In addition to being an author, I am also an editor, proofreader, and formatter. My experience includes a variety of skills:
- I currently work as an editor, copy editor, and proofreader for major SFF/H publishing houses and private SFF/H-writing and academic clients; I also do layout/typesetting for private clients. During my freelance years, I've worked with various corporate and private clients in industries as varied as advertising, medicine, and education.
- As a senior lecturer in Creative Writing and Publishing and as the course leader on the Creative Writing MA and co-course leader on the Publishing MA at a UK university, I worked closely with undergrad, MA, and PhD students as a supervisor for their major projects and dissertations, providing support, feedback, advice, and encouragement on their fiction and non-fiction work.
- As an educational-materials developer, I wrote and edited textbooks, assessments, and ancillary materials.
- As a technical writer, I built online help files for a government contractor.
- As a newspaper copy editor, I wrote various elements for and copy edited and proofread the features page of a city newspaper.
To query about the services listed, please fill out the 'Contact me' form at the bottom of the page.
Thank you!
Thank you!
WHAT IT IS:
An editorial assessment is the first step in getting feedback on a novel draft, often after a first full (not necessarily rough) draft, and can be more in-depth than an alpha read because of the level of feedback. An assessment looks at the “big picture” items such as plot, characters, and overall structure to evaluate what is working--and what isn’t--in the story. WHAT YOU'LL GET: You’ll receive written feedback (a 1-3 page report, depending on the length of the draft sent) assessing the work, but not in-text comments. I will also offer advice on possible fixes to improve the piece. This level of editing doesn’t include copyediting or proofreading. WANT A SAMPLE? If your budget doesn’t allow assessment of a full draft, I can also look at excerpts of one or more chapters after an initial email detailing the elements you want feedback on or specific questions you have; however, keep in mind that assessment of an excerpt will be limited in scope so elements such as plot, story structure, and character arc will be difficult without seeing a full draft. SCHEDULING: Depending on the length of the draft and my current schedule, an editorial assessment can take a week or two. I will discuss a delivery date with you. COST: Editorial Assessment is charged by the word at £0.02/word. |
WHAT IT IS:
Developmental editing is the next step after an assessment and is a more in-depth analysis of your draft. This is usually performed after you've written a full draft with some beta-reader feedback. Writing a novel is a challenge, and sometimes we find ourselves with hundreds of pages and no objectivity anymore. A developmental editor will read your draft with an eye towards the market (what readers and the publishing industry expect), but does not guarantee a publishing deal. However, getting a developmental edit can get you closer to a publication-ready manuscript. WHAT YOU'LL GET: A developmental edit includes written feedback of a novel draft: some of it will comprise comments written on the draft itself (via comments on Track Changes), as well as a report breaking down the draft chapter by chapter, including a short summary of each chapter and describing how the draft is working with attention to various “big picture” writing elements such as characterization, story structure, plot, pacing, description, dialogue, etc. I can also offer advice on possible fixes to improve the piece. This level of editing doesn’t include any sort of copy editing or proofreading, though I will usually note certain repeated mistakes so that you know what to look out for. WANT A SAMPLE? Because this can be a big-ticket item for a writer, I do offer a sample edit of one or more chapters so that you can assess whether or not a full developmental edit will help you. The rate is the same, but if you then hire me to do a full developmental edit on the whole manuscript I will deduct the cost of the sample edit from the overall bill. SCHEDULING: Depending on the length of the draft and its current state, and my schedule, an editorial assessment can take two weeks or more. I will discuss a delivery date with you. COST: Developmental Editing is charged by the word at £0.03/word. |
COPY/LINE EDITING
WHAT IT IS: Copy/Line Editing is a close edit for consistency, clarity, and correctness (different editors use different terms, which is why I have combined them here). During this step, I read your work to be sure that it says what you intended; sentence structure, tone, transitions, wordiness, and other similar elements are checked. It is also a first pass for grammar, punctuation, and spelling though it doesn't replace a true proofread, which is the last step before publication to make sure no mistakes have slipped through and the formatting is all correct. COST: Copy/Line Editing is charged by the word at £0.015/word. For this service, please contact me via email. I'll ask to see an excerpt so I can ascertain whether your work is at this stage, and we can discuss details and scheduling. [Note: Are you a student or academic? As a former academic and student supervisor, I also copy/line edit dissertations, especially those in creative writing or literature. Query about other disciplines.] PROOFREADING WHAT IT IS: Proofreading is the final step before publishing to clean up SPAG (spelling, punctuation, and grammar). I have done proofreading for US and UK clients and am proficient in both. Proofreading does not include editing for storylines, character development, etc. COST: Proofreading is charged by the word at £0.01/word. For this service, please contact me via email. I'll ask to see an excerpt and we can discuss details and scheduling. [Note: Are you a student or academic? As a former academic and student supervisor, I also proofread dissertations, especially those in creative writing or literature. Query about other disciplines.] SUPPORT WHAT IT IS: Beginner and advanced writers often find themselves stuck, and I'm here to help! You can book a one-time support session or schedule a series of coaching sessions. I have extensive experienced in supporting writers through their writing process. See the list below for some topics I help with. I am here to support and advise, not to try to strong-arm you to do anything "my way". WHAT YOU GET: These sessions are live one-on-one via a video platform. However, they do not include reading drafts of your work (see Editorial Assessment and Developmental Editing for that; though you can add in support/coaching if you decide to go with the editing choices here). If you would like a book coach, please contact me and we can talk through the cost and scheduling of that specific service. WHAT I CAN HELP YOU WITH:
COST: Support/Coaching sessions are held online and £40/half-hour. Ask about discounts for multiple bookings! |