EDITING SERVICES

Types of Editing

There are many different types of editing, but the services I provide are as follows:

Copyediting

• Copyediting is the most basic form of editing and is comprised of proofreading (editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax), editing for factual accuracy, and editing for internal consistency. Changing “there” to “their,” correctly identifying the 13th president of the United States, and making sure a character has the same eye color on page 12 as on page 55 are all examples of copyediting.

Line Editing

• Line editing is a form of editing that goes through a manuscript “line by line,” making improvements to the style, tone, pacing, and flow of the writing. A line editor suggests improvements in word choice and sentence structure, all without changing the original author’s unique style. This is editing that occurs primarily at the sentence and paragraph level. It works to enhance the way a story is told rather than change the story itself.

Developmental Editing

• Developmental editing is concerned with the fundamental elements of the story. Its purpose is to identify and enhance weaknesses in structure, setting, plot, character development, conflict, pacing, and themes. This is editing that occurs primarily at the scene and chapter level. It works to enhance weaknesses in the story itself rather than the way the story is told.

Which Type of Editing is Right for Me?

If you want to present yourself as a professional, then every story, novel, or project you publish should be copyedited. The truth is that no amount of self-editing will catch all of the mistakes in your manuscript. As the author of a work, you’re too close to the writing to spot all of its mistakes, which is why even I, as the author of over 25 novels, still pay a pro to copy edit each of my books. I recommend copyediting for everyone.

Whether your project requires line editing or developmental editing is dependent upon your level of experience and your level of comfort with your own writing. If you’re the type of person who comes up with great stories and characters but your prose comes across as clunky or stilted, line editing can help. If you’re confident in your prose but something about your story doesn’t seem right, developmental editing may be right for you.

Generally, if you’re writing your first or second novel, I recommend getting a developmental editor. If you’ve written a few stories or novels but your prose isn’t singing yet, I recommend line editing. If you’re a seasoned pro with many publications and a strong track record of sales, you probably only need copyediting services.

(As a side note: If I line edit your project, it will automatically receive copyediting as well—that’s the nature of the beast. Developmental editing can be done without pairing it with line editing, but I would recommend both for beginners. In addition, projects that require developmental editing are best done in stages, with the developmental edit tackled first, then line editing and/or copyediting completed later after the story elements have been fixed.)

What Do I Get?

For all editing projects, you will receive from me a Microsoft Word (.DOCX) file of your manuscript with all of my notes and changes marked using the software’s Track Changes feature, as well as additional comments in the sidebar.

For line editing work, you will additionally receive a document where I provide my thoughts and notes on a chapter by chapter basis, as well as a brief final synopsis with actionable steps that can be taken to strengthen the story overall.

For developmental editing, you’ll receive a much more detailed critique of your story, including sections on plot, character development, setting/world building, conflict, pacing, and themes, as well as whether or not the expectations for your specific genre are being met.

What Should I Do After I Get My Edits?

Frankly, this part is up to you. What my editing service amounts to, ultimately, is feedback. You’re welcome to accept all of it, some of it, or none of it. It’s your work. You choose what to do with it. But I would caution against ignoring feedback that doesn’t conform to your expectations.

In many ways, a story you’ve written is similar to your child: you’re irrationally proud of it, and if anyone tells you it isn’t perfect, you get upset. Reading through feedback for the first time can feel like a personal attack, but I guarantee you, it isn’t. I provide critique, not criticism. The purpose of my feedback isn’t to tear you down but to build you up, to help you become a better writer and turn your story into the best possible version of itself.

So what should you do when you get your feedback? Well, here’s what I do. If I’m only getting a copy edit, I tackle those right away, accepting or rejecting changes as necessary, but if I’m getting a more substantial edit, I read all the editor’s comments, both inside the manuscript and in the critique letter. Then I wait. I give myself a day, preferably two or three, to think about the editor’s point of view. Not only does that allow me to cool off from any suggestions that made me feel defensive, but it gives me time to come up with solutions to the problems raised. Then, when I sit back down at my computer to write, I’m refreshed, invigorated, and ready to make my manuscript better.

Rates

My current rate for editing genre fiction is $40/hr, while my rate for editing non-fiction, scientific, technical, or academic writing is $50/hr. These rates are subject to change based on market conditions and availability.

All types of editing are billed at the same hourly rate. Copyediting requires the least amount of time, followed by line-editing, with developmental editing usually being the most time consuming service.

If you are curious what typical rates are for freelance editing services, please see the Editorial Freelancers Association’s editorial rate chart.

Estimates and Payment

After you contact me for editing work, the first step will be for you to send me a five page excerpt from your manuscript along with the total word count of your project. I will edit this sample in whichever manner you request (copy, line, or developmental) and use the time it takes me to complete the sample to estimate how long it would take me to edit the entire project, which in turn provides an estimated cost.

Keep in mind that estimates are just that: estimates. I bill hourly, not by word count, so if the provided excerpt isn’t indicative of the quality of the rest of the manuscript, the final cost could be higher (or lower). In addition, it can be hard to accurately judge the amount of time developmental edits will take based on a five page sample. As a result, I will often overestimate the time required for these edits. If hiring me for developmental edits, sending me a one page synopsis of your manuscript will help me provide a more accurate estimate.

Once we agree on the scope of work, I require a deposit of $500 or half the estimate (whichever is lower) to schedule your editing. Once I am ready to begin work, I require funds to bring your deposit equal to half the estimate (if not already met). The remaining balance is due upon receipt of your completed edit.

FAQs

• What types of works do you edit?
  • I’m best at editing genre fiction, with an emphasis on the genres in which I write: mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and thriller/suspense. I’m not the right choice to edit horror, westerns, or erotica, nor am I the right choice to edit non-genre literature, such as literary and contemporary fiction.
  • In terms of age range, I’m comfortable editing for adult and young adult audiences, but middle-grade and children’s novels are not really in my wheelhouse.
  • I also provide editing services for non-fiction, scientific, technical, and academic writing. Contact me to see if your editing project is a fit for my areas of expertise.
• How do I keep my costs down?
  • As someone who pays for editing on all of my own writing, I can understand wanting to minimize costs. The simplest advice is: send me as clean and polished of a manuscript as possible. If your novel is already in good shape when it gets to me, I have to do less work and you pay for fewer hours of my time.
  • For example, when writing my own novels, I do a minimum of two to three self-editing passes before sending my manuscript to an editor. If you can get a friend, partner, or beta reader to read your manuscript and give you feedback before sending it my way, even better.
• How do I format my manuscript?
  • I’m pretty flexible with formatting, but you probably don’t want to pay me to format your manuscript when you can do it yourself. To save as much time as possible, your manuscript should be submitted to me as a Microsoft Word (.DOCX) file in Standard Manuscript Format (SMF). The key elements of SMF are:
    • 8.5″ by 11″ page with 1″ margins
    • Font: Times New Roman or Courier New, 12 point
    • Alignment: Left
    • Line Spacing: Exactly 25 point (this gives exactly 25 lines per page)
    • First Line Indent: 0.5″ (don’t use your tab key!)
  • Additionally, scene breaks should be denoted with a # or *** rather than a blank line, and yes, you should be using the serial/Oxford comma!
• Is there a contract?
  • Yes. It’s straightforward and protects both your interests as well as mine. It will need to be signed and dated prior to work beginning.
• Do I maintain copyright to my work?
  • Absolutely. You retain all rights to your own work.

Are you ready to take your writing to the next level?

Contact me to see how I can help!