Our top-selling book on self-editing techniques.

Founded in 1980 by Renni Browne, coauthor of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers and one of the most experienced book editors working in publishing today, The Editorial Department is the oldest full service editorial firm in the country.

We have 16 editors and screenplay consultants on staff providing consultation, editing, and publishing support services for writers and screenwriters. Our clients range from new writers seeking publication for the first time to veteran writers looking to take their careers to the next level. Our unique approach to helping writers realize their creative vision and be successful has earned us feature coverage from The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Writers Digest, and also "recommended" status by the Internet's top watchdog group for writers, Preditors & Editors.

Chevy Stevens, author of bestselling STILL MISSING:
One of the books most helpful to me during my writing process was Renni Browne’s Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. So much so that when I got my novel as far as I could on my own, but still knew I had a lot to learn, I submitted my first five pages to Renni. Her comments on those pages alone were so invaluable I decided to work with her. I’m very grateful I did. While I was writing Still Missing I read every writer how-to book out there and followed every writer forum online diligently, but nothing compared to learning from Renni. And that’s how I’ve always viewed it—learning. To me, Renni was my university education and she’s an amazing professor.

While studying Renni’s editing process, I learned to edit. By seeing what didn’t work, I learned what did. Renni always takes the time to explain why something isn’t flowing and is great at offering prompts to get you brainstorming solutions. She doesn’t pull any punches, which is important in itself. From working with Renni I came to understand that my book was a product, one I loved and believed in, sure, but also one that I had to be subjective about.

If we had an issue in the book that Renni felt someone else at TED was uniquely qualified to help with, she had no problem suggesting another editor for some additional feedback. Both Peter Gelfan and Shannon Roberts provided some excellent insights that helped me take my book to the next level. Ross Browne was incredibly professional when it came to any administrative matters and patiently answered my (many) questions about the process of working with TED, or even the industry as a whole. When you work with TED you genuinely feel you are all on the same team with the same goal in sight.

Renni is tough but in a good way. She’s also supportive, complimentary, encouraging, and funny as heck. When she tells you something is falling flat, she means it, and when she tells you she loves something, she means it. And when I say Renni Browne has been a wonderful editor, mentor, support-system, cheerleader, coach, and now someone I call a friend, I mean it

When we had a final draft of Still Missing Renni sent it to Mel Berger from the William Morris Agency—the first and only agent to read my novel. Renni provided lots of support during the submission process and was one of the loudest to cheer when I signed a three book contract with St Martin’s Press. My advice to any writer out there considering professional editing is to leave your ego at the door, keep an open mind, learn everything you can, and be willing to do the work. It can be a long road but it’s worth it!

Good Luck!

Chevy Stevens, Vancouver Island BC

This is just one of many testimonials available at http://www.editorialdepartment.com/testimonials.html

Chevy Stevens, Allen Ballard, Scott Pratt, Ann Brandt, Robert Carter, Ovid Demaris, Fran Dorf, Laura Fitzgerald, Erica Jong, Maurice Medland, Gloria Murphy, Stanley Pottinger, Chip Silverman.

For the most recent information on clients, book deals, and new titles in print, see http://www.editorialdepartment.com/blogs/tags/208/

STILL MISSING, by Chevy Stevens
INJUSTICE FOR ALL, by Scott Pratt
MONTANAMO, by Chris Leibig

STILL MISSING, by Chevy Stevens
ONE TRUE THEORY OF LOVE, by Laura Fitzgerald
ALOHA MAGNUM, by Larry Manetti & Chip Silverman
FLIGHT, by Fran Dorf

Our editorial staff comprises a team of dedicated editors, many of whom are published writers themselves with distinct areas of specialization and direct experience in mainstream publishing. More information about our staff is available at http://www.editorialdepartment.com/our-staff-.html