For as long as Ellery Mar Connor can remember, she’s loved fiction as it works as both an escape as well as instructor of writing. She’s also a writer, currently working on a Science Fiction-Fantasy that is also a loose retelling of Frankenstein. Ever since college, however, she’s realized her gift of editing stories and helping others craft them from start to finish when a professor encouraged her to pursue professional editing. All of this, tied into one, is why she launched her editing business, Ellery Edits.
“Helping others with their stories is important to me because I know the difference a professional edit can make for both the reader and the writer,” Ellery says.
Ellery believes that editing is far more important than most might think, especially when looking to query and sending your story to literary agents and publishing houses.
“As a reader, we love to fully immerse ourselves in the author’s world,” says Ellery. “Errors in your story will most often distract or confuse the reader and while some may let it go, others won’t. Proper editing is paramount to success in creating a loyal fan base that follows you from book to book and series to series.”
Ellery has tons of experience in the editing industry, having edited for a literary journal during college as well as interned at a medium-sized publishing house. With her company, she aims to help clients with everything from developmental editing to proofreading.
“[In the publishing world] it’s a courtesy that you bring your best foot forward and give them the finished product. With me [as your editor], you have someone dedicated to your story, but also to your development as a writer,” Ellery says.
Her main goal is to help reinvent the publishing process so that writers can focus on what they love doing most, which is writing.
When asked for a piece of advice to all fellow writers, either writing their first or twentieth book, she told me: “Overwrite. You never know how an idea can change and grow, or how another person can see opportunity in the different pieces of your story.”
You can find Ellery’s service at her website, https://elleryedits.wordpress.com/.