My Goal
I want your book to be the best it can be, and I want to help you learn, develop, and grow as an author. Whether you’re self-publishing or querying agents, you want to make sure you put your best foot forward. In the publishing industry, first impressions count, and these editing services can help you stand out. Through constructive feedback, notes, and suggestions, my goal is to help your manuscript shine, all while passing on some useful knowledge that will help your writing in the future. I am always tactful and courteous in my critiques and feedback; however, I will say what needs to be said in order to help polish your book or project.
What I Do
With over a decade of experience working with fiction (especially fantasy and science fiction) and as a professional copywriter and copyeditor, I have the history and experience necessary to take your project and help you craft it into a work of art. My knowledge stems from a corporate setting to a full-service press publishing genre fiction, as well as training from other professional and academic entities. My experience covers all things you would expect in editing services, including copy editing, line editing, developmental editing, as well as writing. Please contact me if you have developmental editing or writing projects that need to be done, and I’ll work with you on a budget for your specific project.
I personally focus on fantasy and science fiction (SFF), but am more than familiar in many other genres and formats (i.e. non-fiction, academic, etc.). Whether your manuscript is of the SFF genres or something else, I would love to work on it with you.
Here are some of the types of projects you can use these editing services with (I’ll write them, too, if you so desire):
- Novels (any length)
- Novellas/novelettes
- Short stories
- Flash fiction
- Non-fiction
- Rule books (i.e. board games, technical writing, etc.)
- Copy (product, website, emails, catalog, etc.)
- Blogs/articles
- Theses/academic writing
- Press releases
- Kickstarter campaigns
If you think my editing services would be a good fit for a project not listed above, feel free to contact me about it and I’ll let you know if it fits my repertoire. If a project doesn’t fit my particular skill set or I feel like another editor might have better credentials for the task at hand (due to prior experience in the subject area or some other reason), I’m more than happy to refer you to someone who can help your manuscript or project be the best it can be. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
Editing Services: Rates and Pricing
My rates for these editing services fall within the range suggested by the Editorial Freelance Association (EFA). The following are the types of editing I do, what they entail, as well as the price for each one. (Rates listed are starting prices, and will generally be the final rate. If more than average work is required, however, rates may be increased.)
Copyediting + Line Editing: $0.05 per word
This bundle combines copyediting and line editing services for a more cohesive edit. Of course, combining the two services will take longer to work through, but will be more cost and time efficient. More information on the differences between these two types of editing services can be found below.
Line Editing: $0.03 per word
Line editing focuses more on words and tone rather than punctuation and grammar (see copy editing). With line editing, it’s my goal to not just improve your manuscript, but to help you come away with tools that will help improve your writing from here on out (and yes, your current manuscript will emerge looking better as well). With a line edit, I’ll take a look at language (i.e. voice, tone, etc.), creative content, and writing style. I’ll make sure your language is clear, and help your sentences and paragraphs come alive with emotion and tone. I’ll work with you to find the best words in order to convey the right emotions for your scenes. I’ll help tighten up your sentences, fix dialogue, improve pacing, and ensure that your readers won’t be confused by anything they come across. Essentially, line editing polishes your language, making your story clear and enjoyable.
Copy Editing: $0.025 per word
When I copyedit, I look at the micro as well as macro. I ensure spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax are all neat and shiny, but will also make sure everything is consistent, such as character descriptions (i.e. blond hair in chapter one and brown hair in chapter three), word choices (i.e. favorite vs. favourite), and other technicalities. I’ll also do fact checking along the way, just to make sure certain things are either true or at least make sense. This is especially true for non-fiction works. However, keeping things as realistic as possible in fiction is also beneficial (usually) to your story.
Proofreading: $0.015 per word (minimum $50)
Proofreading is the last piece of the editing puzzle and takes place after line editing and copy editing. Contrary to many beliefs, proofreading is not looking for typos and grammatical errors (see copyediting). Those things will be fixed if found, of course, but the main responsibility of the proofreader is to check for textual errors and formatting. Proofreaders also compare the final version to the previous version and make sure all changes have been made without additional errors. Again, if you have anything specific you’d like me to keep an eye out for, I am more than happy to do so.
Bundles: Rates vary
If you’d like to work with me on all areas of editing (including proofreading), shoot me a message and we can come up with a special rate tailored to your manuscript’s needs. I can do line editing and copy editing, copy editing and proofreading, or all of the above in any combination you’d like.
Board Game Editing Services
One of the unique areas of my work is that of board games. I’m a reviewer and rule book editor, and I’ve played more games last month than most people play in a year. I am please to offer my editing to the board gaming community as well.
Your game’s rule book plays a large role in someone’s desire to stick around and play, or give up and go home. I’m here to make sure your rule book is orderly, coherent, and clean. I offer two versions of rule book editing, as well as a rule book writing option, described further below.
Game components with textual assets, such as cards, may also need to be edited. I am happy to work on cards and other components by themselves or alongside your rule book. The rates for editing cards and components are the same as those for rule books.
Please note that when editing or writing a rule book, having a physical, fully playable copy of the game is more than helpful (in fact, it’s highly recommended). Even if it’s just a prototype, having a working game in front of me will help me better understand the rules, mechanics, and nuances of the game. I also ask to be sent a completed copy of the game once it’s published.
Rule Book Editing – Proofreading: $0.02 per word (minimum $50)
This option is ideal for rule books that have already been written, double-checked, and need just one more look before going to the printer. With proofreading, I will check for:
- Punctuation
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Typos
- Capitalization
- Other major errors
Please note that proofreading is not a full-fledged edit. In this stage, the rule book should be more or less polished. This is why I charge much less for a proofreading job than I do for general copyediting.
Rule Book Editing – Copyediting: $0.10 per word (minimum $50)
Just like any manuscript, be it a novel, memoir, or textbook, rule books need to be well-structured. We’re talking coherency, voice, tone, discrepancies (in rules, terms, and other things), and more. I’ll comb through it to ensure everything is as it should be. I will also re-write areas that are unclear or could benefit from a rewording. This rule book copyediting includes three passes, as well as a final proofreading once it’s all laid out and ready to go to print. This is my most popular package, and is what I usually recommend.
If you would like fewer passes of copyedits or no proofreading, each pass is $0.03 per word.
Rulebook Writing: Rate varies (contact me for details)
There’s no shame in admitting that writing a rulebook can sometimes be more difficult than actually designing the game. If writing isn’t your strong point, or you’d simply rather not do it yourself, I am more than happy to work with you in writing the rulebook. While not required, having a working prototype of the game is helpful so I can better visualize what is happening. Because all games are different, I understand that some rulebooks may not require as intense an effort as others. I will discuss your game’s needs with you before settling on a final rate.
*Each price is the starting price, and may increase by half a cent up to two cents a word depending on the difficulty of the project. Please note that this is rare and would most likely be discovered during the free five-page trial, after which I would inform you of any possible changes to price.
Payment
I accept PayPal, however if another method works better, please let me know and I’ll see what I can do to make it work for you. Payment must be made in full before I can begin on the project. Extra fees may apply depending on the service (e.g. PayPal and Venmo fees are 2.9% of the project’s cost, plus $0.30).
Timeframe
The turnaround time for your project will depend on its length, complexity, and, ultimately, our agreed upon deadline. Please contact me about specific timeframes in reference to your project. In general, I prefer at least two weeks for rule books.
How to Begin
To get started with one or more of these editing services, please contact me to discuss your project, receive an initial quote, and ask any questions you may have. If you have something specific in mind you’d like me to look at and watch out for, I am more than happy to oblige.