Editing Services

Every writer knows that the writing process doesn’t stop with ‘The End.’

My goal as an editor is to make sure your voice is heard, preserved, and developed in the most effective way possible. We’ll work as partners to keep true to the characters you’ve created and the story they need to tell while polishing the work you’ve built so it shines.

Everyone on Twitter is screaming at you to find an editor and a cover designer and marketing, etc. You want your work to stand up against any traditionally published book, but you’re paying out of pocket for all those things. It gets overwhelming and expensive quickly.

As an author myself…I get it.

That’s why I launched this business.

I want to deliver actually affordable editing services at a professional level specifically to self-published and indie authors. I want you to get the services you deserve without breaking the bank. I want to support the community I’m part of.

Depending on what services you need and your publication date, as well as whether or not I have any short-notice slots that need to be filled, I may be able to fit you in quickly. It’s always best to ask!While I do operate on a First Come, First Served basis, I do give priority to marginalized authors and ownvoices stories with additional consideration given to intersectional identities. If I have only one slot open and two authors requesting services, this will be a factor in scheduling.

I am regularly opening new slots.

Full Edits

With many editors, you have to pay separately for each of the three main types of edits--copy, line, and developmental. Instead, I provide a service that includes all three steps in the editing process for one fee that is well below the industry standard rates.I charge less for higher-quality work because I know what being a self-published author is like, and I want you to be able to tell your story!

Prices are based on total manuscript word count.My rate is $0.0035 per word – for comparison, industry standards are $0.008 for line editing and up to $0.02 per word for developmental editing.I offer a payment plan involving a 25% deposit, 25% due before I send back the first round of edits, and 50% due before the final edits are returned.Any manuscript with a total charge of $100 or less qualifies for a payment plan with a 50% deposit and 50% due before I send back the final edits.There is a minimum fee of $50; any project that would total less than this per word will automatically be charged $50.

Copy & Line Edits

I can offer only copy and line editing at the same rate listed above. I don’t charge less for only these services because my rate for each or combined is still far lower than the industry average.

This may be the right choice for you if:-- You’re a seasoned writer and/or you feel really good about your plot, character development, etc. (all the things that we’d look for in a developmental edit).
-- You’re in something of a hurry based on when you want to publish, and you want eyes on the manuscript to clean it up but without the potential of needing a lot of time or work.

Sensitivity Read

I will offer a sensitivity read that will evaluate your manuscript for language, character traits or arcs, plot points, etc. that may be problematic, dangerous, or even just less than optimal. I highly recommend this service if any of your characters have a marginalization different than your own or if you’re writing in a real-world culture that you’re not a part of.

Sensitivity reads are highly subjective, so it’s vital that your sensitivity readers are a member of the marginalized group or culture you need a read for. That being said, I will only offer this service for characters and cultures I am part of:Disability and chronic illness
Mental health
Neurodivergent
Transgender (binary or nonbinary)
LGBTQIA+
White Native
Jewish
Ableism

Sensitivity Read Details

Please note that I will account for intersectionality. For example, if you have a Black nonbinary character, that experience (of a Black nonbinary person) is different from my experience as a white nonbinary person. I will not provide that sensitivity read.If we come to the decision that I’m not the right sensitivity reader for you, I’ll do whatever I can to help you find the right person.

Prices are based on total manuscript word count unless you only need one part of the manuscript read.My rate is $3 per 1000 words.Any manuscript with a total charge of $100 or less qualifies for a payment plan with a 50% deposit and 50% due before I send back my notes.There is a minimum fee of $50; any project that would total less than this per word will automatically be charged $50.

Book Coaching

This is perfect for new authors or authors who are feeling a little stuck partway through a draft.I will review and critique the first 50 pages of your manuscript and your outline. You will receive comprehensive feedback regarding your opportunities in critical developmental areas. If you have questions or areas of concern, we’ll go through those in detail together. I will also provide suggestions on how you can improve the entire manuscript and suggestions for your next steps.

Price is a flat rate of $200.After you make changes based on my notes, I will also do one additional review of the new first 50 pages and outline to identify the remaining areas of opportunity and improvements made. I will provide additional suggestions at this time as well.

Fill Out a Request

Below, you’ll find a form for you to fill out to begin the free consultation. You can expect a response to this—including a quote, answers to your questions, and any questions I may have—within two business days. If for some reason I am unavailable to respond within that time, you’ll receive an automated email letting you know right away.

Sign Your Contract

After you accept the services, schedule, and quote based on the consultation and sample edit if you'd like one, I’ll send you a contract and a deposit invoice from PayPal. You’ll sign the contract and email it back to me, then pay the deposit.

First Round of Edits

Edits begin on the scheduled start date we agreed upon. You relax (or at least try to), and I’ll put in the work on your manuscript. What you’ll get back will be a marked-up document, changes tracked and comments added as well as questions asked where needed. You'll also get an editing letter detailing the edits made, the strengths and opportunities in your story, and my suggestions.If you hire me for full edits, this round will focus on the developmental level.

Round Two Onward

You'll have a chance to go through all my notes and changes. You can apply those changes (or not), send me your questions, and complete revisions based on my suggestions. Then, you send the revised manuscript to me again. I'll review all your changes, made additional and/or remaining edits as needed, and we basically rinse and repeat from here.If you hire me for full edits, copy & line edits will usually start during this round.

