Editing Services
All writers need editing. Whether you’re self-publishing, seeking an agent, or submitting to a small press, your work needs to show that you are a professional writer. Amateur writing is evident in the first few pages of a manuscript. An editor can help you focus and refine your work so it passes the “first five pages” test.
But my mother is an editor, you might think. Yes, friends and family want to help, but they love you and may not have the skills or objectivity of an editor. Critique groups and beta readers are invaluable. We all need them, and you should use them to learn how readers respond to your work. But when it’s time submit, you need professional, unbiased feedback to ensure your work gets the attention it deserves.
As a writer, I understand how hard you’ve worked and how frustrating it can be to bring a book to publication. When I work on your manuscript, my aim is to help and encourage you to make your book as good as it can be.
If you have:
- a finished manuscript but you’re not sure about its quality or marketability
- an uncompleted manuscript that you’re struggling with
- several chapters written, but you’re not sure how to proceed
- a desire to collaborate with an editor to finish and polish your work
I can help you with a manuscript appraisal.
Manuscript Appraisal for Novels and Memoirs
I read your book and provide detailed written feedback on your book’s strengths and weaknesses. My feedback focuses on the “big picture” aspects of your book. We also can speak in person, by phone or zoom about my comments on your project.
- Does the beginning entice the reader?
- Are characters interesting and believable?
- Does the dialogue work?
- Plot and placing
- Setting/mood/tone
- Story Structure
- Point of View
- Genre conventions
- Language style, consistency, relation to theme
Manuscript Appraisal for Nonfiction Books
I read your book with the intended audience in mind. I provide feedback in a detailed letter on the “big picture issues” and how your message addresses your audience.
- Does the first chapter reveal the premise and intrigue the reader?
- Clear concepts and sub-concepts
- Structure and pacing
- Logic & organization
- Point of view and tone
- Does it speak to the intended audience?
- Is it persuasive?
Cost for a 50,000-word manuscript is $500. For longer or shorter projects, contact me for a quote.
If you’re not sure about a full manuscript appraisal, consider a 50-page or 2-4-chapter sample edit. This will help you decide if your story structure works, if your story is engaging, and your characters believable. My feedback can help you re-focus your story if necessary. Contact me for a quote.
If your book is ready for editing, I offer copy/line editing.
Copy/Line Editing
I read your book and provide feedback using track changes in your manuscript.
- Sentence structure & clarity
- Passive voice
- Phrasing
- Scene and narrative
- Showing/telling
- Inconsistencies
- Point of view shifts
- Wordiness/awkwardness
- Inaccuracies & repetition
- Plot issues
Cost for a copy/line edit is $4.50/manuscript page. A manuscript page is formatted according to industry standards: Twelve-point font. One-inch margins on all sides. Double spaced. Indent paragraphs. No extra spaces between paragraphs. A page is usually 250 words, and not more than 300 words.
Proofreading
This is the final step after you’re sure the manuscript is ready to go out the door. I read and edit your manuscript with track changes and cover:
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Typos
- Consistency
- Punctuation
- Spacing
- Manuscript formatting
Cost for a proofread is $2.50/manuscript page. I offer a free 5-page sample edit for copy/line editing and proofreading services.
