On the afternoon of January 6, 2012 I was delighted to turn on CNN to see my valued client Ellyn Enisman on the show “Your Bottom Line” with anchor Christine Romans. Ellyn was discussing her book “Job Interview Skills 101,” which I had the honor to edit before publication. It’s always great to see one of my clients hit the national media scene! The book is now #37 on the Amazon list of “Job Hunting & Careers > Interview” books.
Edited by Thomas Hauck, and now available on Amazon, “RecruitCONSULT! Leadership” by Jeremy M. Eskenazi is an indispensable field guide for corporate talent acquisition leaders. It gives you all the tools you need for identifying, planning, developing, and executing a corporate staffing strategy that will meet or exceed strategic business objectives. The author is the founder and managing principal of Riviera Advisors, Inc., a premier global human resources consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop stronger internal recruiting and staffing capabilities. Working with organizations across virtually every industry, from start-ups to Fortune 500s, the company blends an unparalleled and real-world depth of experience with specific expertise in the critical area of talent management. 
Book editor Thomas Hauck serves corporate and individual authors with a wide range of editing and ghostwriting services. Contact Tom today for a free quote on your next book project.
Another terrific book that I edited and which is now on Amazon – “Supercharge Your CPA Firm” by Robert Fligel. Tired of serving the same old (and getting older) clients? Not getting the best rate you can? Feeling like you are competing against the faceless big guys? Management guru and CPA Robert Fligel shows you how you can take your pokey accounting firm and put a turbocharger under the hood and get moving! His advice is clear and straightforward, and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to get results. So why accept the same-old-same-old when you can do much better for yourself and your clients?
Thomas Hauck, book editor, provides his clients in business and finance with a full range of ghostwriting, editing, and proofreading services. Contact Tom today for a free quote.
Congratulations to my client Tabitha Jayne, who has just published her new book “Thriving Loss,” which I had the honor to edit. In this very special presentation of personal stories and empathetic advice, Tabitha, a certified coach, reveals how anyone can not only survive grief but thrive grief. When a loved one passes the pain of loss can seem overwhelming, and through her own deeply felt experiences and those of several women, Tabitha guides the reader to a new place of healing and positive energy.
Readers learn about the Tree of Transformation and how it can help transform one’s life. Included is time-tested advice on making a departed loved one a part of one’s life, celebrating happy memories, overcoming guilt, connecting with nature, and much more.
Tabitha Jayne is a leading expert in the field of grief and growth coaching, having first developed an interest in the topic following the sudden death of her younger brother. The founder of “Transform Grief. Live Fully. Thrive Loss” coaching and workshops, Tabitha is also the creator of “Tree of Transformation,” a five-step process that helps individuals fully let go of the pain of loss and create new lives full of peace, passion and purpose.
"Thriving Loss" by Tabitha Jayne
Thomas Hauck, book editor, helps authors write and edit their books in all genres including self-help, fiction, memoirs, and business books.
One of my clients is a very talented novelist who is writing a political thriller. He and his very dedicated literary agents are working diligently to offer the book to selected New York editors, gauge the responses, and then modify the book and their proposal before submitting the package to additional editors. It’s a smart strategy.
The editors who have read the book – or have started to read it – have offered a mixed bag of responses. Some say the characters are too thinly dawn. Others want more action up front. Others say they can’t identify with the protagonist.
There is no consensus, only a grab bag of contradictory feedback. It’s possible that the author is encountering an expectations gap. Editors, like readers, have a set of preconceptions about what they like and what they think will sell. If you meet those expectations, terrific. If not, you have a tough road ahead.
As any author knows, the query letter is key. It sets up expectations. These expectations must be fulfilled, or the editor will put the book down. Unfortunately, the word “thriller” comes with a set of images – nowadays in the form of Jack Reacher and/or Lisbeth Salander. If you’re not offering a domestic crime caper with a tough guy/tough gal protagonist, preferably one with crippling personal issues, you have some explaining to do.
Which brings us back to our query letter. There is a one-sentence format that every author should at least attempt to fulfill. This is the “When…then” formula. Here are some examples of this formula in action when applied to a selection of classic books on my bookshelf.
A. “When the warrior’s ship is blown off course, he faces a ten-year journey to return home and defend his wife against greedy suitors.”
B. “When a young London real estate agent is sent to meet a client in a mysterious castle in Transylvania, he faces an evil force more powerful than he could imagine.”
C. “When a young guitar player happens to meet a singer on the train, an unlikely partnership is formed that will change pop music forever.”
