Congratulations on completing your manuscript! This milestone marks the end of one chapter.
Editing is where the next level of magic happens. It’s a pivotal part of the process that ensures your story is not only compelling and well-developed, but also meticulously polished and free from any typos or errors. It’s also what helps your work meet the high standards demanded by readers and publishers alike.
It’s natural to have questions about the editing, especially if you’re a first-time author. You put your heart and soul into your story. Are changes and tweaks really necessary, and if so, can you really trust us to maintain your original vision?
The answer to both questions is yes.
100% yes, absolutely. Editing is what takes your book from good to unputdownable. It helps dial into areas where you might need to flesh out some details. A good editor can hone your characters, better define your plot, and eliminate those pesky errors you overlooked.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to editing. Every manuscript is unique and we approach it exactly that way. There are four different tiers of editing and it’s likely that your book will need them all. Whether it’s your first or 100th book.
Digging Into the Bare Bones.
Developmental edits dive deep into the story to make sure it all ties together nicely. It’s where we examine the story as a whole, pinpointing what works and what doesn’t.
In our review of your book, we’ll read through the manuscript once and make note of all areas where one of the above elements is weak, missing, or confusing. At the end, when we return your manuscript to you, we’ll include an in-depth report of our findings and suggestions.
Projects under 15,000 words are edited at a flat rate of $150.
Questions we ask at this point:
- Does your story hook your readers?
- Do the scenes advance the plot?
- Does the plot arc work?
- Are your characters developed?
We’ll also look for:
- Plot holes/unresolved storylines
- Pacing
- Internal/external conflict
- POV
- Structure
- Show vs. Tell
The Real Work Begins.
Line editors meticulously go through your story sentence by sentence, scrutinizing every word to ensure they’re just right. This is the most detailed type of edit and takes the longest amount of time.
The changes at this stage can be overwhelming for some authors, so to be transparent, we do not and will never rewrite your story. That’s not the goal. Our changes preserve your voice, your story, and your characters. We simply tidy it up.
Changes are made in the manuscript. We use the Track Changes feature, so you can easily see at a glance what we fixed. The rate of this type of editing varies depending on the amount of work needed. We’ll request a sample from your book to provide an estimate.
Projects under 15,000 words are edited at a flat rate of $150.
We’ll dig into:
- Dialogue
- Pacing
- Tone
- Hooks
- Consistency (character personality, scene, etc.)
- Emotional depth
Changes often include:
- Fixing unclear phrasing
- Fleshing out or trimming scenes
- Addressing Show vs. Tell
- Eliminating repetition
- Other changes as needed
Addressing Those Little (Important) Details.
Copyediting is a step above proofreading. It’s more detailed and involves significantly more work than a basic proofread. It often includes an element of fact-checking and research to ensure information is correct.
Changes are made in the manuscript with Track Changes, so you can see where we fixed any of the above elements.
Projects under 15,000 words are edited at a flat rate of $125.
We’ll look at:
- Continuity (errors, tenses)
- Spelling
- Grammar
- Formatting
- Transitional elements
- Chapter numbering
Common changes we make:
- Adding punctuation
- Changing tenses for continuity
- Adding missing words
- Removing duplicate words
- Fixing spacing
- Fixing spelling and grammar mistakes
The Final Stage.
Every book deserves one last review before it goes live. Here’s where we make sure all those little pesky errors that made it through other editing rounds won’t slip through here. This is a surface-level edit.
Changes are made directly in the manuscript with Track Changes turned on, so you can see them.
Projects under 15,000 words have a flat rate fee of $100.
What we look for:
- Typos
- Double spacing after periods
- Spelling/capitalization inconsistencies
- Grammar/spelling errors
- Formatting errors/inconsistencies
Ready to book your edit? Let’s make it happen!
Click the “Get Started” button anywhere on this page and you’ll be taken to a form where you’re asked for details about your manuscript. We’ll review your information and confirm that your book is a good fit for our editing services.
If we agree to move forward together, we’ll secure your spot on our calendar with a $150 nonrefundable deposit. The final invoice will be based on the word count of your actual manuscript. The $150 deposit is applied to that balance.
Payment is due in full when we begin working on your project. We do offer payment plans, but the manuscript will not be returned until the project is paid in full. If you choose this option, make sure you book far enough in advance to meet your publishing deadlines.
Bringing Fantasies to Life 