Editing Services
Not sure what type of editing your project requires? No problem! Have a look at the services below and see which of them most closely resembles the work you need done. Still unsure? Use my contact form to reach out, and we can decide together.
I offer hour-long consultation phone calls (over Zoom) if you’d rather talk it out. Exploratory phone calls cost $35, but if you choose to move ahead with my services, I will apply that $35 to the final cost of your project.
If you’d like to get a sense of my work, I’m happy to do a 1,000 word sample edit for you. Samples must be taken from the middle of your manuscript—I want see your weediest work, not your polished first chapter!
My rates are in line with those set by the Editorial Freelancer’s Association, set out here: https://www.the-efa.org/rates/. I need to see your complete manuscript to get a feel for the work before I can send you a quote.
Sharing a manuscript is an act of trust, and I want you to know that anything you send me will be kept strictly confidential. I will always read your work with respect and in good faith, so send me your wildest drafts, your darkest romances, your delicate personal essays, and those articles that are almost-but-not-quite there, and together we will get them ready to go out into the world!
Types of Editing that I Do:
Developmental Editing
Has your word count gotten out of control? Are you having a hard time untangling plot lines? Are beta readers failing to connect with your main character? Are you so deep in the weeds that you’re no longer certain what story you’re trying to tell? A developmental edit can save you from endless rounds of scene-level revisions by evaluating your manuscript from the top down and offering a roadmap for the next steps in your journey toward publication.
As your developmental editor, I will read your manuscript twice, carefully evaluating it for such elements as plot, structure, characterization, dialogue, pacing, and genre expectations.
Manuscript Evaluation
Maybe you’re not ready to commit to a full developmental edit, but you’d like assurance that you’re on the right track. As in a developmental edit, I’ll complete two passes of your story, but this time I’ll provide feedback in the form of a two-to-three page single-spaced letter, letting you know what’s working, and pointing out places where your story may have gotten off track. I’ll suggest areas of focus for revision and ask questions intended to get to the heart of your characters and plot.
If a developmental edit provides a road map, then a manuscript evaluation is more of a signpost, assuring you that you’re still going in the right direction, or pointing you gently back toward the main road.
Copyediting
Copyediting is primarily concerned with the mechanics of your writing. Do your sentences follow the rules of grammar and syntax? Are there any typos or misspellings? Are there any leaps in logic that will take a reader out of your story?
As your copyeditor, I will read through your manuscript with an eye to clarity, coherence, consistency, and correctness.
Copyediting is a crucial stop on the road to publication. Whether you are preparing to self-publish a novel or getting ready to submit an academic paper for peer review, it is important that you send your most polished work.
Technical Editing for Craft Publications
I am skilled in knitting, sewing (including quilts and garments) and other fiber crafts. I am closely familiar with technical specifications and standards, and I would be delighted to edit your patterns and manuals for publication!
Whether your pattern or book is intended for experienced garment makers or knitters just starting out, I will make sure your materials lists are logical and your instructions easy to follow.
Line Editing
If your story-level issues have been resolved but you still need help figuring out how to polish your sentences and make sure the story flows, you may want to consider a line edit. Line editing, or substantive editing, is like copyediting plus—all the elements of copyediting, with added focus on things like transitions, character voice, and potential point-of-view problems.
A line edit considers your manuscript on a scene-by-scene, paragraph-by-paragraph, and sentence-by-sentence level. As your line editor, I will evaluate your manuscript for tone and consistency, pointing out redundancies, and wordy passages, all with an eye to creating a pleasant experience for your future readers.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the very last step before publication. When your ebook files have been laid out and your print-ready PDFs are ready to be sent to the printer, you’re ready for a proofreader. A proofreader is the final pair of eyes on your work before publication. As a proofreader, I will make sure that no typos have been introduced during the editing process, and no glaring mistakes will take your reader out of your story.
A proofread is intended to be the final step in the publication process. Ideally, at this point there will be very, very few errors left to correct.