Editing Service

I am not taking new clients at this time. I can refer you to some excellent editors and proof readers.

As a fiction developmental editor, I have worked with award winning authors such as Beverly Jenkins, L. A. Banks, Angie Daniels, Gwyneth Bolton and many more. My family, writing and editing are my passion. I love working with authors to help them mold their stories into the best novels they can be.

There are several types of editors (line editors, copy editors, proof readers…), and most people confuse who does what. The developmental editor is the one who helps you shape your novel (plot, characterization, consistency, voice, point of view, showing vs: telling…). I do not edit first person or present tense titles.

Developmental Editing Fee (10,000 word minimum): In order to give an accurate quote, I’d have to see a sample of the work. The base price for a first edit is one cent a word. So for an 80,000 word manuscript, that’s $800. Half of the fee is due at time of acceptance of the project. The second half is due upon completion of the edit. The base price for a second edit (yes most authors want a second edit) is half a cent per word.

Timeline: It usually takes me around six weeks to complete a set of developmental edits for a full length manuscript.

Electronic Editing: Editing is done using the tracking feature on Microsoft Word. This allows the authors to accept or reject changes I make to their manuscripts.

Quote: For a price quote, please email the first five pages of your full length manuscript, the actual word count and the genre in a Microsoft Word document. I’ll developmentally edit the five pages, and this will show you my style. Do not ever hire an editor without obtaining a free sample of their work. For short stories, send the first three pages of your manuscript.

To find the actual word count, in Microsoft Word (previous to version 2007) from the main menu go to File–>Properties–>select the Statistics tab. Look in the statistics box, and it list how many words are in the document. In Microsoft Word 2007 the word count is usually in the bottom left corner. It depends on how you have your preferences set up.

I am also available to conduct workshops on the craft of writing and the publishing industry. I’ve been around for a while now and have a little knowledge to share. Email the details of the workshop you are interested in to make arrangements.

Click here to view a portfolio of a few of the novels I’ve edited. I have edited a few non-fiction books, such as Cotton Field of Dreams by Janis Kearney, but non-fiction is not my specialty. If you need a non-fiction editor or poetry editor, I know a few that may be able to help you out.

Please note. As a developmental editor, I give you advice on how to make your manuscript the best it can be; I do not rewrite it for you. Though I do light copy editing, grammar corrections and proof reading, my focus is on the development of your plots, characterization and such. After you complete your rewrites, you’ll want to hire a copy editor, then a proof reader. Be sure to hire a different person for each step of the process. I know a good copy editor and proof reader if you need referrals.  I am also not a fact checker. If I notice something that does not sound correct to me, I will flag it, but it’s your responsibility to do your research. Hope I haven’t scared you. 🙂