About Me

I can edit that dream manuscript of yours for publication!  My name is Steve Fortosis and the weird last name is Greek. I have a Ph.D. and have taught on the university undergrad and graduate levels, but please don't let that scare you!  I'm just like you---I love a good book, I'd like to think I'm an okay writer, and I want people to benefit from the ways I can serve them.

Just a word about me personally. I grew up in Asheville, N.C. with terrific parents, three brothers and a sister. The most difficult event of my early teen years was losing my mom to cancer. But God is good and he has blessed our family in many ways. I am a born again Christian and not embarrassed to say so.

I edit manuscripts aimed for either Christian or secular audiences, but I don't work with manuscripts that contain profanity, explicit language, or teaching that is anti-evangelical. I read voraciously, love gardening and beautifying outdoor areas, and I'm a diehard Duke basketball fan. I'm married to a wonderful lady named Debra and we have two children and three grandchildren. We now live in North Port, Florida, and I divide my time between teaching, writing, editing, landscaping/gardening, and reading good books.

You will find my  books advertised on this website. Some are out of print, but you can still acquire used copies through Amazon.com or other such sites.  Other books are available new on many commercial book websites including Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, etc.

To paraphrase Updike, I don't aim for the New York Times bestseller lists. I write for that gawky, young farm boy in Iowa who treasures books and finds a worn copy of one of mine on a bookshelf in a little store in Cedar Rapids.  He takes it home, spends a few evenings with it, and goes away feeling a little closer to God, or a little better about himself, about life, and about what is to come.  Maybe someone like him will find and cherish your book in that way.  I hope so.

You Can Write!

 

I don't care if you're the rawest beginner in writing history. I'm here to help you succeed! I can assist with a wide array of fiction and non-fiction. I specialize in memoirs and life stories, but I also consider other types of non-fiction, children's stories, short-story collections and novels. Even if English is your second language and you don't write well at all, I'll be happy to check out your manuscript.

I can't promise that you'll land a literary agent or that your book will be a best seller, but you can be a published writer!  Even accomplished authors get rejected many times, but with other alternatives available today, you can still publish your book with no rejections and for a very reasonable price. I'll be honest---if I'm too busy to handle your manuscript, I may be able to refer you to a sharp, experienced editor.

    "Dr. Steve Fortosis was the right choice for editor of my book, 'Communicating Like Jesus.' He was easy to work with, never wasted my time, and gave more than just a proofread at a price I could afford!  Thanks, Steve!"

-Dr. Terrence Smith, Dean of Studies/Professor of Christian Ministries, Grace Evangelical College & Seminary

"Dr. Steve Fortosis has treated me and my manuscripts with patience and civility in a highly professional manner which exceeded my expectations. Without any reservations, I highly recommend him to anyone requiring editorial or writing assistance."        

 -Rev. Ankoma-Amoa

     "Steve Fortosis...edited, rewrote, and labored over my book as if it were his own. I met this man through the internet, and I wasn't sure because there are so many 'editors' listed on sites. But if you want honest help and sincere appraisal, I highly recommend Dr. Steve Fortosis."           

 -Fran E. Grubb

What I Offer


I offer help on six basic levels:

  • Critique/evaluation: If you've already decided you want your manuscript edited, you can choose to skip this step. This involves my reading your manuscript and giving you a brief evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses and a simple, comprehensive list of things I believe I can do to improve your project.
  • Proofreading: I correct your manuscript for spelling, punctuation, and grammar problems, but not for other potential problems.
  • Copy editing: I not only proofread, but reorganize. I may move sentences or paragraphs around and clean up awkward wording or run-on sentences, thus enabling your copy to read more easily and flow more smoothly.
  • Rewrite/development: You may need help with content editing---major aspects of overall structure, organization, character development, dialogue, pacing, conflict, storyline/plot, exposition, tightening of copy, etc. I help correct these important factors that can make a book really work. If you don't want any of your content to be modified or cut, then you probably don't want a rewrite.
  • Ghostwrite:  Ghostwriting can be similar in some ways to a rewrite, but I think it's sometimes more comprehensive. This process involves shaping your unorganized thoughts and experiences into a cohesive, attractive whole. Let's say that you're not a writer and may not even enjoy writing. However, you have a memoir or perhaps some truths you want to tell. You write it down roughshod and unpolished as it tumbles out of your mind. I take it from there and make it a quality, print-worthy manuscript.
  • Publishing alternatives: I can walk you through your various options for getting published. I can assist you in writing a book proposal, especially if your aim is to try to find a commercial publisher. We discuss the best ways to approach these publishers. We also look at the various options connected with self-publishing, print-on-demand, and subsidy publishing. You make a decision regarding which option would be best for you. I am not a literary agent and I don't market manuscripts, but I can help you make a publishing decision that best fits your manuscript and your aims.  While I've got your attention...if you're looking for a publisher right now, after reviewing many publishers, I've found that Outskirts is one of the best. Their customer service, their product, their marketing helps, their excellent array of publishing packages---everything smacks of their love for writers and the unique value they place on well written books. Click on their image below and take a look!

How do I submit my manuscript?

Well, first of all just fill out headings like those below regarding your own manuscript in an email to me. I hope the following example will help:

Email address: JoeBlow@aol.com

Type of lit:  Autobiography or Memoir

Brief Description: I grew up in the crazy 1960s and almost became a hippie. But my mom would have killed me, so I got drafted and went to Vietnam instead. The only good thing that came out of my Vietnam experience is that I found I loved to travel and have since been in twenty-eight countries. Besides the horrifying memories of Nam, I have had some extraordinary adventures throughout the world and this memoir tells all about it.

Level of editing: I'm a terrible writer. I just jotted everything in rough form and need a ghostwriter to form it into a book.

Approx. number of words: 39,000 words

Would like to self-publish:  Yes

* Free estimates: Fees are dependent upon your manuscript and the services you desire or need. You can pay by check, money order, or see Paypal on Contact page.

web counter

      

My Experience

I worked as a proofreader for the Lockman Foundation and then as a copy-editor for Insight for Living. Through the years, I have also edited pieces and whole manuscripts for friends and acquaintances. During the past few years, I've been working professionally as a ghostwriter, copy-editor, and proofreader. This is my livelihood, not a hobby, so I do charge fees. However, I think I'm quite reasonable compared to some free lance editors or ghostwriters. If I cannot assist for some reason, I may be able to find someone who can. God bless you.