Editing Services
I offer a range of editing services for independent authors at every stage of the publishing process. Nonfiction genre specialties include Christianity (including texts requiring knowledge of biblical languages), world religions/spirituality, memoir, travel writing, self-help, and business. Fiction specialties include sci-fi/fantasy, dystopian, magical realism, faith/spirituality, and anything genre-bending. For all genres, I focus on adult audiences but occasionally dip into YA. If you are unsure whether your text is in my wheelhouse, reach out and I’ll let you know.
You can also find me in the directories for the Editorial Freelancers Association and the Northwest Editors Guild.
Manuscript Evaluation/Beta Reading
Includes a read-through of your manuscript and a frank, friendly editorial letter outlining what your manuscript needs to be ready for publishing. Feedback focuses on overall reader experience, target audience, pacing, tone, structure, organization, technical issues, and more. This is an ideal option for authors who want to get another set of eyes on their work or who don’t know what type of editing they should pursue. This service is charged at a low per-word rate rather than a flat fee, and the cost of it is credited toward future work we do together.
Developmental Editing
Developmental (or structural) editing is an early stage of editing that focuses on the shape of a text–this is the level of editing where authors move chapters around, add and remove content, and make all the “big, scary” changes. It pinpoints and offers suggestions on your text’s organization, structure, flow of argument, and glaring issues that need to be resolved before editing the language itself. This type of editing is done in the manuscript itself using track changes and comments, and it is also accompanied by a thorough, actionable editorial letter.
Line Editing
Line editing zooms in on a manuscript to polish the text on a–you guessed it–line-by-line basis. It enhances your writing by smoothing stylistic irregularities, scrutinizing word choices, and making occasional insertions or deletions. My line editing always includes copyediting, but it also has the more subjective, artistic goal of drawing out the author’s voice so that it is readable, effective, and unforgettable. This is the editing that will make your readers say, “Gosh, this author is a great writer!”
Copyediting
Copyediting may be the most familiar type of editing to you, and for good reason: no matter how good your book is, you need a copyeditor. Promise. This type of editing through your manuscript to correct errors in grammar, spelling, usage. It’s not just fixing mistakes, though: copyediting addresses inconsistencies within the manuscript so that your text “agrees with itself,” includes light formatting to make your text friendly for any subsequent design work, and enforces your chosen style guide.
Proofreading
Not to be confused with copyediting, this the final step before publication. Proofreading scours a previously copyedited manuscript for final errors that familiarity with the text has rendered invisible to the author and their editing team. This is the stage that saves you from spotting embarrassing rogue typos in your published book. While no manuscript can ever be completely perfect, proofreading is the way to get it as close to error-free as possible. Don’t skip it!
Formatting
For authors seeking to self-publish, adhere to guidelines they’ve been given, work with a designer, or have their book typeset, it’s important to have a well-formatted Word document. Things like double spaces, extra hard returns, misused paragraph styles, and inconsistent page breaks can make it harder and more time-consuming to get your book looking as good as it should. Let me take care of the ins and outs of Microsoft Word and format your manuscript for you–this is available in conjunction with all other editing services for a low additional flat fee (usually about $230, depending on manuscript length).
Evergreen Editing 