I offer several kinds of editing services. I’ve included descriptions below to help you select the right type for your project. Please note that Sensitivity Reading is its own separate service. If you have any questions about rates or to request a quote tailored to your project, please contact me.
Available Services:
Manuscript Evaluation
Your manuscript must be complete, even if it’s a first draft or has some placeholders.
I will read your manuscript with an eye for what’s working and what’s not. You will get a write-up with specific examples of any points I bring up and overall suggestions for how to improve your manuscript. You may also receive inline comments on your manuscript, but they will only be for major issues. The writeup will be similar to my book reviews.
I charge 0.002 USD/word + a $50 writeup fee for manuscript evaluations. Here’s how that scales for different project lengths:
| Word Count | Formula | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 | 0.002 × 4000 + 50 | $58 |
| 15,000 | 0.002 × 15000 + 50 | $80 |
| 40,000 | 0.002 × 40000 + 50 | $130 |
| 120,000 | 0.002 × 120000 + 50 | $290 |
Developmental Editing
Your manuscript is at least a rough zero draft with enough groundwork for me to evaluate the narrative. You are able to clearly describe what you’re struggling with and what your goal for your work is. You also have a fairly solid idea of how your story is shaped and where you want it to begin and end. You may also have an idea of themes and topics you want to explore.
I will read your manuscript with an eye for plot, story, structure, character, worldbuilding, and continuity. I’ll provide inline comments on places where you’ve done something well, and also where something is lacking. I make sure to provide comments on what you’re doing well so that you don’t inadvertently cut it while revising. I will also include a write-up like those for manuscript evaluations, but in more depth and to address your specific concerns. A developmental edit is like one of my deep dive reviews, but with an annotated manuscript.
I charge 0.004 USD/word + a $50 writeup fee for developmental editing. Here’s how that scales for different project lengths:
| Word Count | Formula | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 | 0.004 × 4000 + 50 | $66 |
| 15,000 | 0.004 × 15000 + 50 | $110 |
| 40,000 | 0.004 × 40000 + 50 | $210 |
| 120,000 | 0.004 × 120000 + 50 | $530 |
Line Editing
Your manuscript is complete and just about ready for submission. You want to tighten the prose and make the language as vivid as it can be.
I will edit your manuscript to clarify language, streamline sentences, and remove tautologies & redundancies. I will not evaluate the content in any way, only the language. I’ve previously trimmed a 178,000-word novel down to 165,000 words through line edits alone. Regardless of the style you write in, I’ll make sure your sentences are as efficient as possible.
I charge 0.04 USD/word for line editing. Here’s how that scales for different project lengths:
| Word Count | Formula | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 | 0.04 × 4000 | $160 |
| 15,000 | 0.04 × 15000 | $600 |
| 40,000 | 0.04 × 40000 | $1,600 |
| 120,000 | 0.04 × 120000 | $4,800 |
Copyediting
Your manuscript is polished and ready for submission, or perhaps it’s already been accepted. You’d like to make sure there aren’t any errors that escape automated spelling and grammar checkers.
I’ll read your manuscript with an eye for commonly confused words (e.g. affect vs. effect), misspellings (e.g. too vs. to, there vs. their vs. they’re, your vs. you’re), punctuation use, and orthographic & typesetting consistency. I’ll catch things such as whether you usually capitalize a term but have forgotten to do so in a couple places, or if you’re inconsistent in using hyphens, such as “email” vs. “e-mail.” If you have a particular style guide you need to adhere to, I will also make sure that your manuscript follows the appropriate conventions.
I charge 0.02 USD/word for copyediting. Here’s how that scales for different project lengths:
| Word Count | Formula | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 | 0.02 × 4000 | $80 |
| 15,000 | 0.02 × 15000 | $300 |
| 40,000 | 0.02 × 40000 | $800 |
| 120,000 | 0.02 × 120000 | $2,400 |
Proofreading
Your manuscript is ready to go to print. You’d like another eye to catch any remaining errors.
I will go over your manuscript to catch typos, forgotten punctuation, missing words, repeat words, formatting inconsistencies, spacing errors, and other details. If your manuscript needs to be formatted or reformatted, I charge an additional $50/hour. If your manuscript needs to be formatted to adhere to a particular style guide, please refer to my Copyediting service above.
I charge 0.01 USD/word for proofreading. Here’s how that scales for different project lengths:
| Word Count | Formula | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 | 0.01 × 4000 | $40 |
| 15,000 | 0.01 × 15000 | $150 |
| 40,000 | 0.01 × 40000 | $400 |
| 120,000 | 0.01 × 120000 | $1,200 |
I am willing to be flexible on any of my rates for self-published & indie authors. Please contact me with a description of your budget to negotiate rates.