Interview with Pro Editor, K.C. Harper
When I wrote my first full-length manuscript, I needed professional editing. My husband did some online research and found K.C. Harper for me. He said her rates seemed reasonable and that I should reach out to her. I’m so glad I took his advice! Being so green, I had no idea what to expect from the experience. What I got back a month later truly made my novel better in every way. I decided I had to interview Kelly to hopefully shed some light on what newer writers can expect from pro editing, but also introduce seasoned writers to Kelly.
Kelly doesn’t just edit, although I hope she never quits altogether! She is also a soon-to-be published author! Her new book, Marked for Grace, will be released in March of 2023! I am so excited to see this milestone for her!
The whole experience working with Kelly was phenomenal. I don’t get paid to say any of this, but rather, I want to be the bearer of great news. I’m serious! When I have a wonderful experience, I want to share it. If you need editing, but don’t have a several-thousand-dollar budget, reach out to her on Twitter and see if she can help you out. In the meantime, sit back and let’s get inside the head of a professional editor. If you’re anything like I was at the beginning of my writing career, you spend a fair amount of time wondering if professional editing is a luxury or a necessity. I’m hoping this interview will clear up that question for you!
LW: Can you introduce yourself to my subscribers?
KH: My name is Kelly Harper (pen name is K.C. Harper). I’m a writer of paranormal romance and fantasy romance and also a developmental and line editor. My literary agent is Helen Lane and my debut novel MARKED FOR GRACE is set to be published March 7th, 2023.
LW: What made you decide to pursue editing, and where did you get your training?
KH: I decided to pursue editing because I truly enjoy helping people. For me, it’s not just about helping them fix what isn’t necessarily working in their manuscripts but teaching them exactly why it’s not working so they can better understand what’s needed as they move forward with their career.
I took creative writing classes from a local college, hired multiple editors, and took a developmental editing course from UCLA. I’m a believer in seeking knowledge. I’m never done learning.
“…developmental editing helps with big picture issues; plot, pacing, stakes, character development, show vs. tell, tone, and structure. While line editing targets what’s working at a sentence level.”
~ K.C. Harper (on professional editing)
LW: Can you explain what professional editing does and does NOT provide to a writer?
KH: One of the most common misconceptions with the word ‘editing’ is that people associate it with fixing grammar. While that is a part of the copy-editing process, developmental and line editing focus more on big picture and sentence level flow (respectively).
To be more specific, developmental editing helps with big picture issues; plot, pacing, stakes, character development, show vs. tell, tone, and structure. While line editing targets what’s working at a sentence level. Does the structure of the sentence work? Does it flow? Does it affect the pacing? Is it passive phrasing?
KH: Are you taking new clients? If so, what is your turnaround time these days?
Yes, I’m always taking on new clients. Right now, I’m booking one to two months in advance. For full developmental and line edits, my turnaround time is usually four weeks from the agreed upon start date. It can take anywhere from one to two weeks for the partial packages. If interested, my pricing can be found at www.kcharper.com.
LW: What are the most common things you see “wrong” with the manuscripts you receive?
KH: The most common issue I see is a lack of tension and emotion on the page. Tension and emotion are the two things that will make a book a page turner. Together, they create that need to know what happens next and grant readers the ability to relate to the character. Most authors are good at explaining why their character behaves a certain way, but it’s also imperative to know how what’s happening makes them feel. It’s critical to any story. Emotion is what readers can relate to. Readers might not know what it’s like to be a part of a heist or have someone try and to kill them, but they can understand fear.
LW: Have any books you’ve edited gone on to do well?
KH: I’ve had several of my authors receive agent requests and one who signed with an agent and is also set to be published soon.
“Most software programs can absolutely be helpful with things like grammar and even passive phrasing, but they won’t tell you if your character arc is strong, if the emotional pull and stakes are powerful enough to hold the reader, if the pacing flows or stalls the story.”
~ K.C. Harper
LW: There’s a debate among writers on how important professional editing is, especially with certain software programs like ProWritingAid available. Can you tell us why professional editing gives writers an edge?
KH: Most software programs can absolutely be helpful with things like grammar and even passive phrasing, but they won’t tell you if your character arc is strong. If the emotional pull and stakes are powerful enough to hold the reader, if the pacing flows or stalls the story. You’ll need a practiced eye to assess the overall manuscript.
LW: What kinds of packages do you offer?
KH: Packages:
Query, synopsis and first chapter.
First three chapters.
Full developmental edit.
Full developmental and line edit.
LW: You’re not only an editor, but also a writer. Can you tell us about your fiction work? What do you have in the pipeline right now? (Also, can you add detail about your querying process and journey to finding an agent?)
KH: MARKED FOR GRACE is an adult paranormal romance. Here’s a brief blurb:
What if the dead hunted you?
As an untrained soul seer, Grace Crawford has not a damn clue what they want. After she finds a mark on the dead that kills the living, her quest to stop whoever unleashed it hones in on the half-demon Gideon. She’s got her eye on him, and he’s got his on her too—every inch of her. As the mark haunts humanity’s steps and the death tolls climb, Grace realizes she’s in way over her head. But the lines between good and evil are blurred and figuring out who to trust is hard as hell seeing as God is capable of wrath and Satan was once an angel.
I’m on submission with my agent for my other adult pnr, MOONLIGHT AND SHADOW and am also editing an epic fantasy romance titled UNEARTHED.
I started querying in November of 2019. I queried four manuscripts before finally finding my agent. Each manuscript I sent out roughly 40-60 queries.
LW: Kelly, I used your editing services for my first manuscript. I was very happy with your suggestions. Can you leave us with any quick tips or ideas on how to present the cleanest manuscript to you for editing?
KH: My best suggestion is to find a strong writing group or CPs who read in your genre. People who read the genre have a better sense of the norms of that genre, what works, what doesn’t, etc. It’s always important to be watchful of prescriptive editing (when someone tries to insert what they’d prefer, rather than what’s best for the story). A good rule of thumb with betas/CPs is that if one person says something’s an issue, listen and consider it, but if two or more people point out the same thing, it’s likely a problem.