D. “When a boy and girl meet at a dance and fall in love, they unleash a bitter family conflict that threatens their lives.”
E. “When a newly divorced woman buys a bed and breakfast in a remote seacoast town, she discovers the true love of her life.”
The answers – A. “The Odyssey”; B. “Dracula”; C. “Life” by Keith Richards; D. “Romeo and Juliet”; E. Any one of a thousand books.
It’s a tidy formula: When some trigger event happens, then the protagonist faces challenges and/or opportunities. It’s like a door opening.
Literature is above all about the individual human experience. When your reader connects with your protagonist, you’ve got a companion on your journey.
Thomas Hauck, book editor, helps clients in Boston, New England, and around the world bring their books to the highest level possible. If you need help with your novel, memoir, self-help book, or business book, contact Thomas Hauck today.
I’ve edited hundreds of books and documents, and one of the issues that drives writers crazy is trying to figure out when to use “that” or “which” when either is used to introduce a dependent clause that modifies a preceding noun or pronoun. (See that? I used “that.” An argument with a grammarian may now ensue.)
Nowadays, editors try to use “that” for what we call restrictive clauses. This means that the information provided by the clause is indispensable. Here is an easy example: “The car that gets the best gas mileage is the one I’ll buy.” The phrase about the gas mileage is necessary to the sentence. You cannot remove it.
Editors try to use “which” when the information is non-restrictive or incidental. You don’t need it to understand the central meaning of the sentence. Here is an example: “The car, which gets great gas mileage, is the one that I will buy.” The part about the gas mileage is additional information about the car, but it is not absolutely necessary.
Most editors will use a comma before “which,” as I did in the preceding example. Editors will not use a comma preceding “that.”
Here is a trickier example: “I will buy the car which gets the best gas mileage.” If you put a comma in front of “which,” it looks wrong: “I will buy the car, which gets the best gas mileage.” A grammarian might insist that the sentence read, “I will buy the car that gets the best gas mileage.” This sentence suggests that there are a finite number of cars from which to choose – perhaps two or three.
Sometimes, to break a tie, I will check to see if the preceding noun is identified by “a” or “the.” If the sentence talks about “a car,” it is obviously one of many, and needs to be further identified. Here is an example: “A car that gets good gas mileage is inexpensive to operate.”
Contrast that with this example: “The car, which gets good gas mileage, is inexpensive to operate.” When you say “the car,” you have identified only one car, and so the information about the gas mileage could be omitted.
When you have written a book or report, it’s important to make sure that the grammar is perfect – or at least within the limits that grammarians argue about! At Thomas Hauck book editing, my goal is to bring your book to the highest level possible. Every year in the United States almost a million new books are published, both by traditional publishers and self-publishers. It’s a very competitive marketplace, and books that contain basic errors are quickly set aside. You need to let your ideas shine through, and the only way to do that is with the assistance of a qualified book editor.
Contact Thomas Hauck book editor today for a free quote and unmatched personal service. I’m located in Gloucester, MA, USA, and I serve clients throughout the United States and around the world. Let’s get your book looking great!
When people first meet me and I tell them that I’m a book editor and ghostwriter based in Gloucester, MA, which is an hour north of Boston, they often want to know who my clients are and where they come from.
I edit books for people all over the world, but primarily from the United States, England, and Australia. I have worked with authors and business clients in Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Singapore, and many other places. A sizable part of the Thomas Hauck editing business is with foreign clients who need their books to be in flawless US or UK English. This can be challenging – and you cannot outsource native English writing!
Many of my clients are individual authors who either have written, or are in the process of writing, a novel or memoir. I recently had the pleasure to assist an established author prepare his thriller novel for submission to publishers; his literary agent had many suggestions for the book and the very talented author, who was otherwise very busy, turned to me for quick ghostwriting of new material as well as editing with an eye to plot, character, flow, and point of view – all the ingredients that must be perfect for a novel to captivate the reader.
Many professionals turn to Thomas Hauck editing and ghostwriting services when they need to publish a book that will establish them as a leader in their field and attract new clients. My job is to position them as thought leaders and help them to connect with their market. I focus on the entire package – content, proofreading, line editing, formatting, and structure.
I edit quite a few self-help books. These are books that help people to lead better lives, and sometimes to change their lives dramatically. Self-help or advice books come in every variety. Some are very philosophical; some focus on health; while others are business oriented. Right now I’m editing a book for a UK client that shows you how to get the best deal when buying a car! A few weeks ago I edited a book that featured a deep philosophical and spiritual dialogue between a sea captain and an Indian mystic.
