Editing Services
Line-Editing (Full Manuscript) £16-£21/1,000 words
I combine line-editing and copyediting in a one-stop service which will ensure your manuscript is ready for the proofreading stage.
While I’m line-editing your manuscript, I will be looking at:
- General punctuation, spelling and grammar
- Point of view and head-hopping
- Overuse of stage direction
- The use of tentative language
- Lumpy sentences
- Overwriting
- Unnecessary adverbs
- Showing vs telling
- Excessive timeline nudges
- Character description
- Chapter and section endings and beginnings
- Action beats
- Tense
- Sentence length and rhythm
- Dialogue (and thoughts) formatting, punctuation, idioms, dialects and tags
- Conscious language, inclusivity and stereotyping
As with most editors, I use MS Word Track Changes. This means that you get to see each and every suggested change, and can choose to accept or reject each one individually (if you so wish!). I make changes directly to your manuscript, and I also use the comments function to explain, ask questions, or make suggestions.
At the end of the editing process, I send you back two versions of the file. The tracked version shows all my suggested changes. The second version shows you your manuscript as it would look if you approved all my amendments.
I’m aware that sometimes it’s a little overwhelming to see your lovely manuscript with lots of suggested changes, so I recommend that authors work from the clean file, and only use the red-pen version for reference. The comments are the same on both files.
Of course, you may be the sort of author who likes to learn from the editing process, to see all the changes and understand why they have been made. This is fine, and if you are someone who likes to do it yourself, you might also like to take advantage of my Line-Editing Coaching Call.
Line-Editing – what’s included in the price?
As explained on my home page, my fees for line-editing are transparent, and are based on the word count. I prefer to work to a total cost, rather than an hourly rate, as that way we both know what to expect.
As of May 2023, my fee for copyediting is £16-£21/1,000 words.
The total fee can be confirmed once I have provided you with a free sample edit.
Style Sheet:
As well as the careful word-by-word edit, I also provide you with a detailed style sheet.
This is a document that records the major editorial decisions taken during the editing process (for example, -ise or -ize, double speech marks or single, etc.). This is particularly useful if someone else is going to work on your manuscript (a proofreader, for example), or where your novel is going to form part of a series.
Editorial Report:
For every manuscript, I include a detailed editorial report.
This looks at your manuscript, highlighting your strengths and identifying areas that could be strengthened.
This report uses examples taken from your manuscript, offers supportive, constructive suggestions and, where applicable, details of further resources. The idea is that, at the end of the editing process, you feel encouraged, supported and empowered to continue writing more, even better books.
Conscious Language Check (optional):
Our language – and its use – is constantly evolving.
There are words in common use today which may cause offence to sections of the population, including people who may want to read your book.
These are words and phrases with a historical origin that could potentially alienate or offend, and also words and phrases being used in an unintentionally derogatory way. Such words may include references to gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, mental illness and age.
As part of my copyediting and proofreading services, I offer a conscious language check. This is not to prescribe which words you can use in your book, or to judge your use of them. Instead, the idea is to make sure that these words are being used consciously, and with intent. Please let me know if you would prefer me not to include this option.
“The editing process was more than I was expecting, and the editorial report exceeded my expectations too – very in-depth, but very easy to understand.”
Agent Teaser – 10,000 words mini-edit £310
A “mini-edit” covers exactly the same aspects as for the full manuscript, but only applies to the first 10,000 words.
This serves two purposes. Firstly, it can provide you with a cheaper option, when compared with editing the entire manuscript. You can then see the types of suggestions I make during the first section of the book, and apply this information and knowledge to the rest of the manuscript.
This agent teaser also provides a clean sample for when you are querying editorial agents. Many agents request a 10,000-word extract before they decide whether to sign you up, and it’s important that this extract is of a high enough standard so they can see just how good your writing is.
As with the full line-editing service, you will receive a style sheet, an optional conscious-language check and a detailed editorial report which will support your narrative craft.
Proofreading £11-£16/1,000 words
The biggest difference between proofreading and editing lies in WHEN it takes place. Put simply, proofreading is the final FINAL check before everything goes to print, or screen, or wherever the text will end up. It is not the time for fact-checking, re-writing for clarity, altering text for continuity or thinking about style. It IS the time to check:
- Spelling
- Grammar
- Capitalisations
- Typos (typing mistakes)
- Formatting (eg extra spaces, strange line-breaks, widows and orphans)
- Punctuation issues
- Inconsistencies
Line-Editing Coaching Call – £400
Do you want to learn about the particular line-editing issues that affect your manuscript? I will line-edit the first 5,000 words of your manuscript, and then spend an hour with you on a personalised one-to-one Zoom call (or phone call if you’re all Zoomed out!). Once you’ve understood the issues that are relevant to your own manuscript, you will be able to apply this knowledge to the rest of your book.
The idea is that for future books your self-editing skills will be so good that you can skip the professional edit and move straight to the proofreading stage.
You will also receive:
- your edited 5,000 words
- an optional conscious language check
- a written review to support the Zoom chat
- a style sheet template which will help you keep your editorial decisions consistent.
Manuscript Critique (£300 + £5/1,000 words)
As part of the manuscript critique, I will be looking at the big-picture elements:
- Plot
- Pace
- Conflict
- Voice
- Structure
- Tension
- World-building
- Tenses
- Tentative language and filter words
- Point of view and head-hopping
- Showing vs telling etc
You will receive a comprehensive report outlining what is working and what could do with more attention. All my prices are based on the word count (so it’s worth trimming your manuscript before sending it to me!), and as of January 2024 my fees for a manuscript critique are £300 plus £5/1,000 words (so a manuscript @ 65,000 words word cost £625).
Developmental Editing – £17/1,000 words
My developmental editing service reviews your manuscript for the same big-picture elements as the manuscript critique, but is more intensive:
- Plot
- Pace
- Conflict
- Voice
- Structure
- Tension
- World-building
- Tenses
- Tentative language and filter words
- Point of view and head-hopping
- Showing vs telling etc
I include a chapter-by-chapter analysis of each of these elements, a book map, annotations in the text (but no actual changes to the manuscript itself) as well as a detailed report. I also include a reader-response review (which records my immediate questions/reactions to each section). As of January 2024, my fees for developmental editing are £17/1,000 words. This means that developmentally editing a novel @ 65,000 words would cost £1,105.
If you are still unsure about the difference between proofreading and editing, then please contact me. It may be that the best way to explain is to show you how the two different processes would apply to your manuscript, by doing a quick (free) sample edit.
