What I Offer

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Not all editing is the same, just as not all writing is the same. I believe a good editor guides and directs the writer toward creating and finalizing the best work possible. My goal is to help you identify the type of editing you need and to deliver results. 

Maybe you know your manuscript’s content is strong, but you need help with grammar or style consistency. Or, maybe you are confident with your writing style and you know your grammar rules, but you need help developing the content. I’m here to help you get your manuscript to the place you need it to be. 

I offer these services for nonfiction and academic authors who want to bring their writing to the next level.


Substantive Edit

A substantive edit is the most rigorous type of editing. It requires a careful and close look at the ideas and substance of your manuscript. It is also known as developmental or content editing because it is designed to help you develop your content. Does your manuscript accomplish your goals? Does the content say what it needs to say? How will readers respond to your ideas? Are there gaps between what you want to say and what is on the page? 

Most substantive edits include:  

  • An evaluation of how the content achieves the author’s intended purpose

  • Specific points in the text that need revisions to improve readability

  • Suggestions for structural revisions, including areas to cut, rewrite, or add

  • A close look at the logic and flow of the text as a whole

  • Specific editorial suggestions to direct and guide your final content revisions

  • A substantive edit may require more than one revision throughout the editing process. It always requires the author’s input on any editorial decisions. In a substantive edit, I will guide and direct you to improve your manuscript while allowing you to make final decisions on content.

Because substantive editing is focused on ideas rather than on grammar, usage, or style, I recommend writers hire a copyeditor or proofreader after the substantive editing process.

Copyedit

A copyedit is the most common type of editing. It is done after the content is developed and finalized but before the author prepares the manuscript for publication. Copyediting requires a close look at the words and sentences as they are constructed to improve grammar, style, usage, and voice consistency. It may require discussion about individual edits during the editing process. In a copyedit, I do the following: 

  • Apply standards of usage and grammar and clear up inconsistencies

  • Apply style guide standards for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, numbering, titling, and abbreviations and revise inconsistencies

  • Identify the writer’s unique voice and edit for voice consistency

  • Suggest rewrites on the sentence level to clarify meaning

  • Format, label, and verify any footnotes, endnotes, tables, or front and back matter (This does not include checking facts or indexing; those are tasks separate from copyediting.)

If required or requested, I can create a style sheet in consultation with you for any manuscript-specific style or formatting issues you need addressed during a copyedit.

Proofread

A proofread is the final editing step before publication. Typically, a proofread happens after copyediting, and in most cases after the book is professionally formatted and typeset. In a proofread, I go through the manuscript word by word to catch and correct the following: 

  • Misspellings

  • Typographical and punctuation errors

  • Style inconsistencies not corrected or caught in the text earlier

  • Font style errors

  • Any errors a regular reader might notice

  • Obvious formatting inconsistencies

Proofreading is the most detail-oriented round of editing because it is focused on the sentence and word level. Even after a professional proofread, it’s a good idea to look back over your text and to have multiple readers look for any typos or errors.

Additional Services I Offer

In addition to editing, I can help you prepare your work in the following ways: 

Book layout design and text formatting 

I’ll take your work and format it for your intended audience. If you plan to publish an e-book, I can help you format your book for the Kindle, Nook, and iBooks platforms. Or, I can help you create a professionally designed PDF document. I have industry experience with book design software, such as iBooks Author, Adobe InDesign and Acrobat, Apple Pages, and Calibre. 

Fact-checking and Research 

Do you need help organizing your research or verifying your facts? Does your manuscript have a lot of complex information that needs to be both accurate and clear? I can help you at any stage of the research process. 

Small Document Editing 

Let’s say you run a small business and need help editing your web copy, or you’re a professional who has to prepare a report and you need someone to edit your work. I’m available for small document editing in addition to manuscript editing.

Rates

I set my rates based on the type of editing and the work you require. Most of the time, I set rates on an hourly or per-project basis. In general, I base my rates off of The Editorial Freelancers Association's rate guidelines. When you’re ready to contact me we’ll discuss your editing needs and I will provide a quote.

Want to Get Started?

Contact Me and let me know more about your project! 

If you need more help understanding the types of editing so that you can make the right decision, check out this helpful guide: "10 Things Your Freelance Editor Might Not Tell You – But Should." 

Finally, check out my testimonials and experience pages to find out more about my previous work.