Editorial Services
Manuscript Evaluation
The manuscript evaluation (aka Manuscript Assessment, Manuscript Appraisal, Editorial Assessment) is a professional, objective first look at the overall foundation and structure of your manuscript.
When I evaluate your manuscript, I’ll read your entire work paying particular attention to the big picture and noting any problems or issues. In the case of children’s and teen fiction, I look at things such as plot, characterization, voice, style, dialogue, theme, structure, imagery, audience, and marketability to evaluate how well all the elements are working.
You’ll receive a report with my feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of your work, as well as constructive suggestions on steps you can take to revise and polish your work. My Manuscript Evaluation includes the opportunity to have a follow up email, chat or 30-minute phone call with me, if you have any questions.
Developmental and Line Editing
I offer a combined developmental and line editing service. Developmental editing, sometimes referred to as structural or substantive editing, is a deeper dive into the elements that the manuscript evaluation covers.
During this level of editing, I take a laser-focused look at the overall picture of your manuscript and how well all the parts are functioning. I make detailed notes directly on your manuscript, highlight areas where improvement or revisions are necessary and make suggestions for you to consider.
Remember, I’m looking at the big picture.
Sometimes my suggestions may mean moving around paragraphs or even chapters. Other times, I may suggest deletions of entire sections, or things you need to add. If I’m editing fiction, I’ll concentrate on characters, structure, plot and pacing. With nonfiction, I’ll be checking structure, pacing, clarity and logical flow of information.
When I am line editing, my focus is more on clarity of language and how you use language to tell the story or present information. This involves sentences, sentence structure, word choices, style of writing, run-on sentences, points of view, consistency, transitions and paragraphs.
Once I have completed my combined developmental and line editing and you have made your revisions, you will have a polished manuscript that is ready for the last two steps of your editing journey.
Ideally, you’ll need two more people to look over your edited manuscript: A copy editor and a proofreader. The copy editor’s role is to catch the small mechanical errors – here the focus is on spelling, punctuation, some fact checking, grammar, capitalization, use of hyphens and other smaller details.
Proofreading catches all the little typos and formatting errors that may have been missed. Once your manuscript has been thoroughly edited and proofread, it will be in excellent shape and ready to be published!
Want to Work With Me? Here’s What to Know
Different editors charge differently depending on area of expertise, level of editing, type of manuscript, length of manuscript and number of previous edits or revisions already done. These considerations factor into pricing, so there is really no “standard” rate.
I charge on a project basis, and I’ll need to see your work before I can give you an estimate.
Look at it this way: When you need to see a dentist for a toothache or some other problem, the dentist will need to take a look at your teeth first to examine the problem before giving you a price for treatment. It’s the same thing for editing.
Writing is hard work. I get it. I’m a writer too. What’s even harder is completing your manuscript and then handing it over to an editor to look it over, make comments, suggestions or critiques. It’s easy to feel a bit anxious or nervous, or even doubt yourself. But try not to feel that way. Most editors love to use their experience, expertise and passion to help you make your manuscript the best it can be.
Ready to Take Your Work to the Next Level?
If you are ready, get in touch! I look forward to working together to make your manuscript the best that it can be!
