Editorial Services and Fees


Below are the edits offered and fees charged:


Disclaimer:
I cannot guarantee you will gain book deals, agent contracts or five star book reviews. If I ever promise you that know my account has been hacked and you are being spammed. If another editor promises you that then they have excellent blackmail on someone in publishing and you should require proof.

Sample Edit 

 $40 for your first 5,000 words (20 pages). This is cheap, I know. (It is. Keep reading.) This is also required unless we've discussed otherwise. We likely do not know each other and you need to 'test' me before you shell out the big bucks.

The sample edit includes an editorial review (not necessarily in letter format, but still organized), line edits, and copyedits (as many as I can do while line editing). I will mark directly in your manuscript, detailing the things I think need attention, and will offer edit recommendations. I will also point out repetitive writing style, wording, and phrasing. The sample edit allows us to determine what type of edits your manuscript needs. I will not charge you for a line edit when you still need content revisions. I will not offer you an editorial letter when you only need copyedits.

This price also includes up to twenty minutes of follow-up discussion be it by email, Zoom, Skype or something similar. Plainly speaking, this is a whole lot of edit for a minimal fee.


Editorial Letter

$3.00 a page (every 250 words). An editorial letter, also known as substantive and content edit, is a lot of work.

An editorial letter from me is a chapter by chapter letter addressing big picture issues with plot, tone, voice, characters, scene relevancy, world-building development, plot holes, easy outs, too much convenience, head hopping, 'telling' instead of 'showing', and other substantive issues that require heavy changes in your manuscript. As the author it is ultimately your choice to make these changes or not, but if you've had a manuscript rejected by several agents and publishing houses with responses like, "The plot just doesn't work for me" or "We do not connect with your characters", this is likely what you need.

This price also includes up to a thirty minute follow-up discussion.
Author Beware: Most publishing houses have a policy that once a manuscript is rejected, it cannot be submitted for reconsideration. If you have received seven or more publishing house rejections you should get a substantive/content edit or editorial letter. From someone.
Critique

Price to be determined. A critique can be added to an already existing edit job (such as a line edit) and can be done on its own. It is not as thorough as a Editorial Letter, but it will contain more than a standard beta read. It's my attempt at a happy medium, and is now included in this list of Editorial Services and Fees because it has been requested. It will cost less than the Editorial Letter's $3 a page, but will also contain less data. However if you're lacking a critique partner and want some overall feedback—this might be the option for you.

An critique from me is an informal letter discussing overall plot ideas and characters. It won't necessarily discuss every dropped mini-plot line, but it will address the large holes, large inconsistencies, and major points. And of course, it'll mention the manuscript's strengths.

Please do not ask for a critique if you need an Editorial Letter. If you've received several manuscript rejections--you need an Editorial Letter. (Or you need to edit your manuscript based upon the feedback you've received from those rejections.) A critique is in place of a critique partner (who should critique your manuscript in return for the same favor).

Because manuscripts vary, please email me and we'll discuss pricing and more.

The Critique price includes up to a twenty minute follow-up discussion.


Line Edit

$2.50 a page (every 250 words).

Line edits from me include story organization suggestions, making note of passive voice, basic fact checking, attention to word usage (and over-usage), and tag line and sentence structure repetition. I will mark tone change, but heavy tone inconsistencies are addressed during an editorial letter. I will discuss dialogue, character/plot consistency (on a smaller scale than the editorial letter), and give location and logistics analysis.
Meaning: I verify the population in your town, note you've used the word 'horrible' fifteen times, suggest 'she said' can be used elsewhere for dialogue (or removed all together), and ensure your hero acts like himself on page two and on page thirty, while being consistent with his character arc. I will draw a map of your heroine's house and track her rooms to ensure there aren't four sets of stairs in her humble, average home. I will notice if your hero removes his shirt twice, if your characters are standing when they were sitting, and if the heroine is far enough away from the hero to 'launch' herself into his arms.
Line edits also include attention to world-building. If your hero's special tattoo glows when he's near the Phoenix in chapter ten, I will question why it's glowing when next to the ocean in chapter twenty-five. If your vampires have no fangs, but their teeth cut a human I'm going to ask you to explain it. World-building is about being logical and consistent within the rules you've created. If you have substantive world-building inconsistencies you may want an editorial letter. If we encounter this issue I will contact you.

Line edits do not generally address big picture plot holes, but if you have a few I will informally point them out.

This price also includes up to an hour follow-up discussion.


Copyedit

$1.50 a page (every 250 words).
What's left after all line edits? All the other things.

Copyedits from me are the essential final edits before sending your self-published novel to print or submitting your manuscript to an agent or publisher. It includes some line editing—characters' physical traits consistency and repetitive dialogue. It also includes altering words that appear too close together in your text. (Probably shouldn't describe the truck as 'big' three times in one paragraph.) I'll offer sentence tweaks to make your point more clear and read your dialogue to confirm the reader always knows who is speaking. If anything seems off with tone or pacing, I will mark it. I will suggest omitting needless words and will check your manuscript for our previous edits to ensure they still flow with the plot and other new additions you may have added (with or without my input).

Copyedits enhance your voice. You want your voice to be heard and that requires precision editing.

A copyedit also includes a light proofread. I will check grammar and punctuation. I'll confirm you really want to use that adverb or adjective.

The Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition) is used for style questions, but the author's previous works may set the style standard. (We will discuss this prior to edits.)

I won't mark an edit you've previously declined, an overall plot hole, poor character development or a storyline that should be cut because it drags the plot. (Okay I might, but only if I think it's necessary.) Those things happen before the copyedit.

Line edits and copyedits can be done at the same time if:
1. Your manuscript does not require heavy line editing. If it does not, I might suggest they be done together; and 
2. You promise me, promise me, you will have your manuscript proofread prior to publishing.   Do not do it yourself. You've lived and breathed these words too long to see their flaws. Give them to someone else.
If we're doing line edits and copyedits together, I charge $3.00 a page (every 250 words). This also means I am not reading your manuscript after you accept or decline the edits. Read your manuscript again and hire a proofreader. Remember, you promised.


Proofread

I can do it.  I'm generally not a proofreader, but I can (and have) proof in Word and in Adobe Reader. If you'd like me to cross your t's and dot your i's please send me an email.


Other Services

Let's talk. If you want a quick read-through, a sub-plot analysis or a little of this and a little of that editing—I can do it and we can work out the fee. (Also, see Critique.)


 Publicity/Advertising Advice

Publicity and advertising advice is currently offered free to clients. Ask me about blog tours, pricing, blurbs, book promo, and more.   


Alternative Payment

I will charge hourly instead of by page.  Email me for details.


A Word on Fees

I'm a thorough editor. I think about your book when I'm not reading it and will often email you after you've paid me with follow-up suggestions or ideas. Just because the work is finished doesn't mean my work stops. This takes time, discussion, an exorbitant amount of notes, and more than one read of your manuscript.
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