SERVICES
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW
$200
Do you have a finished manuscript? Are you asking yourself, “How do I know whether my book is ‘good enough’ to publish?’” Are you looking for a professional opinion from someone who specifically works with fiction authors?
The best way to begin working with an editor is to start with a manuscript review.
The manuscript review provides an editorial assessment of what you’ve written, both the strengths and the areas for revisions, as well as a recommendation on a follow-on level of editing to achieve “publishable” writing quality.
The benefit of the manuscript review is that I will be able to tell you what level of editing would be appropriate for your book. Maybe you’ve heard about “developmental editing,” “copyediting,” “proofreading,” or variations of those. You need a professional to assess what type of editing your book will need before you ever begin making massive investments in editing and publishing.
The good news is that if you choose to continue working with me, I’ll credit the investment you make in the manuscript review toward an editing package that’s tailored to your book’s needs.
What does a manuscript review look like?
If you have a finished manuscript:
I review the manuscript for flow, logic gaps, syntax, literary techniques, and narrative components.*
After finishing the manuscript, I compile review notes into a write-up that includes:
Overall comments of the strengths and areas for revision in the manuscript
Targeted comments, usually to include examples from the manuscript, about writing elements, such as character development, pacing, perspective, structure, scene setting, dialogue, research/citations, etc. that you either portray well or could improve upon
A recommendation on the level of editing (developmental, copyedit, and/or proofread) needed for the manuscript to be “print ready”
Have a finished manuscript? I have a priority notification list for people who are interested in a manuscript review.
*I will only review the initial manuscript submission.
I look forward to hearing more about your book!
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
After the Manuscript Review
COPYEDITING
Price based on manuscript review.
In copyediting, the editor makes sure the paragraphs and sentences read consistently and smoothly in the author’s unique voice. Sometimes referred to as “line editing,” this phase assumes that the structure of the book is intact and does not include any “big picture” suggestions. Instead, each sentence is reviewed for variety, fluidity, word choice, repetition, and clarity in a way that’s both polished and authentic to the author’s voice. The editor rewords sentences, substitutes suggested words or phrases, inserts commas and punctuation, recommends consistent style choices, and requests additional clarifications throughout the manuscript.
Includes:
Comprehensive copyedit, where each sentence is reviewed for variety, fluidity, word choice, repetition, and clarity in a way that’s both polished and authentic to the author’s voice. The edit may include reworded sentences, substituted suggested words or phrases, inserted commas and punctuation, recommended consistent style choices, and requested additional clarification throughout the manuscript.
An additional fact-checking pass to verify the accuracy of dates, places, names, and claims made in the manuscript.
Custom style sheet to capture all editorial choices made during the copyedit, which a proofreader will then use to ensure internal consistency throughout the manuscript.
PROOFREADING
Price based on manuscript review.
Proofreading looks specifically at punctuation, spelling, grammar, and internal consistency. For instance, if a word is capitalized or italicized in Chapter 3, that word should appear exactly the same later on in Chapter 9. If the book uses references, the editor makes sure all of your references are formatted consistently. If the book uses any headings or dividers, those are consistently applied throughout the book. A good proofread sets up for a seamless, professional-quality design of the manuscript as a print file.
Includes:
Comprehensive proofread of punctuation, spelling, grammar, and consistency.
Additional pass to ensure adherence to style sheet.
"Butterflies are not called butterflies overnight. They have to undergo tons of changes in order to acquire that name."