My clients find me on my website at thomashauck.net. They also find me on Elance and Guru, two excellent websites for a wide range of talent. My book editing and ghostwriting clients know that I’m always accessible by email, phone, or Skype. I never outsource any editing or ghostwriting project – not one word. My rates are discussed up front and there are never any surprises. A follow-up round of edits is always included at no extra charge.
No matter where in the world you may be located, Thomas Hauck ghostwriting and book editing can help you. I’m always just a few clicks away!
- From our offices in Gloucester, MA, Thomas Hauck provides professional book editing and ghostwriting services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. Contact Thomas Hauck book editor today.
Rocketing to the top of the Amazon lists is the inspiring memoir by Antonia “Toya” Carter, “Priceless Inspirations.” Toya is the star of the hit television show “Tiny and Toya,” but her early life was not easy. Abandoned by her parents as a child, she lived with a succession of family members as her mother sank deeper into drug addiction. Toya’s inner light shone despite her tough circumstances, and she developed a friendship and a romance with a talented fifteen-year-old hip-hop artist named Dwayne Michael Carter, known today ‘Lil Wayne. At the age of fourteen Toya had his baby, and with ‘Lil Wayne to assist her, Toya built a new life for herself and her family.
I had the honor to edit “Priceless Inspirations” prior to publication by Farrah Gray Publishing, Inc. The foreword was written by ‘Lil Wayne. “Priceless Inspirations” is a beautifully written book that any young person can read and see in Toya’s story a little of their own. With the right attitude, you can overcome life’s challenges and reach your dreams.
From our offices in Gloucester, MA, Thomas Hauck provides professional book editing and ghostwriting services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. For a free quote, contact Thomas Hauck book editor today.
Congratulations to my client Peter Andrew Sacco on the publication of his new horror thriller, “Midnight Eclipse,” now on Amazon and other retail sites.
It’s August in Northwestern Canada’s beautiful Hartley Bay. But as resorts are being built on ancient Native lands, the Native peoples are in conflict with land developers. Claire Sanders and her team of negotiators hope to resolve the problems. But there is a menace that none of them are prepared to face: the Flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship of vampires led by Captain Stefen Hiller, whose band of bloodthirsty ghouls descends on isolated communities to wreak havoc and horror. Ten-year-old Kyle Sanders, who possesses the gift of precognition, sees the Dutchmen coming to Hartley Bay. Just who is going to believe the boy’s warning? “The vampires are coming!”
I also had the honor to edit one of Mr. Sacco’s previous books, the YA supernatural adventure thriller “The Lost Fountain.” My best wishes to this very talented and prolific author.
From our offices in Gloucester, MA, Thomas Hauck provides professional book editing and ghostwriting services for authors in the Boston area, New England, the United States, and worldwide. Contact Thomas Hauck book editor today.
I’m a professional editor, proofreader and ghostwriter. Here’s a quick guide to the services I provide to my clients in Gloucester, Boston, the United States, and around the world. You’ll notice that in the text I use my own name once in a while. That’s just to keep the search engine bots happy.
Thomas Hauck Editor: Overview
I provide my valued clients with personal one-on-one service. I never outsource and I use no lower-priced assistants. When you become my client, I’ll provide you with:
· Original research and writing (for ghostwriting projects).
· Developmental suggestions about overall structure and flow.
· Line editing and proofreading with unmatched attention to detail.
· Professional formatting for submission to a literary agent or publisher.
· Assistance with your query or agency submission.
· My personal cell phone number.
· Confidence that your book is of the highest professional quality.
For projects over $250, it is a good idea to establish milestones. This provides you with confidence and protection because you are not committed to using my services beyond each milestone.
For example, let’s say you hire Thomas Hauck to edit your 80,000-word novel. The fee might range from $800 to $1,200, depending on the condition of your manuscript. Let’s say we agree on $900. We might agree on four milestones of $225 each:
1. Basic formatting and first 20,000 words.
2. Editing up to 40,000 words.
3. Editing up to 60,000 words.
4. Final editing and polish.
At each step, I deliver drafts for your approval. When editing, I use the Word edit tracker so that you can see every change. The process is collaborative and I welcome your phone calls or emails.
Thomas Hauck is represented on both Elance and Guru, and both services offer convenient escrow accounts. You pay into an escrow and release the funds only when a milestone is complete. This system offers a high degree of protection and confidence for both you and me.
