Editorial Services
About Me
Having been on both sides of the writer/editor relationship, my editorial approach is to be kind and supportive while always remaining honest.
I have more than 15 years of editorial experience working for newspapers, magazines, and as a freelance book editor, and I am an author with three novels of historical fiction published by a Big 5 publishing house. I know firsthand what it's like to pour your time and heart into your writing, as well as how daunting the path to publication can feel--whether your dream is to self-publish or to land a literary agent and a deal with a major publishing house.
But you have already done the hardest part: you've written a book! Let me help you take your manuscript from finished to published.
What I love working on:
Fiction, including:
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Literary
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Historical Fiction
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Fantasy
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Romance
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Book Club Fiction
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YA
Non-Fiction, including:
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Memoir
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Biography
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Travelogues
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Personal Essays
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Query Letters
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Blog posts
These are not a good fit for me:
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Middle Grade
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Picture Books
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Thrillers
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Horror
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Academic Books
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Poetry
If you are not sure whether your work fits with what I edit, don't hesitate to reach out and ask!
POLISHING YOUR QUERY LETTER SO IT STANDS OUT FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS.
Query Letter Critiques
$150
What's Included:
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A line-by-line reading of your query, ensuring it is genre-appropriate, tightly written, flows well, and, above all, that it has a strong hook.
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A second pass once you have incorporated the suggested changes to ensure it is ready to go out to agents.
AN IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT OF YOUR FIRST THREE CHAPTERS
(UP TO 10,000 WORDS.)
First Chapters Package
$400
What's Included:
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A close reading for grammar, voice, and sentence flow, along with pacing, character development and motivation, and overall structure.
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Line edits using MS Word's Track Changes
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Edit letter detailing both what I think you did well and the big-picture issues I noticed, along with suggestions to improve them
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Email follow-up to answer any questions you may have
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Additional words in the first three chapters beyond the included 10,000 will be charged at 4¢/word.
CONSTRUCTIVE EDITORIAL FEEDBACK OF YOUR ENTIRE MANUSCRIPT.
Manuscript Asssessment
2.5¢/word
What's Included:
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A careful reading of your entire manuscript. This means developmental edits, not line edits - think big-picture changes to structure, character arc, narrative flow, themes, etc. rather than tweaking each individual line.
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Edit letter detailing both what I think you did well and the big-picture issues I noticed, along with suggestions to improve them
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Email follow-up to answer any questions you may have
MY MOST COMPREHENSIVE EDITORIAL OPTION: A DEEP LOOK INTO EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR BOOK - BOTH THE FOREST AND THE TREES.
Full Editorial Package
4¢/word
What's Included:
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Line edits, which involve a close reading of each line for style, word flow, and obvious errors of spelling, usage, punctuation, and grammar.
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Developmental edits, which look at elements that affect the story as a whole. This means tightening prose, clarifying character motivations, strengthening the plot, and ensuring themes carry through the entire book. This also involves suggestions regarding the overall structure, from point of view to making sure the story has the strongest possible opening.
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Line edits using MS Word's Track Changes
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Edit letter detailing both big-picture and page-specific issues
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Email follow-up to answer any questions you may have
How it Works
Step One
CONTACT ME ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
Contact me using my Editing Contact Form to start the process! Give me the details of your project and ask me any questions you have. I will respond as quickly as I am able--generally within one to three days--with pricing, a timeline, and to discuss your editorial needs.
Step Two
SIGN A CONTRACT AND PAY DEPOSIT
Once we have agreed on terms, I will send you a contract to protect your work. When we have both signed, I will invoice you through PayPal for 50% of my fee up front and 50% once I have completed the work. For query letters and shorter projects (25,000 words or fewer) my fee will be taken up front in its entirety. Once the deposit is paid, you will receive a confirmation of payment and your spot in the queue will be reserved.
Step Three
SEND ME YOUR MANUSCRIPT
Send your manuscript to me as an attachment. The manuscript should be in Microsoft Word or should be a Google Doc, and should include your name, the work's title and genre, and the word count. Your manuscript must be formatted according to industry standard: double-spaced in 12 pt, Times New Roman font. If you have chosen a package that includes line edits, those edits will be done as "suggestions" in MS Word's Track Changes or in Google Docs.
Step Four
CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT
Once I have your manuscript, I will send you a confirmation of receipt via email. You are now on my calendar, and I will get to work making your writing shine!