20 Book-Changing Insights from FriesenPress Editors (As Told to Our Authors)
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A great book doesn’t happen in isolation—it takes patience, persistence, but most importantly, a keen editorial eye. Each writer, no matter how experienced, benefits from expert feedback that challenges them to refine their craft. But what advice makes the biggest difference?
Rather than answer that ourselves, we turned to the people who know best: our authors. We asked them to share the most impactful editorial wisdom they’ve received, and their responses prove that editing isn’t just about fixing mistakes—it’s about unlocking a book’s full potential.
Whether you're deep in revisions or just starting your manuscript, these insights might be exactly what you need to help take your writing to the next level:
1. “Your reader has to understand what you are saying. As the author, you have all the background and know all the connections; your reader does not. Tell them what they need to know to enter your story, and tell it well.”
— Anne M. Smith-Nochasak, author of River Faces North
2. “Having an exciting bang-bang first chapter to capture your readers quickly.”
— Lee Walters MD, author of Microbial Mysteries: A Rocky Road
3. “To do more research. To explore all sources available to back up the factual details in my novel.”
— Michael Newman, author of Between These Walls
4. “Do a sensitivity check. Are you balanced when it comes to perspectives, points of view?”
— Donna M. Henningson, author of White Space, Gray Areas, & Black Swans
5. “I was told I have an authentic voice in my writing that would capture readers’ attention. That gave me confidence to be more open and vulnerable writing about mental illness, suicide, and grief in my memoir.”
— Nancy Morgan Mumford, author of Mindful of You
6. “She said to keep it personal, so I did, and it really worked!”
— Harold Munn, author of Faith in Doubt: How My Dog Made Me An Atheist And Atheism Made Me A Priest
7. “Reread your manuscript as often as possible. You will find better ways to reword sentences and flow. Punctuation and grammar changes over time so don't assume what you were taught in school is still correct.”
— Leonard Albert Paris, author of Jim Crow Also Lived Here
8. “Focus on your story and cut out what isn't needed.”
— Ross Klatte, author of Waiting for the Revolution
9. “Keep it simple! You don't need fancy words to express your thoughts and feelings. You read many books and you might come to enjoy a certain style. But don't copy it, learn from it.”
— Martin Groenewoud, author of Canada - Through My Eyes
10. “The best advice I received was to push myself beyond the confines of my literary comfort zone, to try new styles of writing that would allow for a variance in creative construction.”
— Michael Finelli, author of The Tears of Pan
11. “My writing was impacted when my editor taught me to read each sentence on its own, in a monotone voice. That helped me see the point I was attempting to get across to the reader.”
— Noelle Cormier, author of What Makes Your Heart Sing?
12. “Keep paragraphs and chapters short. This keeps the storyline moving and holds readers' interest.”
— Melanie Peacock, author of HR Can Be Murder
13. “To make it as accessible as possible to the widest audience, rather than using language or technical terms that are only known by a few.”
— Brenda May Whiteman, author of Unmet Needs Never Go Away
14. “To believe in myself. I had so much self doubt but my editor helped me push past that.”
— Katherine Brady, author of Stories at the Kitchen Table
15. “Keep a loophole for a main character to return, even from presumed death.”
— Don Bourque, author of The High Priestess
16. “While revisions are vital, my editor emphasized preserving my unique voice. The magic of writing often lies in what makes it distinctively yours.”
— Jean-Marc Guillamot, author of Leadership Through Hell and High Water
17. “She called my book ‘a lovely story,’ which gave me the warm fuzzies after being so focused on structure and craft and all of the things. It reminded me that this was a story, first and foremost, that I wanted to tell well.”
— Karen Lea Armstrong, author of Drownproofing
18. “We all have a lot to say, but always remember to break it down into manageable pieces.”
— Mandeep K. Atwal, LL.B, author of Noble Victory - A Family's Autism Journey
19. “Cut all unnecessary words. Less is more.”
— B.R. Bentley, author of The Blood Labyrinth
20. “My editor asked me to drop the first fourteen chapters of the novel in order to get to the real hook. I simply incorporated missing details where needed. It tightened my writing and kept it within the word count for the genre. It worked!”
— Antonia Giglio, author of The Scent of Lilacs
Books aren’t just written—they’re rewritten. The best editorial advice is more than following rigid rules, it’s about learning how to see your work with fresh eyes, take creative risks, and make decisions that serve your story.
Editing is where raw ideas become refined narratives, where hesitation turns into confidence, and where good writing transforms into something truly lasting. The advice shared with and by these FriesenPress authors prove that a great editor doesn’t just improve a book—they can help grow the writer behind it.
