How can I help you?
Line Editing
Line editing is all about language: the clarity of instructions, the diction that characters use, the flow of a sentence, the tone and style of your writing. It’s a close read of your manuscript to make sure your words are working to tell your story as well as possible.
During a line edit I look at your writing line by line to see how each paragraph and sentence adds to the manuscript. My goal is always to respect and enhance your authorial voice, bringing your attention to areas where the writing could be improved. I’ll make suggestions about:
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Gaps in logic
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Pet phrases, wordy or redundant phrasing, and cliches
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Stilted or out-of-character dialogue and diction
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Shifts in tone
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Issues with rhythm and cadence
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Confusing or unclear transitions
Copyediting
The goal of copyediting is to turn your writing from an edited final draft to a polished manuscript ready for layout and publishing. Copyediting is about smoothing out mechanical and stylistic issues that might confuse or distract your readers, so they can focus their attention on your story.
During a copyedit I read your manuscript closely, tracking all my edits and suggestions so you can see and respond to the changes I make. I also create a style sheet to record your style preferences, make note of editing decisions, and track important details that are specific to your manuscript. I’ll make sure that:
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Your meaning is clear
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Your writing flows smoothly and logically
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Sentences are grammatical
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Punctuation is used correctly
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Spelling errors are fixed
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Factual errors or inconsistencies are brought to your attention
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Style choices (such as capitalization, numerals, and spelling) are consistent
Proofreading
Proofreading takes place after your manuscript has been formatted for publication. It’s the final read of your book to make sure no errors have slipped through after copyediting, and no funky formatting was introduced during layout.
I proofread PDFs of print books as well as ebook files. I’ll make sure that:
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No errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation have slipped through
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Style choices are consistent
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Formatting and layout are consistent
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Headers, footers, and table of contents are consistent
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Internal references and page numbers are correct
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Images are placed correctly
Series Bibles
A series bible is an essential tool for fiction writers working on a series of stories set in the same world. It’s your reference source for all your important story and setting details: worldbuilding notes, character traits, timelines, language choices, and more.
I help authors compile series bibles to keep track of those details. Whether you’re writing a first book or continuing an established series, I’ll read your manuscript and/or previously published books closely, recording established details for you to draw on later in the series and organizing the information so it’s easy for you to reference.
My Rates
Every manuscript is unique and has unique requirements! That means I’ll always discuss your project with you and review your manuscript before I propose a project fee based on your needs. For manuscripts over 20,000 words, I offer a free sample edit of up to 1,000 words to help you get a feel for my editing style and to help me provide a fair quote.
Contact me to learn more and get a quote for your project.