Host Edith welcomes editor Jennica Dotson to discuss how she became an editor through internships and on-the-job learning, and to explain the differences between developmental editing (big-picture plot, structure, character, and worldbuilding), line editing (stylistic, line-by-line refinement, often including some copy work), and copy editing (grammar, punctuation, and typos). Jennica recommends discovery calls, approaching editors with a completed draft, letting manuscripts rest, revising before line edits, and staying open to edits while keeping authorial voice. They discuss time pressures in traditional publishing, expectations for more polished submissions, and the importance of language consistency (American vs British English). Jennica shares why she specializes in fantasy, notes trends like romantasy and misclassification issues, highlights indie publishing’s willingness to take risks, and describes how freelancers find clients through organizations and networking. She recommends “The Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo.
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:41 Becoming an Editor
02:57 Editing Types Explained
05:13 Offering Multiple Services
06:57 Preparing for an Edit
10:51 Handling Feedback and Revisions
13:24 Why Editing Takes Time
14:47 Traditional Publishing Pressures
17:12 American vs British English
21:59 Fantasy Niche and Specialization
26:01 Editor Challenges and Switching Off
29:47 Strange Manuscripts and Genre Talk
31:56 Holmes From Hudson
34:07 Retellings New Perspectives
34:55 Fantasy Trends Romantasy
38:02 Gender Marketing Bias
40:22 YA Themes And Limits
42:43 Indie Publishing Daring
46:17 Getting Seen Marketing
50:08 Recent Read Recommendation
53:31 Community And Editors
56:49 Wrap Up And Farewell
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