Make your novel manuscript stand out to publishers, agents, and readers.

Kristina: When I was little, I decided that when I grew up, I was going to work at a job where I got paid to read all day long.

And at first I thought I wanted to be an author myself. Or maybe a librarian, but as I got older, I realized they didn't get to read all day long. They had to do other things. But when I went to college, I realized that if you're editing books, you do get to read all day long and get paid for it. And so that's kind of how I decided to become an editor.

Me: You do both manuscript editing and evaluations. Explain the difference between the two.
Kristina: Manuscript evaluation is basically an overview of a manuscript. I just go through major trends or issues that I'm seeing in a work. I'll look at where their characters are working, if the plot is working, if the pace is working.

With editing, I actually do several different kinds of editing. I do developmental editing, which is basically the in‐depth version of a manuscript evaluation. I'll still look at the same big picture items, but instead of just one editorial letter for the whole book, I also give extensive chapter by chapter feedback within the manuscript.

I also do line editing, which is more clarity of the words and organization. It's more than artistry and one of my favorite parts.

Me: What have been some of your favorite manuscripts that you've edited or evaluated?
Kristina: I love almost every project, but I had the chance to line edit Rhythm of War, which is book four in the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. That was such a fun and challenging project because there's such a huge world and the characters are so complex. And it was really, really fun to help refine the language and get it just right to fit the characters and what was happening.

And then I really enjoy one of my favorite authors, Janci Patterson, who is also co‐authored with Brandon Sanderson with his Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series, and wrote the last book in the series, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians. She also wrote in his Skyward series and has a lot of stand‐alones of her own. She is just a delight to work with. I love her work and love working with her.

Me: In your opinion, why is it important for an author to have someone else with your expertise take a look at a manuscript and, and give the author that additional insight before they try to publish it or send it to an agent or publishing house.
Kristina: As the author, you know the story you're trying to tell. It's all there in your head. You know everything. You know their motivations. You know why they're doing the things they're doing and where you're going. But even the very best authors don't always get that on the page right away.

A professional opinion can help you see that maybe their motivation isn't clear, or there's a plot hole. Having that professional opinion can really help you pinpoint where things are working the way you want them to and where they're not quite there yet.

Me: What are the main things you look at when evaluating a manuscript?
Kristina: The first thing I always look at is character. I want to know if the characters are working. If their motivations and interactions make sense. With fantasy and sci fi, I look a lot at the worldbuilding, making sure that's clear. I look at if the voice is working. I look at plot and make sure that everything's coming together and it's making sense.

Me: What are some of the most common mistakes that authors make?
Kristina: They forget to make all of their characters fully fleshed people.

Me: How do you suggest to them to make sure they are fully fleshed out?
Kristina: A great way is to make sure that they're reacting to things and acting like a person would. A lot of times you can drop in your own life. How would I feel right now if this was happening? How is this feeling coming out in the way that they are acting, the details your character is noticing, like, if they're afraid, do they stop breathing for a second? How does that feel in their body? Add in the emotion. Those are things that you can convey on the page to make people feel more real.

Me: What are some of the most important things an author can do with their story to make it stand out and engage readers?
Kristina: Like what you're writing. Write what you want to read. If you're excited about what you're writing and the story that you're trying to tell, it's going to be a lot easier to translate that to the page and to make it stand out because it's something you're passionate about.

Me: Any other advice you'd like to give?
Kristina: Writing groups are super helpful. But it can't just be anybody. It's super helpful to have people who read in the genre that you're working in. You need somebody who's willing to say, this isn't working and this isn't working. And then you also want somebody who is a great cheerleaders because publishing is hard for even the most seasoned writer. It's great to have advice on your manuscript, but in the end, you are the author. It's your decision. It's your story.

* To see and hear all the other wonderful advice and insights from Kristina, watch the full interview at www.kenbakerbooks.com/expert_kristina_kugler.html

To inquire about manuscript edits or evaluations, visit Looseleaf Editorial & Production or contact Kristina directly at kristina [at] kuglerworld [.com]