Novel writing often begins as a very personal, solitary endeavor. But at some point in the editing and publishing process, it becomes more effective—and less lonely—to expand your book’s team.
As your editor, I’ll work with you to realize your creative vision. I’ll help you leverage and expand your book’s strengths and address weaknesses as needed. I bring fresh eyes, ever-growing expertise, love for the written word, respect for you, and care for your readers.
Learn more about my fiction-editing services below, and please reach out if you have any questions!
Chapter Consultation
Cost: $100 (flat fee)
My chapter consultation is an affordable, low-commitment way to receive personalized guidance and jump-start your revisions. I provide edits and editorial feedback on your novel’s first chapter (up to 2,000 words). Learn more here!
Developmental Editing
Cost: $0.035–$0.039 per word
Delivered through a comprehensive editorial letter and a marked-up manuscript. Due to the big-picture nature of a developmental edit, the letter is usually the most significant portion of the edit. It includes an overall assessment of your novel’s strengths and weaknesses, recommended revision goals, and practical suggestions to support your revision process. The manuscript itself will have significantly fewer changes and comments than it would after a line edit or copyedit.
Scope: The exact scope of a developmental edit varies. I’ll help you leverage strengths and address weaknesses related to big-picture matters such as the following:
- worldbuilding
- character development
- conflict
- pacing
- continuity
- perspective and narrative distance
The recommendations, expertise, and prompting questions I provide may lead you to rework the story’s timeline, merge two or more secondary characters, or beef up your protagonist’s internal conflict in a way that affects the entire book. I may even suggest you consider using a different POV (e.g., first person instead of third person), which could lead to a manuscript-wide rewrite. Or I may make “smaller” suggestions: shorten a scene, split up and expand a chapter, introduce a character differently, cut unnecessary exposition, rectify a continuity error.
I’d also be happy to schedule brainstorming sessions—whether as part of a developmental editing package or as a separate service. Contact me to ask questions or request a quote!
Line Editing
Cost: $0.038–$0.045 per word
Delivered through an editorial letter and a marked-up manuscript. I may also provide a style sheet.
Scope: Line editing is a hands-on, detailed service that takes place between developmental editing and copyediting. It is highly customized to you and your manuscript. In fact, I read your manuscript twice to ensure my edits fit your voice and story. As such, the following list is only a basic overview of the edits and recommendations I may provide when line editing your novel:
- Dialogue edits: Does the dialogue seem “natural” to the characters? Are dialogue tags and action beats employed in a way that enhances the scene rather than distracts?
- Light “cleanup” of issues that may have slipped through the cracks during earlier revisions: Are there leftover instances of “head hopping” or other small mistakes and weaknesses related to perspective? Small continuity errors? Unnecessary “telling” when the action and dialogue already “show” an emotion, opinion, or worldbuilding detail? A missed opportunity to hint at a character’s internal conflict and build tension?
- Editing for the usual culprits: I’ll challenge excessive adverbs, passive voice, clichés, repetitive sentence structure, and other constructs that weaken your text. That said, don’t worry, creative rebels; I agree that some of this is subjective and that context matters. I want to help you draw out and develop your voice, not squash it.
- Some grammar and syntax: Like in copyediting, I often address grammatical issues—especially as part of fixing awkward wording. However, I do not give these errors the same level of focused attention I would in a copyedit, especially not in sentences that I’m suggesting you remove.
- Style choices: We’ll agree on a style guide to use as our primary reference (usually The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th ed.). Assuring consistent style isn’t my priority during a line edit, but I may flag and advise on inconsistently styled punctuation, civil and job titles, internal monologues (thoughts), and so on.
I make most of my recommended changes directly to the text using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes. But I also provide expertise and suggestions that equip you to make further changes—or to replace or override some of mine. Through this process, I will help you tap into techniques to make your dialogue more natural, your action more engaging, and your description more effective.
Ready to elevate your scenes from serviceable to beautiful? Let’s chat!
Copyediting
Cost: $0.022–0.029 per word
Delivered through a marked-up manuscript, a brief editorial letter, and a style sheet.
Scope: As your copyeditor, I have your back. I fix the little mistakes that make it through earlier rounds of editing—particularly the typos, spelling errors, word mix-ups, and grammar goofs that readers are most likely to notice. I also tackle the syntax errors that lead to confusing, awkward wording. And I provide finishing touches that give your book a professional quality: consistent styling of ellipses and dashes, consistent application of chapter headings and section breaks, and so on.
Learn more about my copyediting service here!
Multiservice editing and coaching packages:
Some authors’ needs don’t fit neatly into the categories above. Perhaps you need accountability to finish revisions before AD 2300. Perhaps most of your professional editing needs can be met in one or two rounds of editing—but you could really use some extra feedback on a specific chapter. I’m happy to provide customized packages to fit your goals, needs, and budget.
Coaching can be a particularly helpful way to accomplish the following:
- Identify, narrow, or adjust writing, revision, and publishing goals
- Identify and overcome obstacles to achieving goals
- Be held accountable for working toward goals
- Brainstorm creative solutions to plot or wording dilemmas
Two final notes on customized editing and coaching packages:
➼ I rarely provide more than two full editing services for the same manuscript. It can be helpful to go through multiple rounds of developmental and line editing with the same editor. It’s less helpful to have a copyeditor who has already read your manuscript four times.
➼ Neurodivergent? Working with an often-uncooperative brain? So am I! Please don’t hesitate to share how troubles with motivation, focus, decision-making, rejection sensitivity, dyslexia, brain fog, or other matters may affect your editing and coaching needs.
Ready to get started? Let’s discuss how I can partner with you to set and meet your book-revision goals. Reach out today!
Words Unbound 