Editing Services

Here you will find:

• Why get your manuscript professionally edited?
• Do first impressions count?
• How do you give your manuscript its best chance of being considered by a publisher?
• What does the editor actually DO?
• Your Decision, Your Choice
• Cost as a Factor (Proofreading, Copyediting, Substantive Editing, Preliminary Structural Editing)
• Still uncertain about which Service you need? - The Mini Edit
• Your decision is made -What Next?
• The Fine Print
• How long does it take to have a manuscript edited?
• Descriptions of Services and What They Entail

With stiff competition in obtaining the next 'bestseller' and the deluge of manuscripts from eager authors appearing in their mailboxes each week, publishers can pick and choose. They are, after all, in business to remain in the industry, which translates as books sold to readers.

Publishing houses employ editors and readers. They work to strict guidelines as to what constitutes a 'readable' manuscript and maybe a possible Book. In this era of deadlines, schedules and daunting workloads, seldom is a manuscript plucked from the 'slush pile' on the sole merit of being a good read. More and more publishers are accepting only manuscripts submitted to them by agents. And, more and more agents want manuscripts only if they have received an admirable assessment by a legitimate appraisal service. Having you manuscript assessed ensures anomalies in writing and grammar are picked up. Editing is the next step. If you are confident you can do it, great. If not, enlist someone else to do it.

Those of you who have sent off manuscripts - stories, articles or book-length - will probably have received 'thanks, but no thanks' type rejections from publishers. No explanation is given about why your manuscript was rejected. Editors employed by publishing houses do not have time to offer critiques on submissions. They also, reasonably or not, expect authors to know the mechanics and technicalities of writing and presentation. The author's dedication to, and passion for, the story or subject is of little consequence if the manuscript lacks a professional level of formatting and editing.

Yes. A manuscript will not be favoured if the publisher's editor finds it incorrectly formatted, a magnifying glass is required to read the text, typographical errors litter the pages like spilt tea leaves on ivory carpet, the protagonist's eyes change from blue to brown between Chapters One and Three, or punctuation is erratic, repetitions and clichés abound, word usage confusing and sentences go on and on and on. Well, I am sure you get the picture. A manuscript not adequately proofread and edited will be put aside after the first few paragraphs are read.

An inordinate amount of dedication, time and energy goes into writing a book-length manuscript. How do you get a publisher to actually consider making it into a book?

The answer is to know your stuff - learn it if you have to - or employ someone with a keen eye for detail and knowledge of writing to help you achieve your best. You will want a dedicated person who is aware that the manuscript is your creation and will not make unreasonable demands, but rather offer suggestions when changes would enhance your chances of publication.

Writing you consider close to perfect can benefit from the right editor. Even the works of best-selling authors need editing.

Although having your manuscript professionally edited does not guarantee publication, it does give you an edge over those manuscripts not given a professional degree of attention.

Okay, you've decided editing of your manuscript is worth considering. But before you deliver your 'baby' into a stranger's hands, you would really like to know what is going to happen.

I can't vouch for every editing service. In this field, as in any area of business, there are the scam artists and those with fewer scruples than the rest of us. I can, however, tell you what happens to your manuscript should you decide to send it to me.

Firstly, your manuscript is cared about. I try very hard not to put coffee rings in the middle of the page - right where the action is taking place. (Even non-fiction has action, or should, if the reader's interest is to be engaged.)

Secondly, I read your manuscript, keeping in mind your requirements. Depending on what type of editing you choose, this may entail strict attention to every single word, comma and full stop, or concentration on structure and coherence. Or, it can be a combination of both, focusing on the overall form as well as the technicalities.

I mark-up your manuscript with comments and suggestions and highlight grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors (if that is what you wanted from the edit).

Thirdly, your manuscript is then read again. By now, I have a good feel for your individual writing style and 'voice' and make sure nothing has been missed.

Fourthly, your manuscript is returned to you by whichever means you have requested with my very best hopes for your work.