Wishlist

I am eager to see all your stories, but there are a few things that really excite me and that I have come to specialize in. This MSWL is not at all limited to these items.

-- Romance of all kinds and in all genres (especially t4t, polyamorous, asexual/aromantic, BDSM)-- Transgender characters. Nonbinary and binary. Main characters and otherwise. Just…all the trans people, please.-- Plays on popular tropes.-- Disabled and neurodivergent MCs.-- All-queer casts and stories set in worlds where queerness is the standard.-- Retellings of folktales, legends, and fables from oral traditions the world over.-- Fairy tale retellings with unique twists.-- I’d love to see more comics and graphic novels, and if you’re working on a video game, you’ll make my day.

Restrictions

My restrictions are based only on what is dangerous or problematic, not personal preferences. I have a blanket disclaimer that I’m not going to work on harmful stories, but some of these are common enough that I want to mention them here.

-- Romanticized abuse. This includes poor/un-educated representations of BDSM that turn it into abuse.-- Incest.-- “Romance” that includes a child and an adult. If your story is a romance between a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old who are in high school together, we can talk. I’m not going to edit a “romance” between a 17-year-old and a 24-year-old, though.
-- Historical rewritings that “reimagine” things like the slave trade or the Holocaust. Don’t send me a Nazi romance or a “reversed” Civil War.
-- Stories in which disabled characters are healed or cured to further the plot (especially by magical means, but I’m likely to distance myself from this no matter how).
-- Pro-colonization stories. We can discuss if this is science fiction or high fantasy, but if you’re writing in the real world, it’s likely I’m not going to involve myself in the story.
Zionist stories, whether blatantly or in theme. This goes for “reimaginings” of Zionism, too. (If you’re writing an anti-Zionism story, however, I’m all over that.)
-- I’m not totally averse to stories with cops as characters or cop romances, but I am going to examine the narrative carefully before agreeing to work on it.
-- Abuser redemption stories. Note that this is not the same as general villain redemption, which I tend to really enjoy.

FAQ: Can I hire you if I’m going to query my book?

As long as you don’t already have an agent, you can hire me. You retain full rights to your novel, so what you do with it after we finish edits is your business!Please keep in mind that agents and publishers will provide you with edits at no cost; traditionally published authors do not pay for services such as editing on their books. You can absolutely choose to hire an editor prior to querying to make sure you have the best possible “product” to offer—that’s your call—but it’s not as necessary for querying authors.

FAQ: Can I submit a form to you and to other editors at the same time?

Yes, and I encourage you to do so. Shop around, get samples and quotes from multiple editors, and make sure you only hire the one who is the best fit for you.

FAQ: Can I submit a form before my book is finished?

Please do! I book an average of one year out, so booking early to make sure you get a slot that works for your publication goals is a smart move. You can let me know on the form that the book is unfinished and that your word count is a best estimate; if needed, we’ll adjust that word count later.

FAQ: How much work should I put into my book before sending it to you?

There isn’t necessarily a hard and fast answer to this since every author’s writing process is different. In general, though, I will not look at a draft zero or draft one (and you don’t want me to because it’s going to get sent back as needing more work before edits are possible).You should also watch out for burnout, though. Don’t pick at your book for so long that you start to hate it. Once you’re done writing it, you’ve had beta eyes on it, and you’ve revised at least once, send it to me. I’m happy to hold onto it well in advance of your editing date.

FAQ: Do you offer a sample edit?

Yes! I can offer a free sample edit of your first five pages formatted in the same way your manuscript will be when you send it to me (Times New Roman 12pt font, double spaced). I cannot offer a longer edit even if you’re willing to pay for it, however; I simply don’t have the time available on my schedule to manage that.Please note that I will not provide a sample of anything except the first five pages. Unfortunately, there are scammers out there who use this process to effectively get a free edit on their entire book. If you’re dishonest and I discover that later, I’ll end our working relationship immediately.

FAQ: Do you retain any rights or ownership of the manuscripts you edit?

Absolutely not. Everything belongs to you, the author.

No editor can guarantee that your manuscript will be completely error-free.

I’m good at what I do, and I’ve been doing it for a long time. However, editors are human too. In this industry, the generally accepted “mistake rate” is between 1 and 10 errors per 1000 words.

A proofreader is given a manuscript that is nearly perfect and has already been edited to put final touches on, polish, and maybe make some formatting changes. I strongly recommend having your manuscript proofread before publishing.

Editing and proofreading are different!

I cannot guarantee that your book will sell.

I can't promise that editing will make you the next millionaire author or that you’ll be picked up by a publishing house. No editor should ever make this guarantee.

There will be times when you get emails and edits from me at hours many people would consider unorthodox; I don’t ever expect you to reply at hours like those, but I appreciate the understanding that I may need to work at those times. There may also be some delays in returning your edits if my health changes unexpectedly, but I’m very good at communicating those delays (and avoiding them). You are hiring a disabled editor, though. Please keep that in mind and understand what it means before hiring me–for both our sakes.

You are hiring a disabled editor.