven national best-sellers. I have been awarded a writing fellowship by the National Endowment for the Humanities. I am a speaker at writers' conferences and write professionally.

Next, although there is no accounting for taste, the Web site Editrx views as "slick-ish" others may consider to be "professional looking." In an arena where presentation is so important, why would someone hire an editor whose Web site appears amateurish? Does anyone hand in sloppy manuscripts with the idea it is advantageous to do so? Is the reading public attracted to books with unattractive cover art? So why would Editrx denegrate a carefully created Web site? I cannot think of a satisfactory answer.

I have already shared my feelings with Editrx, Victoria, and Jenna via e-mail. I urge people with questions about Bill Greenleaf to contact him, and people with questions about me to come to the source for answers. Posting baseless accusations for public consumption does not honor the fine service AbsoluteWrite provides its members and guests.

Thank you for spending time with this response. I genuinely appreciate it.
Laurie Rosin

Laurie Rosin

Has anyone had experience working with this Florida based book editor?