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Please note that due to the number of emails I receive, I can no longer give free advice or answer questions for writers who are not clients. Please consider my shorter service options or check out the free resources available on my blog.
Ellen Brock 
Good morning Ellen, hope you doing good today. First I want to thank you for your time and advices you are giving us, they are very helpful. My name is Mario del Valle, I just find a Publishing House for my first fiction novel; however, since I started college, I find a way how to write better. I’m trying to rewrite my book, but the publishing house said I can add a plot but they can’t edited anything else. Before I summitt the book to them, a freelance editor, edited for me, and the publishers haven’t do any change on it. Maybe is well edited, but I think they shouldn’t charge me the full amount. They said, they just finished the copy and the line editing parts. Its been 4 months aince I began working with them. Still, they are an A+ publishing house “Fulton Books”. I don’t want to loose them, but at the same time I think they should edit any plot I add since they haven’t work in the editing part from my first freelance editor. If you want I can send you how is edited and how I rewriting it with a voice and you judge.
Please in your free time let me know what you think. Thank you Ellen, and have a blessed day.
Fulton Books is a company that assists with self-publishing. They aren’t a traditional publishing company. The only advice I can really give is to look through your contract or terms of service to see what exactly you’ve paid them to do.
This website does not give them a positive review: https://selfpublishingadvice.org/allis-self-publishing-service-directory/self-publishing-service-reviews/
I hope you can resolve the situation!
Hello Ellen, my name is Mikahla Waybright. I have recently come upon your YouTube channel and very much enjoy and appreciate the things you have to say. I am working on a novel currently, but must admit that it is mostly in my head at the moment. I have written a few scenes, including the ending, the first two chapters and some twists/deaths, but other than that have not gotten much of it down. I have, however, written short stories over that past year to keep myself from getting rusty, and was just wondering if you include short story critique in your editing services. Since I mostly would like feedback on my writing style and the flow of my writing, it is not overly important that the feedback be from my novel in progress. Thank you so much.
I’ve watched about eight of your boot camp videos (so far) and I’m bound to say it’s the best practical advice on novel writing I’ve ever encountered. My question is: How did one so young become so wise?
I have wondered the same thing. She is brilliant. ❤
Ditto
Hi Ellen, Thanks for the unboxing video and Toby … he’s delightful too. I was wondering what your opinion is on all the editing software out there? Grammarly, Hemingway, etc. (BTW, I’m writing this with Grammarly, and it’s already caught some mistakes). While they appear to be wonderful apps, I sometimes feel they affect the writing adversely – altering the feel of scenes. It would be great to hear your review. Also wondering if you have a list of agents you work with? Thanks again for all your hard work on this site, it’s been invaluable advice. Loved the bloopers as well!
Hi Ellen, I wanted to thank you for all of your writing advice. I’ve watched the videos concerning plotting your novel numerous times and I have to tell you, they offer the best practical advice that I’ve ever heard. Plotting never made sense to me until I watched your videos. Again, I offer a huge THANK YOU!
Hi Ellen,
Brian Douglas here again, I want to be completely honest: Your evaluation of most, (85+%), of the writers you critiqued, was very negative. I most certainly understand that writing is a hard business. However, as an editor, your role should be that of encourager and champion rather than one of demise. I must confess that the positive, cheerleader of writers that you purport throughout your website, and the critic I see in your evaluations seem to be two different people. Either those who submitted were primarily very weak writers (and reading their submissions, many were clearly not), or you were far too judgemental for someone who earns her living off of the avails of others.
Please feel free to respond.
Most sincerely,
Brian Douglas
I understand that this comment was meant for Ellen, but I feel as though I should respond.
I was one of the people who got feedback on my 500 words, and it was really the first time I had ever gotten good, hard critique on my writing. It wasn’t horrible degrading comments, but it was honest and didn’t beat around the bush. Yes, I was disappointed that I had so much room to improve, but I was also incredibly thankful and relieved that I had finally gotten the truth from a professional. Her job is to inspire writers, yes, but when it comes to the editing she can’t afford to sacrifice honest critique for niceties.
I feel the same way Mikahla. Thanks, Ellen for all you do to help the beginning novelist. I also received your feedback, and have put your comments into action. Thanks again.
I too know this was directed towards Ellen, but I don’t feel that a freelance editors job is to make me FEEL like I am doing well, but instead her job is to tell me where I am off track and how to fix it., so that I can actually DO WELL. You see, I want to get published. I want to hear the tough junk from my freelance agent, so that I can actually get a legitimate agent who can get me a legitimate book deal with a legitimate publisher. I don’t mean all self publishers, because som are brilliant with brilliant manuscripts, but the reason many want self publishing has to do with the former name self publishing companies were known by—VANITY PRESS. Yes, I would pay Ellen to tell me my work is rubbish and direct me into how I can—piece by piece—become brilliant.
This is my first time to this site and I felt compelled to respond to this comment. Let me say first that I have not seen the critiques that you are writing about, so my opinion is admittedly not fully informed. However, if I had a dime for the number of sugar-coated, kitten gloved critiques I have received over the years, I would be a wealthy man. I think I speak for many when I say that when I ask somebody for a critique, I am primarily interested in what doesn’t work. I have found little to no value in writing groups and classes over the years because of this infatuation with inflating everybody’s self esteem and trying not to hurt anybody’s feelings to the point where nobody gets any productive feedback. The last writing group I brought a piece to, I specifically asked for honest feedback even if it was bad and said “you won’t hurt my feelings” and still ended up with absolutely nothing of value. When I want somebody to look at my writing and tell me how unerringly wonderful it is, I’ll show my wife. Until then, I’d much prefer there be more Ellen’s in the world. Thanks for encouraging me to use her.
I think your workshop comments are constructive.
Your videos and your workshops are by far the best resource available for authors.
Thank you very much for the time and effort that you put into helping us. It appears that all but one agrees with me.
Hi Ellen.
Here is an easy Thai recipe for you. My way of saying thank you.
Serves: 4 (recipe can be halved.)
Ingredients:
Thai Jasmine rice
1kg of minced pork
7 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 whole bunch of fresh basil leaves
1 hot birds eye chilli (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce (“Squid” brand is good)
2 tablespoons of light soy sauce (“Pearl River Bridge” brand is good)
3 tablespoons of oyster sauce (“Ayam” brand is good)
Method:
First put the rice on to cook
In a hot wok.
A splash of oil.
Sauté the garlic.
Add the minced pork and stir until nice and brown.
Add the sauces.
Stir constantly and let it cook down for a few minutes.
Pluck the basil leaves and stir in at the very end.
Don’t over cook the basil.
Add a bit of finely chopped chilli (to taste) and stir in.
Serve on a bed of Thai jasmine rice. (“Golden Phoenix” brand is good)
Note: This recipe works best if you use Asian brands from an Asian grocery shop.
Thanks! Sounds great!
I got so much more from just subscribing than I ever expected. I have been listening to your Youtube videos night after night. I have definitely bookmarked your site. I am on my fourth re-write and maybe the fifth tile change. More as it progresses.
Thank you for all the teaching you are providing.
This is just a quick question, Ellen. But, would you say that your world building bible could be easily adapted to creating an entire universe as opposed to a single world within that universe?