The marked-up copy is yours and you implement the changes. If you have sent your manuscript electronically, corrections and suggestions appear in a different coloured text on-screen when you open the file. A second file is sent with the changes incorporated, to show you how it reads after editing.

You don't have to agree with every change or suggestion. However it is pointless to pay an editor what can amount to a sizable number of dollars to edit your manuscript, and then ignore every correction and suggestion.

No editor can guarantee your work will be published, though I will do my utmost to bring your manuscript to a publishable standard.

Having decided you would like your manuscript brought to publisher-expectation level, there are options to consider. Your choice depends on how much time, work and effort you are willing and able to contribute, and also your familiarity with the necessary ingredients of a polished manuscript.

A Light or Heavy Edit?
If you have an excellent grasp of the English language in written form, which differs from spoken language, know your grammatical and punctuation rules, are stringent in areas of consistency, continuity, plot, structure, characterisation, tense, and point of view, and you have devoted time to reading and rewriting your manuscript, it may only need a proofread to pick up the odd, missed typo. Alternatively, if you lack expertise and experience within any of these areas, a copy edit (also called line edit), or heavier (substantive) edit may be preferred.

We all know nothing comes cheap. We are all willing to pay, sometimes amazing amounts of money, to improve our personal presentation. Think about the money spent on hair styling, clothing, make-up, exercise and diet regimens, and latest model car. Sure, some are basic necessities, but others, rightly or wrongly, help improve our chances of getting on in the world. Just as the presentation of your manuscript - the book into which you have invested so much time, dedication and hard work - helps improve your chances of having it read and, fingers crossed, published.

A professional job deserves professional pay. Even so, writing is a labour of love, a driving passion to put down in written form ideas, imaginings, teachings, personal truths and philosophies. However passionate or optimistic about his or her work, a writer's financial situation, unfortunately, often plays a key role in the degree of professional editing he or she can afford to enlist. With this in mind, I provide a choice of options. My Rates are based on the depth of attention a manuscript needs. (Rates Page)

The following links will take you to a more detailed description of each option.

Proofreading checks for typos, missed words, capitals etc.

Copyediting includes proofreading and checks word-by-word, looking at grammar, word usage, sentence structure etc.

Substantive Editing considers the big picture, and the nitty gritty. This is the most intensive type of editing.

Preliminary Structural Editing aids the writer in achieving the appropriate flow of plot, sub-plot, continuity, coherence, and examines logic within the context of the manuscript.

If you believe your manuscript is ready to submit to a publisher, but unsure how it should look on the printed pages as a welcomed submission, check out my Formatting Tips. Perhaps you still aren't sure if you 'get it'. I also offer a Manuscript Formatting Service for new writers, or prolific writers who are just now wending their way through the labyrinth of 'modern technology' (PCs).

You can request a Mini Edit

There is nothing complicated about what I need from you, but your willingness to abide by my requirements (See Submitting a Manuscript for Editing) fosters mutual respect and confidence in our writer/editor relationship. The bond between writer and editor is one of working together.

I respect you as a writer and the creator of the work you entrust to me. Confidentiality is assured, as is your intellectual, moral and copyright ownership.

Manuscripts entrusted to me are shredded and files deleted two months from completion of editing unless otherwise requested by the author.

Turnaround time is 4-16 weeks - depending on the depth and complexity of editing and on how many manuscripts I have ahead of yours. A timeframe will be included in the Agreement of Service.

Why does it take so long?
I work on a first come, first served basis. I also take pride in my work and aim to do the best possible job. Even a thorough and dedicated read of a manuscript takes time. Each manuscript I receive undergoes a minimum of two reads, usually three. Add to that the editing and usual communication with the author when points need clarifying or discussing.

It is pointless for me to make promises I may not be able to keep, or do a less than professional job because of time constraints. If you want immediate turnaround, as some editing services promise, I suggest you investigate those options and make a considered choice.

