Discover why the answer to hiring a book editor before querying isn’t a simple yes or no—and how to make the right call for your manuscript.

If you've finished your draft and you're thinking about querying literary agents, you've probably seen this advice: don't hire an editor before you query.

And while that's not wrong, it's also not the full picture.

Because the real issue isn't whether you hire an editor. It's whether you're solving the right problem in your manuscript.

In this episode, I'm breaking down what industry professionals actually mean when they give this advice, the different types of editing (and what each one really does), and how to tell whether your story is truly ready to query (or still needs deeper development).

We'll also talk about why so many writers get stuck in revision, what it looks like to revise with a clear plan instead of guessing, and how to tell if you're improving your sentences… or fixing your story.

This is what I talk about:

[00:47] Why the advice around hiring a book editor before querying is often misunderstood, and how it leads writers to focus on the wrong kind of editing.

[02:33] What literary agents are really evaluating when they read your manuscript—and why polished prose can't fix a story that isn't working.

[03:58] The difference between developmental editing, line editing, and copy editing, and why only one of these directly impacts whether your story works.

[07:45] The common revision trap writers fall into when they can't identify the real problem in their manuscript and how it leads to endless, unfocused rewriting.

[09:15] The 3 key questions to ask yourself before querying so you can tell whether your manuscript needs more polish—or deeper story development.

If you've been stuck wondering whether to hire a book editor or keep revising on your own, I hope this episode gives you the clarity you need to make a smarter decision.

And if you want help diagnosing what's actually not working in your manuscript, my 5-Day Revision Accelerator is designed to do exactly that.

In just five days, you'll identify your manuscript's biggest problems, prioritize what to fix, and walk away with a clear revision plan—so you can go into querying knowing your story is ready (not just hoping it is).

Sign up using the link below.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sign Up For The Revision Accelerator

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Are you revising the same chapters over and over, but nothing you change is actually fixing the problem?

Most writers go straight to the prose when their story isn't working. They tighten sentences, swap out words, and reread the same chapter over and over. And still, something feels off. But most first-draft problems don't occur at the sentence level. They occur at the story level.

In this episode, I share the 10 writing mistakes I see most often in manuscripts. Plus, I’ll give you the diagnostic question for each one so you can pinpoint what's holding your story back and know exactly where to start revising.

Here’s what I talk about:

[01:44] Why some stories start too early and how this common first draft mistake makes readers feel like the real story hasn't begun.

[05:59] The one question every strong story is built around, and how to tell if your manuscript is missing it.

[07:49] Why stories start to feel aimless when the protagonist doesn't have a clear, specific goal driving the action.

[12:10] Why tension collapses when your antagonist is weak or underdeveloped, even when they're present on the page.

[16:23] Why so many novels lose momentum in the middle, and the structural issue that usually causes it.

If you recognize some of these issues in your own manuscript, don't panic. Almost every first draft has a few of these problems. This is a normal part of the writing process.

Revision isn't just about making your sentences prettier; it's about strengthening the foundation of your story so readers can experience the tension, emotion, and meaning you intended. Once you clearly see what's happening in your manuscript, you can start fixing the right things in the right order.

That's exactly what The Revision Accelerator is designed to help you do. In just five days, you'll diagnose what's holding your story back, prioritize what to fix first, and walk away with a clear revision plan without the overwhelm. Click here to join us.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sign Up For The Revision Accelerator to diagnose what's actually holding your story back.

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

She wrote her first novel in 15-minute increments—in drive-through lines, at the dance studio, at swim lessons—while raising two kids and walking through one of the hardest seasons of her family's life. And she finished her book.

That's Jackie Henley's (pen name J.J. Henley) story, and I wanted to bring her onto the podcast because I know so many of you feel like life keeps getting in the way of writing your novel. Jackie's story is proof that it doesn't have to.

Jackie is a mom of two, a former teacher, and a long-time Bookstagrammer who spent years reviewing other people's stories before she finally decided to write one of her own. She went through my Notes to Novel program and finished her debut romantic suspense, writing most of it in small pockets of time between school drop-offs, swim lessons, and drive-through lines.

In this episode, she walks us through the whole journey, and I know you're going to find it incredibly inspiring.

Here's what we talk about:

[05:58] How beta reading a friend's novel made Jackie realize she could actually write her own and why seeing a story in its messy state changed her mindset entirely.

[15:14] Why Jackie resisted calling her book a thriller with a romance subplot and the ‘aha’ moment that completely changed her mind on this.

[23:07] How having a scene-by-scene outline made her 15-minute writing sessions low-stress, productive, and effective.

[28:13] What happened when her son stopped sleeping, her writing windows disappeared, and her family was navigating one of the hardest seasons of their lives (and how she kept going anyway).

[38:30] Her honest take on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, and what shifted her perspective entirely.

If you've been waiting for the right time to write your book, or if life keeps getting in the way and you're not sure you have enough time to actually finish, this one's for you.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Join The Notes To Novel Waitlist
• J.J. Henley / Jackie Henley on Instagram

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.