The number one complaint from readers of self-published books is the lack of professional editing. As an avid reader, I’ve seen and experienced this time and again. It’s heartbreaking when I know how much time and effort went into the writing. Let’s make it right before you publish.
“Edit” can mean many things. The goal is not only to publish a quality work, but also to make the author a better writer. It’s not all about typos, but demands a knowledge of a wide range of facts and life experiences as well as the ability to research.
I do three basic types of editing, although in most projects these overlap:
Substantive (Structural) Editing — organizing and clarifying content to make the most sense for readers; correcting inconsistencies with dialog, character development, and environment; some rewriting, condensing or expanding without changing the meaning [Usual fee: $0.015 per word]
Copy (Line) Editing — inspecting and correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage [Usual fee: $0.010 per word]
Proofreading — final editing before publication; correcting minor errors; checking citations, page numbers, table of contents, page breaks, and running heads [Usual fee: $0.005 per word]
Hourly Work
For hourly editing, I invoice to the nearest quarter hour. My standard rate for copyediting and proofreading is $45 per hour, with a minimum of one hour for new clients. After-hours and rush work accrues an extra fee.
How does it work?
- You will fill out a simple survey to tell me about your project.
- I will do a sample edit of five pages of your manuscript in Word using the Track Changes feature so you can see how I work and whether we are compatible.
- I will send you a quote for the project with the scope of the work included.
- If you agree to the quote, I will send you my Terms of Service and an invoice for the first half of the project fee.
- I will keep you informed of my progress and we will communicate throughout the project. We will agree on milestones to discuss the progress and keep on track.
- You will receive the edited manuscript in Word.
- I will perform one revision based on your requirements.
- At the conclusion of the project, I will send you the invoice for the second half of the project fee.
Genres: I am fairly well read and open to most genres of fiction and nonfiction, but I do not work on erotica or horror manuscripts.
Publishing
I offer book design and formatting, ebook conversion (the correct way), and publishing for both print and ebooks.
Book Design and Layout
- Guaranteed to be approved by all major publishers
- Front matter (Titles, copyright, tables of content, etc.)
- Back matter (Appendix, glossary, bibliography, etc.)
- Illustrations and photos
- Page headings
- Correct use of chapter titles, blank pages, page numbers, footnotes, and more
- Orphan and widow control
- Hyphenation management
- Appropriate styling for the genre
Print-on-Demand (POD)
I highly recommend CreateSpace for printing your book. They have careful formatting requirements, great options for distribution, and are reasonably priced. I’ve worked with them many times and can help you through the process.
Ebook Formatting
- Formatting for all major ebook publishers: Smashwords, Amazon Kindle, Apple, Google, B&N Nook, etc.
- File formatting: doc, pdf, epub, mobi, etc.
- Linked Table of Contents (if applicable)
- All text formatting intact (bold, italics, underline, etc.)
- Graphics, including picture books
- Active hyperlinks to web content
- Creating online accounts for your distributors
- Uploading applicable files and approving proofs
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