Online for Authors Episode 7-5-25

Polish Your Manuscript: Top Editing Fixes Every Indie Author Should Make with Editor Katie Chambers

​In our recent episode of Online for Authors, I had the pleasure of chatting with Katie Chambers, a seasoned editor with a passion for helping indie authors fine-tune their manuscripts. If you're an author, especially a first-timer navigating the indie publishing world, this blog post is packed with valuable insights straight from our conversation.

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Meet Katie Chambers

Katie Chambers began her career as an English teacher, where her love for teaching found her delving into editing. Today, she is not only an editor but also runs an agency with a team trained in her signature editing style. Katie works extensively with indie authors, helping them polish their manuscripts to perfection.

Common Manuscript Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Katie highlighted several common mistakes that appear in indie manuscripts and offered practical advice for fixing them:

Dialogue Tags and Punctuation
One frequent mistake is confusion around dialogue tags. Remember, verbs of speech such as "said" or "yelled" should be followed by commas, while action beats like “laughed” require a period. Cleaning up these small errors can reduce editing costs and streamline the process.

Dangling Modifiers
Misplaced modifiers can create amusing yet confusing sentences. The key is to ensure the subject performing the action directly follows introductory phrases. Katie advises not to fear ING phrases; just use them correctly.

Ellipses vs. M Dashes
Use ellipses for trailing off and M dashes for interruptions. Distinguishing these in dialogue ensures clarity and reflects natural speech patterns.

Filter Words
Words like "realized," "thought," and "knew" act as narrative filters. Readers prefer to experience events directly. Scrutinize your manuscript for these filters and replace them to create a more immersive experience.

Big Picture Considerations

Info Dumping
Instead of overwhelming readers with lengthy expositions, weave necessary information into character thoughts and actions. This will keep your narrative engaging and fluid.

Head Hopping
Head hopping, or shifting perspectives within a scene without clear breaks, can disorient readers. Stick with one point of view per scene or use clear scene breaks when switching perspectives.

Show Don't Tell
Katie emphasized the importance of showing over telling to engage readers emotionally. 

Resources for Authors

Katie recommends invaluable resources for further learning:

Understanding Show, Don't Tell: And Really Getting It by Janice Hardy:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3SkmLzl 
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4krbN74

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3FnUogM 
Kindle: https://amzn.to/43pRRus 

As Katie succinctly put it, the cleaner your manuscript when it reaches an editor, the better the final product will be. Editing is not just about correcting errors; it’s about elevating your storytelling.

For ongoing writing tips, subscribe to Katie’s newsletter at Beacon Point Services, where she shares advice from industry experts. 

Happy writing!

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