How do I know that my book is ready to edit?
The best investment of your editing dollar is to submit work that you can find very little fault with. My job is to ferret out those things that you can't see and find the wobbly parts that will turn off the reader - or the perspective agent. Avoid the temptation to send over first drafts, or stories that haven't been read by a few people. Submit your very best work to me and I will show you ways to make it even better.
How long does the edit take?
It varies, of course, based on the length and nature of the manuscript and what you'd like to have done. A full length novel usually takes fifteen to twenty working days on my end. Generally, takes about four passes for a full deep edit, but a simple copy edit can be done in a couple of weeks. Let me know your parameters and we'll come up with a schedule and plan that works for you.
What if I decide to make a change in the story while you have the manuscript for editing?
Creating is a messy process. I can accept a limited amount of surface changes, like changing a name, or a single scene that you have upgraded. If you are restructuring the story, or have more than one or two modifications to make, please let me know. We may want to add a Skype session or two or add another, less comprehensive edit for an additional fee.
What about the money end of things?
I like to keep things simple. Once the decision is made to work together, I'll put together a contract that will outline the expenses and the milestones to get through the project in a timely manner. I do ask for a 20% non refundable down payment before we begin. Each milestone will include a task and a payment amount, and we will work through it until the job is finished. I'll keep you informed of the finances using a formal invoice. Payments can be made via PayPal through this site.
Have you ever turned down a book for editing?
I don’t accept every book that comes across my desk, although I’ve never refused to work with somebody. Part of our conversation before writing a up a contract will be a very short edit of the first few pages of your book. If things aren’t looking good, I’ll offer you some advice as to the next step and some options to help set the course for a good editing experience.
Do you have any disclaimers or last minute thoughts?
Well, I use the Chicago Manual of Style when I edit. It's been the industry standard for fiction writers for a long time. Also,over the past 30 years, I've gotten pretty good at creating clean copy, but I hesitate to claim to be a proofreader. That kind of nit picking takes a special kind of brain process that thrives on finding itty bitty issues and takes visceral delight in fixing them. Proofreading is a line by line, word by word examination of the text to make sure that every single letter, punctuation mark and the formatting are exactly as they should be. If I work on proofreading too long, my eyes cross and I start mumbling curses under my breath, which scares the dickens out of my cat.
The best investment of your editing dollar is to submit work that you can find very little fault with. My job is to ferret out those things that you can't see and find the wobbly parts that will turn off the reader - or the perspective agent. Avoid the temptation to send over first drafts, or stories that haven't been read by a few people. Submit your very best work to me and I will show you ways to make it even better.
How long does the edit take?
It varies, of course, based on the length and nature of the manuscript and what you'd like to have done. A full length novel usually takes fifteen to twenty working days on my end. Generally, takes about four passes for a full deep edit, but a simple copy edit can be done in a couple of weeks. Let me know your parameters and we'll come up with a schedule and plan that works for you.
What if I decide to make a change in the story while you have the manuscript for editing?
Creating is a messy process. I can accept a limited amount of surface changes, like changing a name, or a single scene that you have upgraded. If you are restructuring the story, or have more than one or two modifications to make, please let me know. We may want to add a Skype session or two or add another, less comprehensive edit for an additional fee.
What about the money end of things?
I like to keep things simple. Once the decision is made to work together, I'll put together a contract that will outline the expenses and the milestones to get through the project in a timely manner. I do ask for a 20% non refundable down payment before we begin. Each milestone will include a task and a payment amount, and we will work through it until the job is finished. I'll keep you informed of the finances using a formal invoice. Payments can be made via PayPal through this site.
Have you ever turned down a book for editing?
I don’t accept every book that comes across my desk, although I’ve never refused to work with somebody. Part of our conversation before writing a up a contract will be a very short edit of the first few pages of your book. If things aren’t looking good, I’ll offer you some advice as to the next step and some options to help set the course for a good editing experience.
Do you have any disclaimers or last minute thoughts?
Well, I use the Chicago Manual of Style when I edit. It's been the industry standard for fiction writers for a long time. Also,over the past 30 years, I've gotten pretty good at creating clean copy, but I hesitate to claim to be a proofreader. That kind of nit picking takes a special kind of brain process that thrives on finding itty bitty issues and takes visceral delight in fixing them. Proofreading is a line by line, word by word examination of the text to make sure that every single letter, punctuation mark and the formatting are exactly as they should be. If I work on proofreading too long, my eyes cross and I start mumbling curses under my breath, which scares the dickens out of my cat.