Expert editing, engaging critique, and fearless consulting since 2009.
Copyediting and Proofreading
Copyediting and proofreading are vital services that make sure your manuscript is clean, consistent, and ready to rumble. They correct mechanics while preserving your voice and meaning in ways that an AI proofreader like Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, and ProWritingAid cannot. (Ask us for examples.)
When we accept a manuscript for copyediting, you will have the full attention of two expert editors. Your primary editor will complete the first pass, and your proofreader will do the second. Your editors will then work together to resolve queries and tackle more complex questions.
While we’re editing, we will develop a dedicated style sheet for your manuscript. This valuable document records the decisions we make with you about what to capitalize, when to use italics, which numbers to spell out, how to present interior dialogue, and so forth. We’ll customize our house style to create a guide that meets your book’s unique needs.
When we finish editing, we’ll send your manuscript, style sheet, and instructions for reviewing our changes. We’ll also invite you to call us for a brief tech session to help you through Microsoft Word’s review features.
After you review our edits, you’ll send the manuscript back for post-editing cleanup. During this final and essential part of the process, we’ll incorporate your changes, answer your questions, and make new suggestions if appropriate. We will exchange the manuscript as many times as necessary until it is clean of comments and tracked changes and is exactly the way you want it.
Although our post-editing cleanup service is indispensable, we may bill separately for it if your revisions are extensive. This is intended as a disincentive for you to rewrite your book after it has been fully and professionally copyedited. We will work with you to negotiate a mutually agreeable process and are happy to take the time to help you understand our revisions. We’ll follow your lead on giving your book the final polish that makes your story shine.
Copyediting + Proofreading $.03-.04/word
Initial consultation to discuss your manuscript’s needs
One editing pass each by two expert copy editors
Mechanical editing to correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, word usage, etc.
Establishment of style decisions concerning capitalization, italics, numbers, quotations, distinctive treatment of words, etc.
Style sheet documenting editing decisions in this manuscript
Instructions for reviewing our changes
One-hour follow-up or line-editing session as you begin your revisions
Post-editing cleanup (may be billed separately by the hour)
