Copyediting, Proofreading & More!
I’m all about making your words count. Whether you’re penning your first novel, whipping up a blog post, or jazzing up your business copy, hiring an editor might seem like an unnecessary expense. But trust me, as a writer myself, the price of not hiring an editor can be much higher in the long run.
Still not convinced? Check out my blog on the hidden cost of not hiring an editor. Let’s team up and make sure your message hits all the right notes.
If you don’t know what type of editing you need, check out my blog on developmental editing versus copyediting versus proofreading.
Here’s What I Bring to the Table
I provide copyediting and proofreading services tailored to novels, short stories, and blogs. My specialization lies in mystery, crime, horror, and middle-grade genres, which I’m deeply familiar with as a reader and writer. However, my skills extend to editing and proofreading across various document types, including fiction and nonfiction books, marketing materials, blog articles, and resumes.
My editing style adheres to The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) and any style guide you may have.
Not sure about the type of editing service that suits your needs? Check out my blog, where I delve into the distinctions between developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.
Why Choose Me?
- In the Zone: I am deeply immersed in my specialized genres as a reader and writer. This extensive experience gives me an understanding of their distinctive style and tone.
- Error Hater: I feel your pain when it comes to those pesky errors. Let’s kick ’em to the curb together!
- Tailored Treatment: Your project is like no other, and I treat it that way. No cookie-cutter approaches here!
- Time is Money: I respect your time, so you can count on me for prompt and efficient service.
- Affordable Magic: Quality editing shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Let’s make your words sparkle without breaking the bank.
- Your Words, Elevated: It’s not just a tagline – it’s my mission. Whether you’re cooking up a juicy novel or a killer business manifesto, I’ve got the literary elbow grease to take your words to the next level.
Copyediting
Proofreading
Copyediting is the ultimate polish for your prose, catching all those pesky errors that slipped through the cracks during the writing process and transforming your raw draft into a shining final masterpiece.
As your copyeditor, I’ll tackle a bunch of stuff, including:
- Fixing grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting mistakes.
- Making sure your writing is crystal clear, coherent, and grammatically top-notch.
- Smoothing out any clunky sentences to boost readability and ensure your content expresses the right tone.
- Conducting fact-checking as needed, verifying the spelling of proper nouns, dates, and book or movie titles.
- Nipping repetitive words, phrases, and ideas in the bud.
- Identifying weak verbs and keeping an eye on verb tense and noun/verb agreement.
My copyediting services are competitive, falling in the $.025-$.035 per word range, depending on whether your project needs a high, medium, or low level of copyediting. Final pricing will be determined once I’ve peeked at a sample of your project.
Proofreading is the final step before publication, following other essential editing processes like copyediting. It’s akin to the final touch-up, meticulously examining the text for any errors that may have evaded detection during previous rounds of editing and formatting.
As your proofreader, I’ll give your document a thorough once-over and mark any errors. I’ll proofread anything you’ve written–a novel, short story, e-book, marketing materials, manuals, resumes, or even magazine and blog articles!
Here’s what I’ll be keeping an eye out for:
- Misspellings
- Grammar mistakes
- Punctuation problems
- Stylistic inconsistencies – things like wonky capitalization, random extra spaces, or pagination hiccups
- Formatting errors
- Word choice issues, like mixing up “it’s” and “its.”
The fee is $.02 per word.
Short-form copyediting and proofreading projects such as blogs, websites, journal articles, legal documents, resumes, etc., may be quoted on a per-hour or per-project basis rather than per word.
Beta Reading
Create Your Package
I’ll dive into your novel or short story from the perspective of your target audience. No proofreading or copyediting is involved. Usually, you’ll provide a list of questions you want answers to –like, “Was anything confusing?” or “Were the characters well-developed?”
If you don’t have specific questions, no problem. I’ll tackle your work with a checklist in mind, focusing on:
- Grabbing readers’ attention right from the opening scene
- Bringing characters to life and making sure their actions make sense
- Keeping the plot engaging and full of juicy conflict
- Nailing that perfect pacing – not too slow, not too fast
- Painting a vivid picture of the world you’ve created
- Making sure the dialogue flows naturally and sounds real
- Balancing showing and telling to keep readers hooked
- And finally, giving you my overall impression – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Want to mix and match your editing services? No problem! Whether you need copyediting now and proofreading later, or maybe you think two rounds of copyediting sound just right – it’s all up to you.
Thinking about starting off with some beta reading before diving into copyediting? Or you’d prefer a Zoom meeting to chat about suggested revisions?
Whatever combo you’re cooking up, just let me know what you need, and I’ll whip up a quote that fits like a glove. Let’s make your editing experience totally tailor-made!
Contact me and tell me what you need, and I’ll provide a personalized quote!
Pricing is a flat fee of $75 for projects over 20,000 words, $15 for projects between 10,000 and 20,000 words, and $10 for short stories up to 10,000 words.
Get Specific
Here’s the lowdown on how things will work once we get started:
- Getting a Quote: First things first, let’s talk numbers. Once you contact me, I’ll ask a few questions to get a handle on your needs. To give you the best quote upfront, I might ask to peek at a few pages of your project.
- Making it Official: Once we’re ready to proceed with the project, you’ll receive a contract laying out all the details. Then, I’ll shoot over the initial invoice. Thirty percent of the fee is due upfront via Paypal or Zelle before we dive into editing.
- Editing Time: Now, onto the fun stuff! You’ll provide your project in Word, PDF, print, or Google Docs format, and I’ll dive in using track changes.
- Final Touches: The remainder of the fee is due upon project completion.
Let’s Dive In!: Ready to take your words to the next level? Shoot me a message, and let’s work some magic on your prose.
From the blog
Stay up to date with the latest from my blog.
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New Blog Posted on Cutting the Fat From Your Short Story
Ready to dive into the self-editing process for your short story? Check out my new blog post on my author site with six quick tips on trimming the fat in your narrative that you can put to use immediately. Once you’ve polished your story to perfection, consider giving it that…
Writer’s Digest University –
Copyediting Certificate Program
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