Services
I offer a range of editorial services to meet your writing needs. The four types of editing I offer are: developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. Each has a distinct focus. The type of editing you require will depend on where you are in the writing and editing process. Whether you need high-level guidance or tweaking and polishing, I will help you determine the best fit for your project based on your needs, goals, and budget. (See Rates info.)
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Have questions about which editorial service would be the best match for you? Contact me today to discuss your project!
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DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING
“Just get it down on paper, and then we’ll see what to do with it.”
—Maxwell Perkins
​Developmental editing (sometimes called “substantive editing” or “content editing”) offers a high-level focus on structure, plotting, themes, character development, pacing, and point of view. Big-picture questions will be considered, including (but not limited to): What is the best way to structure this work? Who is the intended audience? What can be trimmed? What needs to be added? Are the characters fully developed/authentic?
Developmental edits will often include suggestions to cut, add, tweak, or move portions of text, always preserving the voice and intended meaning of the author. I will also identify and recommend solutions for problematic areas, such as plot inconsistencies or awkward transitions.
The focus:
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Structure/organization
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Narrative voice and point of view
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Themes
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Plotting (including “plot holes” and timeline)
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Narrative arcs
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Character development
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Pacing and flow
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Clarity
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Setting/world building
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Authenticity of dialogue
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Word count/length (where to cut or expand)
Deliverables:
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Overview of the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, with editorial recommendations
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MS Word file with changes tracked, and suggestions and queries noted in comments
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One-hour phone or Zoom call to discuss any questions
LINE EDITING
This kind of editing brings to mind the words of Benjamin Dreyer, former copy chief at Random House:
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“My job is to lay my hands on that piece of writing and make it … better. Cleaner. Clearer. More efficient. Not to rewrite it … but to burnish and polish it and make it the best possible version of itself that it can be.”
---Dreyer's English
Line editing provides a comprehensive review of your text on a line-by-line basis. Each word, sentence, and paragraph will be carefully considered with the goal of enhancing the flow, clarity, accuracy, and style of the writing. I will address typos, misspellings, punctuation, grammar, and unwieldy sentences and paragraphs. I will check facts and the spellings of place names, events, and people. Chapter titles, subheadings, citations, and reference lists will be reviewed for accuracy and consistency. In short, the line edit is a thorough, detailed process that will clarify, strengthen and polish your writing.
The focus:
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Sentence and paragraph structure
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Word choice
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Correctness, consistency, and clarity
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Repetitive phrasing and redundancies
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Tone/voice and point of view
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Flow, pacing, and overall narrative structure
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Logic and anachronisms
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Fact-checking of verifiable information
Deliverables:
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Brief editorial overview of the revisions and suggestions made
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MS Word file with changes tracked, and queries and suggestions noted in comments
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Customized style sheet created for your project (or I can add to an existing style sheet)
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One-hour phone or Zoom call to discuss any questions
Line editing may be carried out as a separate service, or in conjunction with developmental editing (after high-level issues have been resolved). It can also be done in conjunction with copy editing.
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I will customize an editing plan for you based on your needs and objectives.
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STYLE SHEETS & STYLE MANUALS
A style sheet is a list of the preferences you and your editor decide on for your manuscript’s spelling, punctuation, numbers, grammar, and even design. It’s a customized “rule book” for your manuscript, to ensure uniformity throughout the editing process.
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A style sheet typically includes things like:
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Spellings (T-shirt vs. tee-shirt; bandanna vs. bandana; Mr. Petersen vs. Mr. Peterson)
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Punctuation (U.S. vs. US, pm vs. p.m.)
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Capitalization (“Professor Jones” but “the professor”; SWAPO vs. Swapo)
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Style of capitalization (all caps vs. small caps)
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Expression of numbers—written out or numerals (e.g. one to ninety-nine, but 100+)
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Expression of dates and times (February 14th vs. February 14; two o’clock/2:00/2 p.m.)
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Hyphenation (“make-up” as a noun but “make up” as a verb)
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Use of Oxford/series comma (“roses, daisies, and lilies” vs. “roses, daisies and lilies”)
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Use of italics
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Formatting of bulleted/numbered lists, captions, tables, and graphics
Most publishing houses have in-house style guides or follow a specific style manual (for example, Chicago Manual of Style, New Oxford Style Manual, etc.) and will edit manuscripts accordingly. I tend to follow Chicago, coupled with Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. I am also familiar with Oxford, AP, and APA. I’m happy to use your house style guide or project style sheet, or to create a style sheet for your project.
COPY EDITING
Copy editing fine-tunes your writing to eliminate errors and ensure stylistic and grammatical correctness, consistency, and cohesion. Strictly speaking, copy editing occurs after a manuscript has received structural and/or line editing, and before layout and proofreading. It focuses on the mechanics of writing—punctuation, grammar, spelling, usage, and consistency—with revisions at the sentence and word levels.
The focus:
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Spelling, punctuation, and grammar
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Missing or duplicated words and spaces
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Stylistic accuracy and consistency
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Light fact-checking (names, dates)
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Common errors and typos (effect/affect, dairy/diary, though/thought/through, than/then)
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Citations
Deliverables:
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Editorial overview of any significant or repetitive errors found
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MS Word document with changes tracked, and queries and suggestions noted in comments
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Customized style sheet created for your project (or I can follow and augment an existing style sheet)
There is some overlap between line editing and copy editing, just as there can be overlap between developmental and line editing.
PROOFREADING
Proofreading is the final stage in the editorial process, a last check for errors. It occurs after the manuscript has been typeset—when a manuscript's text has been designed in PDF format—and focuses on catching typographical, formatting, or design errors that may have been introduced during the typesetting process. Occasionally, proofreading also identifies grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors that have slipped through during editing.
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Proofreading can also take place on an edited manuscript in MS Word format just before it goes into production (understanding that it will need another proofread when it’s designed as a PDF).
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The focus:
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Typos, misspellings, duplicated words and spaces, missing words and spaces
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Correct formatting of citations, footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography/reference list
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Accuracy of tables, figures, and images, including captions, titles, and numbering
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Layout/typographical issues: correct end-of-line breaks, stacks, orphans and widows, loose or tight lines
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Pagination: table of contents, chapter numbers, and headings correspond with book’s interior
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Accuracy of cross-references (e.g. “see chapter 2“/“see page 428”)
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Minor copy-editing errors, when necessary
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URLs and links work, when applicable
Deliverables:
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Editorial overview of any significant or repetitive errors found
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A marked-up PDF (using Adobe mark-up tools) or an MS Word document with changes tracked, depending on your preferred format*
*I can also proofread on hard copy, using traditional proofreading symbols, when required.
Rates
Since every project is unique, rates are based on the specific service required, the word count, and the complexity of the project. My rates conform to the Editorial Freelancers Association guidelines, available here.
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Please note: I can only provide a rate or fee estimate after I have assessed your content. I offer free sample edits of up to 500 words, and longer sample edits for a small fee, which will be deducted from the project cost if you decide to move forward with me.