A Chat with Developmental Editor Anita Mumm

Published February 17, 2026

by Deborah L. Brewer

Your story’s been drafted, organized, focused, read by other eyes, and then polished. You love it! You want to start sending it out and racking up rejections on the road to that big yes, but you’re worried that it might not be “enough”—even for a no. Surely it doesn’t need to be perfect, but you don’t want to embarrass yourself either. How do you know your manuscript is ready?

 Meet Anita Mumm

Anita Mumm is a writer and developmental editor based in Salida, Colorado. At her editorial firm, Mumm’s the Word, she supports first-time novelists and bestsellers alike. Her clients have earned top spots on The New York Times bestseller list and received acclaim from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, and others. Previously, she handled submissions and foreign rights at Nelson Literary Agency. She has more than two decades of teaching experience at colleges, writing workshops, and retreats across the country. Currently, she teaches in correctional facilities as an adjunct English professor in the Adams State University Prison Education Program and for the nonprofit Unbound Authors. Her writing focuses on the natural world and has appeared in Twenty Bellows, Colorado Central Magazine, and the anthology The Alma Journal, a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. In 2023, she was The Colorado Sun’s inaugural SunLit Writer-in-Residence. She received her MFA from Western Colorado University.

Q & A

Debby: Welcome, Anita. We’re looking forward to your sessions on editing at the upcoming Pikes Peak Writers Conference in April 2026. Thank you for sharing your insights.

You worked at a literary agency before becoming a freelance editor. How does a writer know when it’s time to submit their work to agents and editors?

Anita: Thank you for having me here on the blog and at the conference. I’m looking forward to it!

This is a great question, and one that I get asked a lot. There’s no tried-and-true rule for, but the short answer is “when it’s the best that you can possibly make it.” How do you know you’re there? Get some fresh eyes on your manuscript. We’re too close to our own work to see weak spots in the worldbuilding, or plot holes that were accidentally introduced during that umpteenth revision, or any number of other pitfalls. A trusted critique group or set of beta readers is a great place to start. Make sure that many of your readers are big fans of the genre you’re writing in so they’ll know the conventions and can recognize if you’re using worn-out tropes. Go to conferences and book a critique with an agent or editor if it’s offered. You can find online options for feedback on your work if in-person is not available in your area.

Debby: What other documents does an author need to prepare besides the manuscript?

Anita: You’ll want to have a polished query letter and synopsis ready to go when you begin your agent search. The query letter should be under a page (good agents receive a high volume of submissions, and attention spans are getting ever shorter!) and should cover your genre, word count, story premise/blurb, and author bio. For the synopsis, check the preference of each agent you submit to, but generally one page, single spaced, is a good place to start. You can usually get away with a couple of pages, but not much more than that. Jane Friedman’s website (https://janefriedman.com/) is an excellent resource for queries, synopses, and many other publishing industry topics.

Debby: Why might a writer want or need a freelance editor?

Anita: You can hire an independent editor to help you at any stage of your process, from planning/outlining the novel, to getting the first draft on the page (in these two scenarios, the editor’s role is similar to that of a book coach), to fine-tuning before submitting to agents and publishers. Maybe there’s a particular section of the manuscript you’ve struggled with, or an aspect of craft you feel less confident in. An experienced editor can provide those “fresh eyes” I mentioned above, with the advantage of a publishing industry filter on their lens. They can spot red flags that might turn an agent off, and help you eliminate them.

Debby: What should writers keep in mind when working with an editor? How does working with a freelance editor compare to working with an editor at a publishing house?

Anita: When choosing a freelance editor, writers should look for someone with ample experience in their genre. Often an editor will ask for a sample of your work to determine whether it matches their expertise, and then they’ll send some initial thoughts. This allows you to gauge whether the person feels like a good fit—whether they “get” the story you have set out to tell.

One key difference between working with a freelance editor and a publishing house editor is that for the latter, unless you are already a well-established author, you would be working with a manuscript that has already been vetted by your agent (if you have one) and acquired by the publisher. The editor then helps you shape the manuscript or make final adjustments to reach the spot where your vision and the publisher’s vision align. They’ll shepherd you through the process of cover design, copy editing, and proofreading prior to publication. A freelance editor, in contrast, can be hired at any stage and ultimately helps you prepare the manuscript for self-publishing or for landing an agent or book deal.

The process for working with a freelance editor is often similar to working with a publishing house editor. You’ll receive an editorial letter with big-picture notes, as well as specific suggestions throughout the manuscript (if you choose that service). Editors often include one or more phone or Zoom calls to discuss the feedback and your questions. How many rounds of editing your manuscript needs depends on the editor’s process and the original condition of the manuscript. That’s the case at a publishing house as well.

Debby: You are an experienced educator who has taught writing students from many backgrounds. In this new year, do you have any words of encouragement for our readers, writing here in Colorado and around the world?

Anita: Don’t write toward what is trendy. Trends can easily crest and subside before you finish your book. Write the book that is in your heart, the one that keeps whispering—or shouting—to be brought to life. Find, or rediscover, joy and wonder in your craft. I love the Natalie Goldberg quote: “Play around. Dive into absurdity and write. Take chances. You will succeed if you are fearless of failure.”

Learn more here:

There’s a lot of great stuff on Anita’s website—her blog, upcoming events, and a full list of editing services. Be sure to check it out: https://anitamumm.com

Deborah joined Pikes Peak Writers a decade ago, seeking help writing a mystery. When the novel was completed, she stayed for the camaraderie. An editor for several of the PPW anthologies, she writes poetry and short stories, and is the Associate Editor for the PPW blog Writing from the Peak.