Brainstorming Session

Not sure how to even start your project? We can help get the creativity flowing. Already have ideas but not sure how to put them together? We will help streamline your project. Brainstorming with a professional editor is valuable in the early drafting stages.

This service includes the following:

• Discussing ideas via email, phone, or video call.
• Brainstorming a thesis, main idea, or story arc.
• Creating an outline with main points and subcategories. 
• Helping world-build and create character maps.

Multi-Level Sample Edit

Want professional eyes on your draft, but not sure what you need? Our multi-level sample edit is perfect for you. We will edit a sample of your work for not just one hour but three hours, one for each level of editing: developmental, line, and copy. Not only will you get a better idea of how our editors work and more feedback on your manuscript, you will also get a feel for how each type of editing improves your manuscript in unique ways. You’ll know exactly what your next step should be in your publishing journey.

This service includes the following:

• Reading a sample of your project.
• Performing one hour each of developmental, line, and copyedits.
• Highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each editing stage.
• Recommending the next step to take in the editing process. 
• Reporting clear and actionable suggestions in an editorial letter.

Manuscript Evaluation

Just finished your first draft? A manuscript evaluation can give you an idea of what your story does well and where you can start revisions. Get a professional take on the overall structure and development of your manuscript. Our comments will give direct feedback on what you have done well and what can be improved. This is the perfect step for a writer who wants to see whether their story follows genre expectations and engages readers before getting into the nitty-gritty of revisions.

This service includes the following:

• Evaluating whether story arc, pacing, and conflict are in line with genre standards and intended audience. 
• Commenting on whether dialogue is effectively communicated.
• Confirming settings are fleshed out and appropriate for scene and genre.
• Checking that scenes have appropriate balance of showing and telling.
• Pointing out inconsistencies, repetitions, and redundancies on an overarching level.

Developmental Edit

Ready to dive into your story? To fix all the plot holes and solidify every character and scene? Developmental editing is highly recommended if you are ready to begin your first major revision with a professional at your side. We will focus on your ideas, organization, and consistency. Our comments and included documents are designed to help you strengthen core elements in your work. You will receive feedback and actionable steps to fix weaknesses in your manuscript. This is the most collaborative phase of the editing process and may involve substantial updates to the project.

This service includes the following:

• Ensuring story arc, pacing, and conflict are in line with genre standards and intended audience.
• Commenting on whether dialogue is effectively communicated and reflective of each character.
• Confirming settings are fleshed out and appropriate for scene and genre with the World-Building Document.
• Reordering, cutting, or suggesting expansion of material.
• Amending content for organization, flow, style, tone, pacing, and clarity.
• Suggesting revisions to inconsistencies, repetitions, and redundancies on an overarching level.
• Evaluating main characters’ arcs with a detailed Character Synopsis document.
• Detailing inconsistencies of story, chapter, and scene timelines with the Story Outline and Chapter Timeline documents. 
• Reporting clear and actionable suggestions in an editorial letter.

Line Edit

Already gone through the major developmental editing process? If you have revised your text one or more times and feel confident that the plot and organization are finalized, it’s time for line editing. Here, we will identify discrepancies in theme, plot, arguments, and style at the sentence level. Our suggestions will help your manuscript flow smoothly and clearly.

This service includes the following:

• Establishing appropriate language level for target audience.
• Eliminating inappropriate jargon, clichés, and euphemisms.
• Maintaining tone, mood, and style on a sentence level.
• Revising inconsistencies, repetitions, and redundancies on a sentence level.
• Ensuring flow of ideas is clear and effective at a sentence level.
• Adjusting the length and structure of sentences or paragraphs.
• Analyzing dialogue for flow, understandability, necessity, and tag placement.
• Reporting clear and actionable suggestions in an editorial letter.
• Listing broad changes and style choices in a style sheet.

Copyedit

Done with revisions? You may be ready for copyediting. We will go through your text line by line to correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and source citation. After this edit, your manuscript will be ready for typesetting.

This service includes the following:

• Editing awkward or confusing sentence structure, wordy prose, and style inconsistencies (if minor changes will resolve the issue).
• Maintaining point of view and tense.
• Correcting errors in grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, and word accuracy.
• Providing or maintaining the system of citations in accordance with style guides.
• Listing changes and style choices in a style sheet.

Typesetting

Manuscript? Done. Editing? Done. Your book is finally ready to be published. Whether you are going to self-publish your book for sale or for personal use, your book will need to be formatted to look professional. We will make your book look its best.

This service includes the following:

• Formatting books as industry-standard PDFs and/or e-books.
• Adding page numbers, headers, footers, and margins.
• Creating title, copyright, and table of content pages.
• Incorporating photos in line with the text.

We offer this service in both InDesign and Vellum. InDesign creates the highest-quality layouts, allowing for specific detail changes and design formats. It works well for design-heavy projects and picture books. Vellum does not allow as much flexibility as InDesign but is a viable and cheaper option for writers on a tighter budget. It works well for simple chapter books.

Proofread

Nearly ready for publication? Don’t skip the proofread! We will go over the final typeset document with a fine-toothed comb and catch the last few grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, making sure not to suggest unnecessary changes. You will feel confident that your book is a higher quality product ready for publication.

This service includes the following:

• Editing for minor grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization errors.
• Correcting formatting issues, such as page numbers and headings.
• Evaluating accuracy of elements, such as cross-references, captions, headings, hyperlinks, and metadata.