MORE THAN JUST CONSULTING

While most writers seek us out for help with matters involving the police, crime, and criminal procedure, we also perform copy editing or line editing on manuscripts.

Copyediting addresses technical flaws. Some call it an incredibly high-end proofread. As part of copyediting, we check:

grammar
punctuation
spelling
word usage
awkward phrases
missing words
typos
repetition
story details
tight writing
detecting ambiguous statements
checking internal consistency

Internal consistency means your plot, setting, and character traits do not change. For example, if you write on page 26 that Tim has a blue truck and then on page 32, the truck is now red, that's a lack of consistency. You might be surprised how often we see mistakes like that.

Line editing involves the manuscript's content and writing style on the sentence and paragraph level. It examines how you communicate the story--how you use language. Some of the issues we look for include:

confusing scenes

opportunities for tighter language

content that does not flow

unclear meaning

opportunities to omit needless words

awkward writing

We give you "two for one" by ensuring your details on crime, criminals, the police, and the criminal justice system are accurate and plausible while providing editing of your manuscript. We work hard so our clients are always satisfied with both aspects of our efforts.

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USING ONLINE INTERVIEWS TO PROMOTE YOUR WORK

An online audio interview is one way to publicize your book. Our client Susannah Sandlin describes her latest here including how we helped her with the law enforcement aspects of the book.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/circle-of-seven/2016/04/20/book-lights-with-debra-parmley-presents-susannah-sandlin

TASERS and other ECDS

I've written about TASERS and similar weapons in the past but after reading a suspense novel this week, it's time to mention them again.  

The book was great.  Well-developed characters with a plausible yet suspenseful story line.  The police procedures were portrayed accurately, but for one thing. The writer made the same mistake I have seen in three other novels in the last two years.  The hero is zapped with a "stun gun" which immediately knocks him unconscious.

Does't happen, folks.  Stun guns, or more properly, "electronic control devices" (ECDs) are extremely painful but they don't bring on a loss of consciousness.  And once the current stops, there is no further pain or discomfort.  When the current stops, the effect stops.

An ECD causes all loss of muscle control, so the person usually falls to the floor.  Then, during the moments when the person is still disoriented and in fear of another 'zap,' he can be contained, handcuffed, or whatever.

Less-lethal weapons like the TASER are frequently used by law enforcement agencies to overcome suspect resistance. They have saved the lives of officers and suspects alike. Agencies equipped with TASERs have seen a significant decrease in officer and suspect injuries. I often convinced a combative suspect to surrender merely by shining the TASER’s red laser aiming dot on his chest. TASER (all caps) is a trademarked brand name of a specific electronic control device.  The acronym stands for Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle.  While it is the best known ECD, there are other brands. Some models are marketed only to law enforcement; others are available to civilians.  The term "stun gun" is not used in law enforcement to describe these weapons.

If you need to knock your character unconscious, perhaps consider having his head hit something hard when he's targeted with a "stun gun."