Editing Services
I love editing. I'm as passionate and excited about it as writers are about writing. I thoroughly enjoy the process and like nothing more than helping a writer tell the story she's trying to tell. I firmly believe that your story is yours, but that doesn't mean I won't cheerfully argue with you about word usage, punctuation, plot points, and characterization! I have lots of practice at it, too: over ten years of experience editing for writers, both aspiring and published; and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors degree in English.
How does this process work?
Using the contact form, send me an email, indicating that you're interested in having your manuscript edited. We'll meet on the phone or in person (if you're local), and talk about what you're hoping to accomplish with your manuscript, length and genre of the manuscript, and what kind of editing you're looking for.
After we've met, I'll request that you email me the first five pages of your manuscript so I can get a feel for your writing style and make sure that we're on the same page about what editing services the manuscript needs. Then I'll email you a contract detailing the specifics: what kind of editing has been agreed upon, the projected completion date, and my fee. After I've received the signed contract, I'll begin editing the manuscript.
Content editing
Content editing is done at the story level, discussing plot, characterization, pacing, chronology, narrative arc, and point of view, among other topics. The text of the manuscript is not touched at all.
Content editing is $0.015 per word. (For example: the cost of a 10,000 word manuscript would be $150.) The author will receive at least one page (single-spaced, typed) of comments per 10,000 words of the manuscript (for approximately every thirty pages).
Copyediting (line editing)
Copyediting is the process of editing a manuscript line-by-line, focusing on punctuation, grammar, syntax, clarity, word choice, and tone. It is a very time-intensive process, and is best done after the manuscript has been completely edited for content by the author or a professional editor.
Copyediting is $0.015 per word. (For example: the cost of a 10,000 word manuscript would be $150.) All editing is done electronically in Word or Open Office (depending on your preference), using the track changes function.
Manuscript formatting
Not proficient with computers and word processing programs? Does figuring out page formatting in Word or Open Office make you break out in hives? No worries! Send the manuscript in, along with details on how it is to be formatted (if different from the industry standard), and I'll do it for you at $30 an hour. An estimate of the total cost will be emailed to you before any work begins.
Is the submission deadline for your story or article fast approaching? For $60 an hour, turn around time is twenty-four hours. An estimate of the total cost will be emailed to you before any work begins.
Right of refusal
I reserve the right to refuse any manuscript at any point of the editing process. I will pro-rate the fee and return the balance if some editing has already been done, or refund the total if editing has not yet begun.