Ghostwriter
When you don’t have the time or the expertise to write your book or report, Thomas Hauck can write it for you. I’ll work closely with you to bring your ideas to the printed page. Your book will be written based on your input and in your voice, and you will retain full copyright. The book may be sold or offered under your name alone. I will gladly sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
I’m proud of my track record of success. I’m happy to provide work samples and links to specific books on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and explain my role in creating the book. For example, I ghostwrote Judd Kessler’s phenomenally successful book Dangerous Law Practice Myths, Lies, and Stupidity. I’m proud to provide a link to the book on Amazon.
How is my fee calculated? Ghostwriters are usually hired on the basis of the word count.
E-books can be as few as 10,000 words. Non-fiction books, such as self-help books and memoirs, can be nearly any length above 25,000 words. For fiction, a short novel is generally between 50,000 and 80,000 words. A full-length novel is above 80,000 words.
Specifying the number of pages can be difficult, because the page count will vary depending upon size of the text, margins, and chapter breaks. However, for a typical document in 12-point Times New Roman with one-inch margins, you can expect to get about 500 words per page. So a document of 200 typewritten pages would be about 100,000 words.
Here’s an example of how page counts can vary. Ever read Tribes by Seth Godin? It’s a book of 147 pages. The pages are only 5 x 7 inches with about 25 lines of text per page and about 10 words per line. So the book is about 147 x 10 x 25 = 36,750 words. Probably less if you consider space taken up by headlines. And it is a best seller.
If you take your typical Tolstoy novel, it will be printed in 10-point font with 35 lines per page and 15 words per line. In a typical Tolstoy novel, 147 pages of text would be 77,000 words – almost twice as many as Tribes.
This is why it is always better to agree on a word count. It is measurable and there is no ambiguity.
I will always provide a price based on a flat rate for the project, or based on a price per word (say, ten cents per word, which is average). Thomas Hauck does not get involved with graphics or cover art; writing is a highly specialized occupation, and like most good writers, I just write.
Thomas Hauck, Editor
When you have a nearly complete book or report, I will provide editorial services. I’ll read the entire document and help you to organize and present your thoughts as effectively as possible. I may suggest adding material or deleting passages that aren’t effective. In this process it pays to have an open mind, because many authors are sensitive about their work and it can be difficult to be objective. I’m very easy to work with. You do not want an editor who is bossy and won’t explain why he or she favors certain changes. It’s your book and your name on the cover!
I will always give you a price in advance. Then, as the work progresses through the milestones, you review the results, and only when we are in agreement should you continue. There are never any surprises.
A full edit means that I work in partnership with you to develop and shape the text and the content. This is also called developmental editing.
A copy edit means that I will look at every aspect of your document. Does it make sense? Is it readable? I may ask to re-write sections or suggest changes. The “five Cs” summarize the copy editor’s job: Make the copy Clear, Correct, Concise, Comprehensible, and Consistent. I also provide formatting services so that your book or document has a professional look.
A line edit is when I ensure that every sentence reads properly, but I do not address larger issues of theme or continuity.
When deciding questions of grammar and punctuation, I use the Chicago Manual of Style. It is a highly regarded industry standard. But there are others, and you may specify which style you want to follow.
No matter which style you choose, the key is consistency. For example, if you choose to write out numbers below ten (one, two, three, as opposed to 1, 2, 3), this should be done consistently throughout the document. But in cases where there is some ambiguity, the bottom line is always readability: does it make sense?
Thomas Hauck, editor, will always work closely with you to preserve your voice and your personal vision. Your story is unique, and whether your style is chatty or hard-boiled or academic, I will always be in tune with your expressive voice.
Proofreader
For documents that are ready for publication, Thomas Hauck is an experienced and meticulous proofreader. I will check for mistakes of grammar and spelling, fact check, and correct typographical errors. I will not interject my editorial opinion about the content of your work.
No proofreader is more meticulous than I am. My goal is for your manuscript to have zero errors and to stand up to the most rigorous scrutiny.
I ordinarily use the Chicago Manual of Style for tricky questions of usage and grammar. I know correct punctuation (when to place a semicolon instead of a comma, for example, or the difference between an m-dash and a hyphen). I have a thorough knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar (when to say “ensure” rather than “insure,” or “farther” rather than “further”). These details are very important to any professional document. One needless mistake in your book may cause a reader to go elsewhere.
You can hire Thomas Hauck on a per-word basis or by the project. I will provide a firm estimate in advance.
My Invitation to You
Even if you are not sure which services you need, I invite you to contact me so that we can discuss how I can help you reach your goals. I look forward to hearing from you. Email me at thomasahauck [at] hotmail [dot] com, or use the contact form on my website.
Thomas Hauck
Author, editor, ghostwriter