I’m a professional independent editor with a global client list, working with both traditionally published and indie published authors and specialising in fiction editing, particularly developmental editing. I’m also a writer, regular columnist on writing and editing in the national press here in Ireland, and the author of the hugely popular Self-editing for Self-publishers, which has helped countless beginner and more experienced writers hone their own manuscripts. I’m a Professional member of the CIEP in the UK, full member of the AFEPI in Ireland, approved supplier member of ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors), an affiliated editor with writing.ie, the Irish writing website, and an Approved Editor with PubLaunch, the Canada-based online publishing crowd-funding website. I also help moderate one of the most popular Facebook writing groups, Ask a Book Editor.
As a writer, I’ve been down the rejection path with agents and publishers, so I know what it’s like. I also know that the most frustrating thing about being rejected by an agent is that they rarely tell you why, normally just sending a generic “This doesn’t fit with our list” comment. Don’t feel too bad. Sometimes it really is a “It’s not you, it’s me” moment. They’re really just not looking for a book in your genre right now. But if you’ve taken the time to research your agents, you’ll know that they are looking for books of your genre, so why didn’t yours fit the bill?
This site aims to explain to authors why they might be being rejected. I’ll analyse your opening few pages, and tell you what, if anything, might have put an agent off. It will, as it develops, become an archive of such advice, hundreds of different openings, with all sorts of different problems. If you can spare the time to have a read through the archive, you will get a huge wealth of free advice on writing, searchable by rating, genre and issue raised.
Many thanks to the authors who submit here. Without their passion to learn, and their courage to do it in public, the site couldn’t function.
