Editing services

At all levels, the aim is to preserve and polish your unique voice and make sure your manuscript is clear and consistent. The ultimate goal is your success in attracting readers, new and returning. 

To that end, I offer line editing and copyediting.

To begin 

I start by reviewing your manuscript and editing a sample.

• You’ll gain insight into my editing processes, so you can decide if my work is compatible with your needs and expectations.
• I'll gain an idea of what level of editing your manuscript needs, which helps me calculate an accurate project rate.
• We’ll be able to determine if we are a good fit for each other.

The process 

The items I look at include, but are not limited to the following:

• Punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
• Missing and repeated words
• Word usage, with an eye for nuances of meaning and often-confused words
• Idiom usage, with a focus on whether it’s commonly known and works in context 
• Grammar, verb tenses, modifiers, prepositions
• Trademarked terms
• Items that may require fact-checking or copyright permissions
• Flow: anything that seems out of order or incomplete
• Clarity: anything that seems confusing or likely to pull the reader out of the narrative
• Physical locations, directions, actions, timelines
• Details of subject or character descriptions, their behaviors and dialogue 

What you'll receive 

You’ll receive your edited document annotated with the Tracked Changes feature in Microsoft Word. Every adjustment I recommend is formulated to keep your voice and to make sure the readers have the best experience reading your book and want to come back for more. 

You will also receive a summary of my recommendations and a style sheet to accompany your manuscript. The style sheet is a record of editing decisions. It’s a useful reference to pass to the next person on your publishing team, so we can establish and maintain consistency.