Literary Editing and Proofreading Services
Editing is more than just catching spelling mistakes and missing commas.
It can also be about the rhythm of your words, the flow of the sentence, or the impact of the paragraph when you end it with one word or another. But the text is nothing without the special voice and style that only you, as the writer, can bring. I’m here to make your story shine brighter, and that includes the spirit behind it.
What are you interested in?
Standard Editing Services
Copyediting
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Copyediting comes after the structure is set. This means no more moving chapters around and the plot line is solid. I’ll look at details such as spelling, punctuation, consistency, and grammar.
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This is for writers who like where they’re at with their story but know their work isn’t quite ready for publishing yet. Maybe you’ve already gone through a substantive edit or line edit. You just need the details checked.
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I read through the text and check for the following:
Grammar, punctuation, spelling, wordiness, and word choice
Consistency of details like place names, character traits, and foundational story elements
Any tone and style deviations
The table of contents’ chapter titles and the in-text chapter titles match
Factual accuracy (especially direct quotes from verifiable sources) (This more for non-fiction writers.)
Text conforms to the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed.
I also give notes on the following:
Suggestions to smooth out any clunky transitions
Overall readability
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Your manuscript with Tracked Changes and comments in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
Your manuscript with all changes accepted in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
Style Sheet (reference list of commonly used proper nouns and spelling)
Editorial Letter (a letter that gives you context on my edits and highlights any major points to tackle first)
A one-to-two hour discussion call over the phone or Zoom after you’re read through the edit to address any questions (not mandatory, but highly recommended—we can also talk over email, too).
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Proofreading
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Proofreading comes at the very end of the process as a final check. It’s not the time for big changes or rewrites. I’ll check for details such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
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This is for writers who are almost ready to publish. They just want to catch any lingering typos and missing/extra punctuation.
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I read through the text and check for the following:
Grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Accurate chapter page numbers compared to the table of contents
Citation formatting (either in the footnotes or the endnotes) is aligned with the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th. ed.
Sometimes included:
Accuracy check of citations (please contact me if you’re interested in this; the rate will be different)
What’s not included:
Overall manuscript formatting to prepare for print or e-publication (this may change in the future!)
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Your manuscript with Tracked Changes and comments in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
Your manuscript with all changes accepted in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
A one hour discussion call over the phone or Zoom after you’re read through the edit to address any questions (not mandatory, but highly recommended—we can also talk over email, too)
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Fiction and Nonfiction: $0.02 per word
*This follows the EFA’s Median Rate Chart.
Special Editing Services
“Check my work, please.”
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This gives an editor’s opinion on what you’re doing right and what could be improved. It’s basically a quick reality check.
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This is for writers who just need some quick feedback on their progress, both stylistically and technically.
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I look at one chapter or 5,000 words of your choice, whichever is shorter.
I read through the text and give you recommendations for the following:
Grammar, punctuation, spelling, wordiness, and word choice
Any tone and style deviations
Any clunky transitions
Text conforms to the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th. ed.
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Your manuscript with Tracked Changes and comments in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
Your manuscript with all changes accepted in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
Editorial Letter (a letter that gives you context on my edits and highlights any major points to tackle first)
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$100-150 for maximum 5,000 words
(We’ll settle on the price when we discuss.)
“I don’t know.”
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This gives you an idea of where you need to go next with your writing. It’s basically a casual manuscript assessment.
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This is for writers who, well, don’t know what kind of editing they need.
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I look at whatever you have so far, whether that’s one chapter, a bunch of vaguely related stories, or the entire first draft.
This service is a bit open ended. Depending on where you’re at with your writing, I could recommend that you look into substantive editing, line editing, or copyediting. But I’ll also point out if you should look into learning more about such writing aspects as passive voice, verb tenses, showing vs. telling, keeping a consistent point of view, etc. There won’t be any adjustment to your text, just suggestions and recommendations.
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Your manuscript with comments only in Microsoft Word (.docx) file format
Editorial Letter (a letter that gives you context on my thoughts and highlights any major points to tackle first)
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Free! :)
(But I will have to decline if you use this service repeatedly.)
Here's how it works
1. The Hello
Send me a message, and let’s talk! For most services, I offer a free sample edit of the first 2000 words. It’s how we get to know each other: I see your writing style and you see my editing style.
2. The Handshake
If it seems like a good fit, I send you a contract, you sign, send me the deposit (if it’s part of the agreement), and then it’s time for me to get started!
3. The Edit
I do my editing thing following the schedule that we agreed to in the contract. I’ll keep you periodically updated, too.
4. The Handoff
(If applicable) send the remaining amount following the terms of our agreement, and it’s time to give you the files!
5. The Follow-up
Depending on the service, after you’ve taken some time to go through the edits, we’ll schedule a call or start an email thread about any questions you might have.