Editing Services
Copy editors and proofreaders make a piece of writing correct and consistent.
Story editors assess and critique manuscripts, and recommend improvements.
Developmental editors and line editors guide writers toward stronger drafts.
Copyediting and Proofreading: $.03-.04/word
Every manuscript gets at least two passes: one by a senior editor, the second by a separate copy editor. We firmly believe that every manuscript needs at least two separate sets of professional eyes on it, so our copyediting + proofreading service is a package deal.
Read about our copyediting and proofreading services here.
Line Editing: $50/hour
Rewriting, rethinking, and restructuring a piece of writing can dramatically improve it, but it’s hard to learn how without a good mentor. Our line-editing lessons help you explore what’s happening on the sentence level in your work.
Read about our line editing services here.
Developmental Editing: $50/hour
Accountability partners, feedback on progressing drafts, help with outlining and more. Our developmental editing service is a creative collaboration through the messy middle of the writing process.
Read about our developmental editing services here.
Manuscript Critique: $02.–$.03/word
Our editorial assessment and comprehensive manuscript critique services help you see your book’s strengths and weaknesses more clearly and provide constructive critique that makes you a better writer.
Option 1: Editorial Assessment: $.02/word
An editorial assessment is an excellent way to see how your current draft would fare in the wild. What might happen if you sent this out to agents right now? What kind of reviews would you get if you indie published this tomorrow? An editorial assessment will tell you.
Option 2: Comprehensive Critique: $.03/word
Our comprehensive manuscript critique services take our editorial assessment to the next level. With a fully annotated manuscript and an editorial letter that examines your current draft’s challenges in depth, we’ll give you a crash course in writing, using your own work as the text. A series of one-on-one consultations before, during, and after your critique will prepare you to make serious progress in your writing practice.
Read about our manuscript critique services here.
Introduction to Editing: $150
Consultation, manuscript critique, and line editing
If you’ve never worked with a professional editor before, or if you’d like to start small and explore the possibilities, our introduction to editing is a great way to begin.
After an initial consultation to discuss your writing goals, your editor will read and annotate your first 20 pages, then meet online for a collaborative editing session. Together we’ll explore revisions that improve your style, storytelling, structure, and more. You’ll leave with recommendations for your next steps and an understanding of how to strengthen your skills.
- Initial consultation to discuss your writing goals and process
- Annotations on your first 5,000 words (around 20 double-spaced pages)
- One-hour collaborative editing session over Zoom
- Recommendations for development
Still not sure what kind of editing you need?
If you’re confused, you’re not alone. Editors, agents, and publishers all have their own terms for the various types of editing, so even the pros have to define terms with each other. We’d love to help you figure out which approach might suit you and your story best.
Read more about working with an editor:
Jane Friedman: The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor
Kindlepreneur: Master Guide to Selecting the Best Book Editor
MasterClass: How to Find the Best Book Editor: A Complete Guide