About Ross Browne

Ross has been editing books since 1992 and managing operations at the country’s oldest freelance editorial firm since 1997. He has worked closely with hundreds of authors during his time with The Editorial Department, LLC and seen many projects through from first draft to final publication. He loves mysteries, thrillers, European crime novels, craft beer, music, and writing about writing. You can contact Ross directly at rsb@editorialdepartment.com.

Considering Historical Fiction At Its Finest Editor's analysis of plot, characterization, and handling of exposition in THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, by Ken Follett

[by Ross Browne]

If you’ve read any of Ken Follett’s work, it probably comes as no surprise that he was able to turn his own personal fascination with cathedrals and how they’re built into a damn good novel. But from a fiction technique viewpoint, what he done with The Pillars of The Earth transcends good and might be seen […]

By |2022-11-30T17:48:42+00:00|Historical Fiction, RSB, The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Considering Historical Fiction At Its Finest Editor's analysis of plot, characterization, and handling of exposition in THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, by Ken Follett

Considering Eight Bestselling Series in Crime Fiction What authors can learn from John Sandford, Lee Child, CJ Box, and others about how to cultivate a loyal readership

[by Ross Browne]

One piece of advice authors who write popular fiction often hear is that your odds of landing an agent and a traditional publishing deal can improve considerably when your novel is conceived as (or has the potential to work as) a series. This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys settling down […]

By |2022-02-16T17:55:55+00:00|Behind The Bestsellers, Genre, Getting Published, Mystery / Suspense, RSB, The Writer’s Craft, Traditional Publishing|Comments Off on Considering Eight Bestselling Series in Crime Fiction What authors can learn from John Sandford, Lee Child, CJ Box, and others about how to cultivate a loyal readership

Patience Required / Patience Rewarded Considering mystery writing craft in TROUBLED BLOOD by Robert Galbraith

[by Ross Browne]

If you’re a fan of JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith, you’re probably well aware how much longer her latest release is than the other four books in the series.

My own first reaction to the size of the hefty tome—darn near 1,000 pages in hardcover—was mostly: Terrific! More […]

By |2022-02-21T14:42:18+00:00|Mystery, Mystery / Suspense, RSB, The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Patience Required / Patience Rewarded Considering mystery writing craft in TROUBLED BLOOD by Robert Galbraith

CASINO ROYALE, by Ian Fleming: A Most Pleasant Surprise Considering thriller craft and the delights of the unexpected in the first James Bond novel

[by Ross Browne]

Up until last week, one notable blind spot in my reading life was Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. I loved the movies of the Sean Connery and Roger Moore era but, unimpressed by a later book in the series (written by one of four authors who took the helm after Fleming […]

By |2022-04-04T15:10:11+00:00|Book Reviews and Analysis, RSB, The Writer’s Craft, Thriller|Comments Off on CASINO ROYALE, by Ian Fleming: A Most Pleasant Surprise Considering thriller craft and the delights of the unexpected in the first James Bond novel

Paths to Publishing: Thinking Ahead A primer on traditional and independent publishing options for 2023

[by Ross Browne and John Robert Marlow]

Publishing has changed a lot in the 43 years since The Editorial Department opened its doors—and not necessarily for the better, in the eyes of many. But it’s nonetheless an exciting time to be a writer, in large part because when it comes to getting published, you have more […]

By |2023-06-08T15:12:55+00:00|General, Getting Published, JRM, Self Publishing, Traditional Publishing|Comments Off on Paths to Publishing: Thinking Ahead A primer on traditional and independent publishing options for 2023

Editorial Analysis: WRECKED by Joe Ide Considering the pros and cons of irredeemable antagonists in crime fiction

[by Ross Browne]

I’m not exaggerating when I say the discovery of Joe Ide’s IQ series made an often-awful 2020 more bearable. Wrecked is the third book in this series starring the fiercely intelligent but lonely and isolated Isaiah Quintabe (“IQ”), who on first glance might resemble a modern-day Sherlock Holmes of Long Beach. In this story, Isaiah […]

By |2022-02-15T18:20:56+00:00|Behind The Bestsellers, Mystery / Suspense, Recommended Reading, RSB, The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Editorial Analysis: WRECKED by Joe Ide Considering the pros and cons of irredeemable antagonists in crime fiction
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