What if you're working to a deadline for a submission?
If you are working to a restricted timeframe or deadline for your work, please let me know. I will do my best to fit in with you. If I have doubts about meeting your deadline I will tell you, allowing you to seek an alternative.

The service for authors who have a good working knowledge of grammar, a keen eye for inconsistencies, and who have stringently followed the re-writing and editing path to make their manuscript the best they possibly can.

Undertaken as a final check before submission to a publisher, after the writer or an editor has completed editing of the manuscript. Proofreading is done with a hardcopy of the manuscript, using standard proofreading symbols and annotations in the margins of the document. Thorough word-by-word readings check for:

• Typographical errors
• Punctuation
• Misspellings
• Capitalisation
• Numbers
• Missed words
• Word, sentence and paragraph spacing

This incorporates proofreading and takes several more steps towards a more 'correct' manuscript. When you have done your best in editing your own work, copyediting provides a professional assurance and picks up errors and inconsistencies that may have been missed. A style sheet is prepared to aid the writer with corrections and consistency.

Checks for:

• Basic grammatical correctness
• Conflicting statements
• Sentence structure and sentence fragments
• Awkward phrasing
• Transitions
• Flow problems
• Word breaks, word choice and incorrect word usage
• Ensuring consistency in spelling, hyphenation, numerals, fonts, and capitalisation

When the author has done the best he or she can, but knows it can be better when viewed as a whole with a fresh and experienced eye. Particularly for longer works, it is difficult for the creator to retain an objective viewpoint when so familiar with his or her own work.

Does the writing fulfil its purpose and aim? Are language, tone, pacing and style in keeping with the intended readership? Is there repetition? Does the writing flow? Do the elements of the work make sense and are they in context? What about the plot? Are characters believable?

This type of editing is involved and time-consuming.

The editor reads through the entire manuscript, to get a feel for the work and whether it is achieving your goals and aims, all the while making notes about style, structure, plot, characterisation and continuity. The manuscript is read a second time. Now, the focus is word-by-word. If your manuscript has been submitted electronically (via the Internet) it is printed (hardcopy) and read, as words on paper invariably appear different from those on a screen. Attention is given to the technicalities of a professional and well-written manuscript.

The key differences between copyedits and substantive edits are the levels of judgment and rewriting involved. In a substantive edit, the editor improves the flow of text where necessary instead of simply ensuring correct usage and grammar, and may, with the writer's understanding, rewrite passages into a new form rather than just flagging problems.

This type of editing includes all facets of Copyediting and Proofreading as well as seeking to achieve clarity of subject, logic, and consistency. Confusing and awkward writing may be reworked. Sentences are analysed for structure, flow and coherence. A style sheet is prepared.

The process checks:

• Inappropriate figures of speech
• Passive voice (rewritten into active voice, if requested by the writer, or flagging occurrences)
• Ambiguous or incorrect statements
• Repetition of phrases and words
• Clichés
• Appropriateness of Tone
• Dialogue
• Misplaced modifiers
• Shifts in agreement
• Point of View
• Achieving intended objectives
• Wordiness, triteness, tautologies and inappropriate jargon
• Smoothing transitions and moving sentences to improve readability
• Suggesting - and sometimes implementing in collaboration with the author - additions and deletions.

A manuscript with a complex plot, a large cast of characters all embroiled in their own situations and conflicts, or factual aspects woven together, requires particular attention to clarity and logic.

If you need help in working out whether your book makes sense to the reader this type of edit may be the answer. It concentrates on the flow and logical development of the story or content.

The editor checks for:

• Placement of events and scenes
• How sub-plots are incorporated into the main plot
• How the story fits together, or doesn't
• Characters, and where they appear and disappear within and between chapters - does the reader remember them?
• Logical sequence of events, within context
• Continuity (such as character traits, timeframes and timelines).

Note: For non-fiction works, theme and subject, tone for the intended reader, clarity of content and presentation, structure and chapter/section breaks, flow, language, terminology and jargon, and overly didactic tendencies are considered, as well as the essentials for retaining the reader's interest.