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Comprehensive Book Editing
Line-by-line Copy Editing and Light Content Editing begins at $.02 per word.
This service includes:
 COPY
EDITING:
In addition to checking a manuscript for
common
writing errors (grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.), I also correct run-on
and incomplete sentences, fix wrong-word errors, and
point out the use of repetitive words, phrases, or clichés. I correct wrong
or missing capitalization and italics, fix errors in the use of past
and present tense, and make sure there is agreement between subjects and verbs and pronouns and antecedents. (See examples of these things in the linked article above.)
LIGHT CONTENT
EDITING:
Most editors charge $.015/word or more just for the standard copy editing described above. But my low-cost
comprehensive book editing service also includes
what I consider to be "light" content editing as well. (See
"Substantive
Content Editing below when more than light editing is needed.)
While striving for accuracy and clarity,
I'm always looking for ways to subtly refine the overall writing . . . to make
it sing
without changing the writer's style or voice. I thus rewrite clumsy sentences
here and there, smooth the writing when the meaning isn't clear, fix poor paragraphing, and
adjust spacing and other formatting issues that can complicate the POD or eBook publishing process.
IN ADDITION . . . using comment notes, I offer suggestions for material
that might work better if moved elsewhere, highlight content the author needs
to rewrite when I can't make sense of it, and point out details that should be double-checked to ensure
accuracy. Often I'll
include brief writing tips or jot a note in anticipation of the author's
question about a change I've made. I also generally suggest better chapter titles or subheadings and fine-tune the Table of Contents
to match usage in the text.
Additional Notes
Fiction. See this page
on my book manuscript critiquing page for content issues normally found in the
work of beginning novelists. In my experience, all first-time authors will end
up with a much better book if they start with a book
critique or evaluation before they even think about having the
manuscript edited.
Copyright/Trademark Infringement. Inasmuch as I have a good layman's knowledge
of trademark and copyright law, I've been able to help several authors avoid legal trouble by alerting them to
possible trademark and copyright infringement problems. (Hard to say how much
this help could be worth to you.)
Bibliography or Resource Chapter. If a manuscript includes a
Bibliography or Resource Chapter, listings will be edited
for style (proper formatting), punctuation, and capitalization, but
it is the author's responsibility to provide COMPLETE and accurate information
for all listings. Be sure to provide FULL titles and subtitles of books, periodical
names, articles and source information, and Website names and links
(which in a print book must be limited to short URLs and given a final check in
the last stage of the typesetting process).
Christian Books with Bible Verses. My
familiarity with Bible verses helps me to spot
missing or wrong words and incorrect capitalization or punctuation errors—which I'll
point out with highlighting and a comment note—but it will be
the author's responsibility to double-check the accuracy of all Bible verses
during the editing process.
Front/Back Matter (Copyright page, Dedication, Acknowledgments, Preface
or Prologue, Foreword, Appendices, etc.). Any pages not included
in the word count of the manuscript on which the editing quote is based will be
edited at additional
cost. The Index, which can't be done until the typesetting has been finished,
should also be edited for both style and punctuation.
Substantive Content Editing
and Rewriting
If you think your fiction or nonfiction manuscript may need substantial rewriting of the text or
help with the book's structure and organization, the editing quote will need to
be calculated on a per-page
or hourly basis. Where such substantive
content editing is needed, a
manuscript
critique is usually the best way to begin because, with my guidance, the
author can
then do some rewriting and self-editing work to lower my editing
fee.
In the end, my
rule is: "The better the writing, the lower the editing fee."
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Requesting a Quote
QUERY ME BY EMAIL with
information about yourself and your book. Include your telephone number,
geographic location, and website URL if you have one. Give me the book's working title,
subtitle, word count, and a brief description of its content. Also tell me
what kind of editing you think your book manuscript will need (based on the
information at left), and how soon you need the editing done. (Note: If you
don't know how to use tracking, be sure to let me know.)
If I am interested in the job and can work it into my
schedule, I'll get back to you promptly (preferably by phone) and ask
you to send me a Table of Contents and a sample chapter of at least 5,000 words.
That will enable me to see how much editing your writing actually needs. At that
time, depending on the quality of your writing, I'll either give you a firm quote or suggest a paid sample edit.
How a Sample Edit Could Ease Your Concerns and Cut
Your Editing Costs
I no longer offer free sample edits for prospective clients, but
you can request a sample 12-page edit for just $60 (about 3,000 words, or 250 words per page).
This will be a win-win situation for you since the cost of the sample
edit will be credited to your account when you hire me to edit
the whole manuscript. A sample edit is also a wise option for anyone who is
unfamiliar with electronic editing and tracking and needs some practice in using
it.
THE SAMPLE EDIT will illustrate the kind of
editing, tracking, and comment notes I normally provide while also revealing
any writing problems evident in the manuscript. More important, perhaps, is
the fact that the sample edit will include a list of simple self-editing tasks
you can do to
"clean up" the manuscript before
you send it to me for editing. Depending on how many things I've listed, and
how much self-editing you want to do, this could enable me to lower the
editing quote by a hundred dollars or more.
Frankly, I'm more interested in saving a few hours of my time for other projects
than charging authors for nit-picking editing work they can easily do
themselves with a bit of direction from me.
Let's Talk!
 630-717-0488
I can learn more about
someone in a ten-minute phone chat that I can learn in a dozen email exchanges
(and vice versa), so whenever possible I like to have a brief conversation with an
author before I accept a job. There is no charge for this.
I can work by email with an author in any country, but my telephone service
is limited to the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto
Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you live elsewhere, any phone calls
related to an editing query or job would have to be at your expense. (I do
not use Skype.)
Related Articles
Book Manuscript Formatting Tips. Book manuscripts need to be properly
formatted, not only to speed the editing process, but to avoid digital conversion
problems during the typesetting process, and especially if one is going to
publish an eBook edition. Keep your editor and everyone else happy by following the formatting guidelines outlined in
this article.
Electronic Editing—A
Great Way to Learn How to Improve Your Writing.
Read this article for more information on exactly how I work with my author clients.
(Pay special attention to the paragraph about the "second editing go-round" that is included
in the editing fee.)
Success Tips for Beginning Writers and Authors.
This article discusses Barbara's writing and publishing experience, with
practical tips for success.
What Satisfied Authors Have Said about
Barbara's Editing Service
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