Editing
My greatest strength as an editor is in helping writers find and strengthen their stories. Not to be confused with "plot" or even "structure," story is the beating heart of any written work. It's the journey. It's the meaning and also the moral. It's what keeps readers turning pages, what keeps them engaged.
It's often said that a story has happened when the protagonist changes. I say that in successful storytelling it's the reader who's changed. We're different after we've read a story that speaks to us or moves us. It's that powerful.
If you're aiming for that kind of meaning in your work, I can help. I don't impose my ideas, style or aesthetics onto my clients' work; I decipher your text to uncover deeper meanings and make connections you may not have known were there. I help you find the story that's struggling to get out, the one your subconscious had in mind when it pointed you in that direction to begin with. I can also tell you whether your story is working for (or against!) the reader, and how to fix it.
I primarily work with novelists, but the same principles apply to memoir and some dramatic non-fiction.
My fees vary from project to project. If you're interested in exploring working together, we'll talk for long enough (by phone, Zoom or in person, if you're local) for me to get an idea of the scope of the project. Then I'll quote you a price and provide a description of the services I'm offering for that price. It will be a total price for the project, not an hourly or per word rate, so that you'll know, going in, what it's going to cost. There is no cost for the initial consultation and quote.
Please note that I don't do line editing or proofreading. I also make no claims about my ability to help you get published. My goal is to help you make sure your writing is the best it can be when you send it out.
If you'd like to talk about editing help with a specific project, please send me an email or fill out the form on the Contact page.
"Unlike other editors I have encountered, I find Karen to be both insightful and incisive, working with me to fulfill my own literary intentions and goals (not her idea of what they should be). She puts her ego aside and concentrates on the work itself. She is exceptionally adept at figuring out where my writing is headed, and suggesting ways (that I had not considered) of getting there. I definitely recommend her."
"Karen Ford guided me through the writing of my first novel with a focus on story, character development and detail. Her insightful feedback drew back the curtain of what I was trying to say and allowed me to rely and develop my own voice in the telling. She is a gifted writer, a keen observer of the human condition and an extraordinary editor."
