About the Fiction Fix-It Shop I said I’d NEVER want to be an editor. Funny thing—whenever I say things like that, I usually end up doing the exact thing I claim I’d never want to do. My problem was, I used to be a middle school English teacher (after declaring I’d never want to do that either). It was a lot of fun—except for grading all those papers! I thought editing would be like grading English assignments. No wonder the thought made me shudder. Endless hours of marking fragment sentences and correcting punctuation, a never ending stream of misspelled words and dull content. It would be enough to depress even the most patient writer. But several years ago, when I was just starting my own writing career, I fell into an opportunity to do some critiquing for Deborah Raney, an award-winning novelist. You can visit her at her website. I pointed out what parts of the story worked for me and what didn’t, and made a few very shy suggestions for changes. It was fun and rewarding to know I’d helped another author with her work. I read several more manuscripts for her, and she started making scary comments like “You’d make a GREAT editor, Meredith” and “You caught all the same things my own editor did—you should get into editing.” I told her “No, no, no. I would hate editing.” She wisely held her tongue. I think she knew she’d already planted a few seeds. I started doing more of these critiques and substantive edits for my author friends, on a no-charge basis. I found out I really enjoyed finding the gems in my friends’ stories, and they appreciated my skill and feedback. After I became a published novelist myself, I realized even more the value of high-quality substantive editing. The idea of doing it as a business kept nagging at me until finally, in the summer of 2006, I said, “Why not?” And that’s how the Fiction Fix-It Shop was born.       I am committed to maintaining the highest standards not only in my editing but also in my business practices. I am a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association as well as Christian Proofreader and Editors Network. Clients who work with me receive an easy to understand editing agreement for any work over $100, as well as a time sheet to document the hours I’ve spent on their project. I invite them to ask questions and will always clarify or explain any of my feedback to them as needed. I do not make referrals to any agents or publishers or offer endorsements of client work. This is to prevent any appearance of unethical practices and to avoid any conflict of interest. Substantive editing is nothing like grading papers. It’s so much more than checking grammar, punctuation, and spelling. It’s more like restoring a work of art and then showcasing it so that the original brilliance of the artist is fully displayed. It takes practice, skill, and patience, as well as an enthusiasm for the author and the manuscript. The Fiction Fix-It Shop is dedicated to bringing out the best in your manuscript. The “fix-it shop” image refers to the truth that all our work is always a work-in-progress. Nobody can edit a manuscript to perfection, nobody can write the perfect story. My goal is to help you reach your full potential on the manuscript you are working on. That potential may or may not include publication. But you will grow in your writing through the process of having a professional edit. And, if I have my way, you’ll have a lot of fun, too. It won’t be anything like English class. I promise!