Daniel J. Tortora

Resources for Nonfiction Authors

115+ articles for authors on writing, publishing, and book marketing—by nonfiction editor and book coach Daniel Tortora.

Posts tagged developmental editing

How Many Words Should Be in a Chapter When Writing Nonfiction?

How Many Words Should Be in a Chapter When Writing Nonfiction?

Average chapter length for nonfiction books, with author advice from an editor and book coach.

Authors, WritingDaniel J. TortoraFebruary 2, 2026author tips, book coaching, developmental editing, first draft, word count, writing

Tips for Hiring a Book Editor on Reedsy Marketplace

Finding a good book editor on Reedsy Marketplace: 8 tips for authors.

Authors, Editing, WritingDaniel J. TortoraDecember 30, 2025author tips, book coaching, copy editing, developmental editing, editing, line editing, first draft, manuscript evaluation, nonfiction, proofreading, Reedsy, self-publishing, writing, traditional publishing

Steps in the Traditional Publishing Process

Steps in the Traditional Publishing Process

The traditional book publishing process, broken down step by step, by a nonfiction book coach.

The Best Books for Editors

The Best Books for Editors

Recommended books on book editing—fiction and nonfiction.

Authors, EditingDaniel J. TortoraJune 22, 2025Amazon, book recommendations, copy editing, developmental editing, editing, first draft, gift ideas, line editing, manuscript evaluation, proofreading, self-editing, self-publishing, The Chicago Manual of Style

Nonfiction Book Proposal Sample Chapters: Tips and FAQs for Traditional Publishing

Nonfiction Book Proposal Sample Chapters: Tips and FAQs for Traditional Publishing

Read this if you’ll be sending sample chapters when pitching your nonfiction book (query or book proposal) to a traditional publishing company.

Authors, Writing, Publishing, CoachingDaniel J. TortoraJune 6, 2024agents, author coaching, book coaching, book proposal, copy editing, developmental editing, traditional publishing, big 5, nonfiction, publishers

The Different Types of Book Editing: Which Type of Editor Should You Hire?

The Different Types of Book Editing: Which Type of Editor Should You Hire?

Here are the different types of book editors and how to know which one you need.

Authors, Editing, Writing, PublishingDaniel J. TortoraMarch 2, 2023editing, copy editing, developmental editing, manuscript evaluation, first draft, self-publishing, traditional publishing