Spring is springing! It’s amazing how my mood improves as the weather gets warmer. With spring flowers and thunderstorms have come a flurry of new authors reaching out to me. Love to see projects blooming! (All that seeding from last month is returning my investment.)
With this season’s new crop of authors, I’ve started to notice a few trends in publishing not just related to AI. And I’m learning some new stuff, too! (I’m adding fiction editing to my skillset.)
Spring is a time for renewal and that final push before the summer life hits us. In the meantime, a few observations.
Beware: AI Marketing: Everyone is selling “AI MARKETNG”. But what does that even mean? Authors are inundated with ads these days to re-work websites, redesign marketing materials, and even review professionally created publishing proposals and declare them “bland and boring.” AI Marketing may work for you when it comes to writing website copy, but a professionally produced non-fiction book proposal is a different issue. A formal book proposal for a publisher has a very specific focus and function and is written in “business-speak” not “marketing-speak.” Snappy sales copy comes later once your book is signed and scheduled. While you may think the language is dull, your agent is selling a carefully crafted business proposition to that publisher with the knowledge of exactly what the publisher needs to build a business case for your book. So, don’t get sucked in by a slick AI Marketer who thinks they can do the job better by running it through Claude or ChatGPT.
Certified Human Authored? There still isn’t much consistency on what publishers consider acceptable AI use, but the Authors Guild thinks they have a solution. They’re expanding their “Human Authored” certification to non-members complete with a logo and seal you can use on covers and promotional materials. But what does it really mean? From their website: “The use of the Human Authored mark is restricted to books and other works where the text was written by humans, except for a de minimis amount of AI-generated text to accommodate uses of AI-powered grammar and spell-check applications and other minor AI use. Use of AI as a tool, other than to generate text, such as for research or brainstorming, does not disqualify a book, as long as the text was human written.” Other than mass generated AI work, this already maps to what most authors today are using, and yet, some members of “no AI at all community” are taking them to task. The program has rolled out to mixed results as publishing expert Jane Friedman notes along with the Author’s Guild response.
Top 11 Challenged Books of 2026: It’s that time of year again, that time when the American Library Association releases its list of the most challenged books in schools and libraries. There are some good ones on the list this year and an analysis of the few vocal groups who are driving these bans. Do you care what your kids read? Of course you do, but should you let your child explore reading on their own? I believe absolutely! It’s a big world out there and reading opens it up helping children understand people, places, and issues and be better prepared to make their own decisions.
Integrity and making it right (and the nature of screwing up): I screwed up a project in January. Or rather, I screwed up a proposal for a client that was just embarrassing. I have no excuse; only that I just didn’t do that last proofread. Names were misspelled, text was duplicated, and it mentioned a different project. Worse, it was a referral from someone who could be a trusted partner. The author called me out on it and rightly so. In the midst of my self-flagellation, I’ve considered a few lessons I learned as an executive leader. What would I do in a corporate situation? I mea culpa’d all day, not only to the client but also to the person who referred me. Was it with the intent of getting the book or begging for the business? Nope, but it was in hope that I could restore trust that was lost. In today’s world, we solo-practitioners get to decide how we want to do business and with what values and integrity. We all screw up, but when you do, take that extra step. Make that extra connection. It matters.
What Kind of Editing Do You Need? It’s worth a reminder to clarify that there are a host of different roles in publishing with the title “editor”. Each job has a different function and purpose and not all editors are good at each role. Costs, turnarounds, and other scopes of work can vary. As you’re planning through next steps on a project, keep in mind these differences:
*Acquiring Editor (also Sr. Editor or Executive Editor): This is most often an in-house role with a publisher. The acquisitions role is focused on working with agents and authors to identify new projects for publication, exploring outlines, content, titles, financials, internal presentations, and contract offers. The scope of the job may vary by publisher, but this is often your main point of contact in a book deal
*Development Editor/Consulting Editor: This editor helps you get your manuscript ready to publish. They will look at market position, style, tone, structure and your writing. Based on your goals, this editor is going to help you with everything from your front matter to solutions for awkward content constructions. They may also be a line editor (to get your writing squared away) offering you suggestions for needed chapter elements and missing content.
*Copy Editor: This editor focuses on grammar and style identifying issues ranging from sentence fragments to typos. Often, your publisher will handle this edit, but not always. It’s important to ask.
*Proofreader: This editor is focusing solely on proofreading your manuscript. They’re not just looking for missing commas or typos but also for formatting errors, incomplete sections, and if the book is already “in pages” for alignment, design, and layout problems.
*Production Editor/Managing Editor: Most authors never interact with this one personally, but they serve a critical role in the production of a book coordinating schedules, formatting manuscripts, and identifying all of the details that make a book come together as a professional project.
The Costs of Publishing: Authors hiring editors, we need to talk about money. I’ll be covering this more in-depth in future issues, but it’s important for authors – at any level – to start thinking about the reality of what publishing a book is going to cost. The publishing industry has changed a lot in recent years, and even traditional publishing deals come with costs attached, that is to say, you need to be prepared to hire your own editor to get your manuscript in shape. Additionally, and higher levels, agents expect authors to have a finished, polished book proposal which is like lengthy formal business plan for a book, often prepared by an outside writer. If you need editorial help writing your book, that can be another significant cost. For a reputable hybrid publisher, you may also be expected to deliver a copy-edited and/or proofread manuscript as well as an up-front fee. And if you’re self-publishing, you’re shouldering the costs of all of these editors plus page design, cover design, layout and even indexing.
Lately, I get the sense that a few authors I’ve spoken to seem surprised by costs. The sticker shock? Not just the cost of my own services but the editorial costs to deliver a finished manuscript to a publisher or complete a proposal with an editor hand-holding them through the process. Publishing a book – at any level – is an investment for the author that may or may not earn. It’s important for authors to look at goals for publishing and prepare themselves for the reality of editorial costs. For my part, I’m going to start talking about money much sooner in the screening process. I think it will be useful to know expectations — and also to guide them into understanding what a book editing — from positioning to titling to developing to line editing to coaching — costs.
Need a problem solver? I do more than what a book editor does. I’m a fixer. A coach. An editor. A writer. And sometimes I’m a problem-solver. From manuscripts that need to be just a little better to book concepts that need re-inventions to producing and packaging your entire book, I’ve already got some great challenges lined up for 2026! My reminder? It’s never too late new experiences, and when you get nervous, just remember what you know. You know how to do this!
Web: connectorcreator.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneewilmeth/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feedmedrinkme/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/145293696-renee-wilmeth
What I’m Reading: Don’t you love that feeling when you’ve read a string of books that just knock your socks off? I’ve just finished a great run including Stephen King’s 11/22/63, Dan Jones’ Lion Hearts (#3 in the Essex Dogs Trilogy), and Caro Claire Burke’s hit Yesteryear.
Connecting. Creating. 
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