Daniel J. Tortora

Resources for Nonfiction Authors

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

Posts tagged developmental editing

Writing a Family History with the Help of an Editor: Ryan’s Story

Writing a Family History with the Help of an Editor: Ryan’s Story

Writing a narrative family history book is more than organizing genealogical research. See how one author benefited from working with an editor.

Authors, Editing, WritingDaniel J. TortoraAugust 30, 2026book coaching, copy editing, developmental editing, editing, family history, grammar, line editing, manuscript evaluation, Chicago Manual of Style, parts of a book, writing

PhD-Level Tips for Writing a History Book That Isn’t Boring

PhD-Level Tips for Writing a History Book That Isn’t Boring

How to write a narrative history that general readers will love.

Authors, History, WritingDaniel J. TortoraJune 15, 2026author tips, family history, biographies, developmental editing, copy editing, manuscript evaluation, book coaching, writing, self-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, Chicago Manual of Style