Services
Line Editing
Line editing focuses on the most important part of your book—the language, the words that convey your story. Errors in mechanics or awkward sentence structure can diminish the pleasure of the reading experience. It includes checking for grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency and word usage, and assists with final rewrites. It ensures that each sentence is ready for publication and the manuscript has that “high gloss” look so you’re putting your best work out there.
Line editing includes:
- Stylistic Inconsistencies: A great deal of the art of writing is a matter of style. I will never seek to change or censor your personal style. However, I will work to ensure that your style choices are consistent. Any rules you intentionally choose to ignore, or other stylistic choices you make, I will help to ensure remain consistent throughout your manuscript.
- Grammatical Errors: Using a standard style guide (such as the Chicago Manual of Style for US English) I will search for and fix any errors in grammar, including paragraph and sentence structure and correct word usage.
- Verb Agreement/Tense Issues: I will check to be certain your tense choice is the most effective and powerful option for your story, and ensure there are no inconsistencies in verb tense throughout your manuscript.
- Punctuation: I will check to ensure all punctuation used is correct, and that it conveys the intended meaning throughout the manuscript.
- Misspelled Words: I will search for and fix any spelling errors or word misuses, and specifically to ensure homonyms and other common errors are corrected.
- A Second Pass: Included in this price is line editing of up to two revisions at no extra charge. I will not suggest changes and then leave you to struggle with implementing them. If further editing is desired, we will negotiate a discounted price based on the work that has already been done.
- Complimentary Copyediting: I will double-check the final version to ensure that the narrative makes sense, that characters always behave in a manner consistent with their character, and that information is consistent within your story’s universe.
- Complimentary Proofreading: I will constantly check to confirm that no spelling or grammatical errors have been missed, and that no new errors have been introduced.
Prices: Pricing for line editing begins at US 2.5¢ per word
Copyediting
It’s always a bit of a struggle to get the words right, whether we’re a Hemingway or a few fathoms below his level.”— René J. Cappon
Copyediting focuses on foundations, and involves proofreading along with advice for improving your clarity, flow and syntax. It ensures your prose is efficient and conveys what you mean to, including checks for flow, timeline continuity, and basic fact checking.
This service includes:
- Sentence Clarity/Structure: I will check to ensure that your sentences are well-structured (subject to personal style), and crafted with precision for maximum clarity and readability.
- Dialogue: I will check that dialogue choices are natural, believable, fluid, and make sense for each character given background and personality.
- Consistency/Continuity: I will check to ensure your story and world are internally consistent and that there are no errors in the continuity of your story/world/history.
- Word Choice/Repetition/Redundancies: I will ensure your words do not carry excessive repetition, that they make sense and flow nicely. In addition, I will check for any unnecessary redundancies in exposition.
- Stylistic Inconsistencies: A great deal of the art of writing is a matter of style. I will never seek to change or censor your personal style. However, I will work to ensure that your style choices are consistent. Any rules you intentionally choose to ignore, or other stylistic choices you make, I will help to ensure remain consistent throughout your manuscript.
- Writing Checks: I will provide suggestions where necessary to improve the clarity and flow of your writing.
- Basic Fact and Narrative Checking: I will constantly check to confirm that the narrative makes sense, that characters always stay in character, and that information is consistent within your story’s universe.
- A Second Pass: Included in this price is copyediting of up to two revisions at no extra charge. I will not suggest changes and then leave you to struggle with implementing them. If further editing is desired, we will negotiate a discounted price based on the work that has already been done.
- Complimentary Proofreading: I will constantly check to confirm that no spelling or grammatical errors have been missed, and ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and consistent.
Prices: Pricing for copyediting begins at US 1.5¢ per word.
Proofreading
Included in line editing and copyediting
“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”— Stephen King
Proofreading is the last-minute sanity check. It focuses on catching misspelled words, typos, punctuation and incorrect word choices. A proofreader assumes that the content of the book has already been edited to the author’s satisfaction.
This service includes:
- Internal Consistency: I will ensure that place names, character names, and any special terms or words used in the narrative remain consistent throughout.
- Spelling Errors: I will search for and fix any spelling errors or word misuses.
- Grammatical and Punctuation Errors: I will make sure that your writing is grammatically correct and consistent.
Prices: Pricing for proofreading begins at US 1.0¢ per word.
