SAMPLE CHAPTERS, MANUSCRIPT EVALUATIONS AND BETA READS
In addition to comprehensive editing services, I offer a variety of sample and overview packages geared toward different stages of your book’s timeline. Early feedback can be vital to keeping you focused and on track, while feedback later in your process can tighten and polish your book. If you’ve never worked with an editor before and are unsure about the process, these packages are a great way to evaluate the type of feedback an editor provides so you can determine if my services are right for you.
If you select me for full manuscript services after purchasing a sample chapter, I will deduct the cost of the sample chapter from your total. If you select me for full manuscript services after purchasing a manuscript evaluation or beta read, a percentage of the cost of the manuscript evaluation or beta read will be deducted from your total.
Please feel free to email me for current pricing.
SAMPLE CHAPTER (line editing, copy editing and proofreading for fiction and nonfiction)
You can ask me for a specific type of editing, or you can use this service to figure out what kind your book needs. This also helps us both see if we’re a good match.
MANUSCRIPT EVALUATION (fiction and nonfiction)
You’ve poured your heart and soul into your work—not to mention countless hours. Now it’s time for a fresh pair of eyes and an impartial review to analyze how well your book comes together. Are there plot holes? Character inconsistencies? Clichés? Awkward lines? Is anything unclear? Is there a patch of clunky dialogue? Does the story get bogged down in the middle? I’ll take an objective look at your story, plot, characters and themes. I’ll flag problems and suggest solutions. I’ll tell you what’s great and what could use work. Whether you need to develop your characters more, tweak a plot, restructure chapters or shift perspective, I’ll give feedback that can help you strengthen your story.
This is not a full developmental edit of your book (a service I do not currently offer). Also called a manuscript assessment or critique, a manuscript evaluation provides big-picture feedback on your full manuscript. This is a great way to get expert feedback on your narrative structure, premise, characters, themes, plot, subplots, voice, prose, setting, pacing, writing style and more. I will do this all respectfully, while honoring your voice and vision.
A manuscript evaluation will help you assess your editing needs, and it may help you reduce your editing costs by pinpointing issues you can tackle yourself. Full manuscript evaluations can be performed earlier (before editing, to assess what the manuscript needs and reduce your editing costs) or later (after editing, if you want to get a second opinion on how the book is coming together before finalizing your manuscript).
My goal is to leave you energized, with clear direction moving forward. You’re the expert on your story, but every author loses objectivity after a while. I’m here to help you regain it so that you can make your book the best it can be. With my feedback, you can self-edit before hiring a developmental editor, or, if you’ve already had your manuscript edited, you can see if further editing is needed.
Note: A percentage of the manuscript evaluation cost will be deducted from your total if you select me for full manuscript editing services.
BETA READ (fiction and nonfiction)
This is like a light version of a manuscript evaluation (see above), performed with the reader foremost in mind. I encourage you to find a number of free beta readers first (family, friends, other authors who are willing to swap manuscripts with you), but it can be difficult to get objective or expert editorial feedback from these sources. I can offer that missing feedback.
Beta reads can be performed earlier (before editing, to assess what the manuscript needs and see what you can do to reduce your editing costs) or later (after editing, if you want to get a second opinion and see if your book needs a little more refining). I’ll point out what strikes me (positively or negatively) and give you a sense of how readers may receive your manuscript as it currently stands. I can also flag potential problems, such as insensitive language and clichés, and give you insight as to what readers are looking for from your kind of book. I won’t go into a lot of detail, but this is a great way to “take the temperature” of your manuscript.
Note: A percentage of the beta read cost will be deducted from your total if you select me for full manuscript editing services.
Overview
Below you can find a detailed breakdown of my line editing, copy editing and proofreading services.
In the left column of this page you can find a detailed breakdown of my sample chapter, manuscript evaluation and beta read services.
Click here to see my general policies and other information.
Please feel free to email me for current pricing.
Types of editing
Line editing is about style: polishing prose; checking for consistent character voices; rewording clunky sentences to be more elegant, evocative or aligned with the feel of the story; varying sentence length to keep the reader engaged, etc. Please note this is not the same thing as developmental or substantive editing, which I do not currently offer.
Copy editing and proofreading are about polish: ensuring correct sentence structure/grammar (as appropriate); adhering to a style guide (internal or official); checking content consistency (e.g., is Character A’s car blue at the start of the book and silver at the end, with no explanation?); fixing punctuation and errors, etc.
Full manuscript editing services
CUSTOMIZED SERVICE
My standard services are outlined below. However, you might require a customized service that is not listed. Perhaps you’re seeking a copy edit that includes elements of light or moderate line editing, for example. In that case, I would work with you to establish a custom service.
LINE EDITING
Small changes count. I’ll tighten your writing to make it shine and flow smoothly. I’ll untangle confusing paragraphs and sentences, remove needless word padding, fix awkward dialogue and much more. I’ll tweak and polish your prose as needed to ensure that YOUR voice is coming through the way you intend.
COPY EDITING
Copy editing rechecks your work at the sentence level. It takes place before proofreading but after you have addressed issues uncovered in a developmental edit and/or a line edit (if applicable).
If you’re a seasoned author who does not require developmental/line editing, or if your book has already been edited by someone else, I can provide a combination of copy editing and proofreading to catch typos (such as spelling errors and misplaced or omitted words), punctuation issues, more pervasive grammatical errors, story inconsistencies (e.g., calling a character by the wrong name) and style inconsistencies. I find that most authors seeking proofreading actually require something a little heavier, which is why I offer this combined service. This service is meant for manuscripts that are still in Microsoft Word.
PROOFREADING
Proofreading rechecks your work at the word level. It takes place after developmental editing and line editing (if applicable) and copy editing.
If your book has already been copy edited (not just developmentally edited or line edited), or if it’s in nearly perfect shape, I can provide a pure proofreading service to address typos, style inconsistencies and light grammar changes. Ideally, you or your copy editor will provide me with your book’s style sheet.
This service can be performed on manuscripts in Microsoft Word (if your book is not yet in layout) or PDF (if your book is already in layout).
Please note that I find most authors who are seeking proofreading are actually looking for copy editing. We can discuss your project to determine what you need.