Interview with Book Editor Dennis De Rose

President of Moneysaver Editing

1.      What do you enjoy most working with authors and their books? Brian, my motto is “We’re not done until you’re happy!” And I really mean that. I enjoy making a book read and be the best it can be. But that also means the writer has to have a stake in this as well. If an author is not willing to take the time to make his or her book shine by working very closely with me, he or she will have to find another editor because I won’t settle for mediocre.

2.      What challenges do you face when editing fiction? There are several, but the hardest for me is having to tell a writer that his or her writing is so bad they need to start over. Once I prove it to them, and they agree, I am willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen, regardless of the time needed. I will even send them books to help improve their writing skills. Why would I do that? I also believe that an editor has an obligation to save the writer money by teaching him or her to write well.

3.      What do you look for when editing a book? I believe every word and every punctuation mark is important, that each needs to be weighed based on how it helps or detracts from a sentence or a paragraph. If I delete or change a word will I make that sentence flow better or make its meaning clearer? I might decide to move a paragraph to another page. Does that character need more meat on his bones? Perhaps the writer is becoming too wordy or dwelling on something far too long. I might delete a paragraph or have to add something to it to make it stand out. Maybe the writer is going off on an unnecessary tangent, time to rein him in. There is so much involved.

4.      How do you suggest major changes to a writer who is in love with his or her work? Whatever we do, big or small, we will do it together. A writer and an editor must be willing to form a Writing Team (there is no “I” in team). If I hit a snag you can bet I will contact you (hopefully by phone) and we will come up with a solution together. I have had to tell many writers to rethink whole chapters and we have always worked it out.

5.      What do you see as the future of publishing? I think there will always be books but almost everyone (except for a few dinosaurs) is looking for the fastest or easiest way to do everything, including read. Almost everyone has either a tablet or an I-phone and if they read, they will actually read a printed image or have the device read for them. I believe E-book and audio book sales are on the rise and within five years paperback will be almost a thing of the past. Very few books are being printed in hardcover even now.

6.      Do you have any advice for struggling authors? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Hundreds of writers enjoy helping others. There are tons of great writing blogs. Book Marketing Buzz is just one, and a very good one. LinkedIn has tons of writing groups. All you have to do is… ask.

·         Start your own blog to build a following and use your members as willing sounding boards to review segments of your writing.

·         Keep a journal to record interesting things that happen to you or around you and keep it with you at all times because you never know what might hit you in the head, even a dream you might have had the night before.

·         Take the time to call your editor because two heads are always better than one. And if I am lucky enough to be your editor I will never charge you for phone calls.

·         Read! Read! Read! The more you read, the better you will become. It’s really tough to write well if you don’t read and reading may be just what you need to overcome your issues.

·         The Slow Turtle Wins the Race! That might sound very odd but I really believe nothing done quickly can be done well. Please take your time when you write; read your masterpiece out loud one word at a time; and only give it to an editor when you believe you have done your best. If you choose to work with me, we will make your work shine, together, and I won’t let you down.

Brian, I want to thank you for taking the time to interview me. I will be happy to answer any questions you or another writer might have. Feel free to email me @ DDEROSE@HVC.RR.COM   

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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”