frequently asked questions

I will return your edited sample to you, along with a quote for the full project based on your estimated word count. If you decide to move forward, I will send you an invoice for a 50% nonrefundable deposit, with the remainder due upon completion of the edit. I accept payments via PayPal.

I will read through your manuscript, and make suggested changes using the method you have selected: either by using the Track Changes function of Google Docs and inserting comments and suggestions using the Comments function; or by marking up a PDF for your reference.

I use the Chicago Manual of Style, which is the preferred style guide among professional book editors. For spelling, I use Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. I will return the edited manuscript to you by our agreed-upon deadline. You then decide what changes you want to make to your story; I am always available via email to answer any questions you have about my suggested changes.

I will let you know once your edit is complete, at which point I will invoice you for the remaining amount due. As soon as payment has been made, I’ll send the completed edit over to you to review, and implement or reject changes as you see fit.

Please let me know when your novel is published! With your permission, I like to include my clients’ novels in my completed works and testimonials. This is good advertising for both of us.

A great premise and cover will get your book into readers’ hands. A great story will get them coming back for more. Between these two points, however, is the technical quality of the writing. Some readers will excuse a missed comma here or there, but many, if not most, will put a book down if there are too many errors in grammar, syntax, word usage, etc. Don’t let a fantastic story be dragged down by a few easily-correctable errors!

I offer two options for editing format, based on what you are more comfortable working with:

• Google Doc with the Track Changes feature implemented. With this feature, the author can decide whether or not to accept the changes I make to the manuscript.

• PDF with copy editing mark-up. This is for those who prefer to be able to have the marked-up version separate from their original manuscript document, and easily allows you to view the suggested edits on another device.

Click here for a step-by-step breakdown of working with me, from your free sample edit to the completed edit of your manuscript.

All editing rules are based on The Chicago Manual of Style, and all spellings are checked against the Unabridged Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary.

Yes! I will happily provide you with a free sample edit of 1,000 words from the middle of your manuscript to see if we are a good fit. This sample helps me determine the level of service required to give you an accurate quote, as well as an estimated turnaround time for your edit.

I ask that the sample be taken from the middle of your manuscript instead of your first chapter, as that is usually more representative of your manuscript as a whole—your first chapter is usually the most polished!

As every project requires a different level of editing work, I need to review a sample of your manuscript before I can give you a precise quote. My rates always fall within this range:

Copy editing: $0.005 – $0.01 per word ($250 – $500 for a 50,000 word novel) 

Proofreading: $0.004 per word ($200 for a 50,000 word novel) 

I will provide you with a free sample edit of 1,000 words to see if we are a good fit. This sample also helps me determine the level of service required and an estimated turnaround time for your edit. I ask that the 1,000 word sample be taken from the middle of your manuscript instead of the beginning, as that is usually more representative of your manuscript as a whole.

*All rates are in US Dollars

I offer editing for genre fiction novels and novellas—fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, romance, thriller, and horror. I have primarily worked with fantasy and its various subgenres. 

Turnaround time depends on how full my schedule is and whether or not you book your edit in advance. My schedule is often filled one to two months out, so while I can’t guarantee quick turnaround times for rush work, I do sometimes have cancellations and gaps in my schedule. If you need something done quickly, just ask—I may or may not be able to accommodate your request.

Otherwise, I encourage you to book a spot on my schedule in advance. With projects booked in advance, my turnaround time is usually one week for shorter novels or novellas, and two to three weeks for longer novels. The exact amount of time will depend on the length of the novel and the level of editing required. If you need a manuscript edited by a certain date, please make sure to book an editing slot with me, as I cannot guarantee availability at specific times without a booking.

I accept payments through PayPal. Half of the agreed-upon fee is due up front before I begin editing. The second half is due right before I return the edited manuscript.

If you are booking an edit ahead of time, the first half of the edit fee needs to be paid at the time of booking as a nonrefundable booking deposit.

If you have chosen more than one service, the balance for each service will be due upon completion of that step of the project. For example, if you are having both copy editing and proofreading done, I will send an invoice for the remaining copy editing balance when I send that edit back to you, and I will send an invoice for the remaining proofreading balance when that portion is complete. The final price of the project may vary from the quote depending on the final word count of your story using the word count function in Google Docs.

Contact me using the form below. I will need to know:

• the approximate date your manuscript will be ready for editing
• the date you would ideally need the edit completed by
• a 1,000 word sample, taken from the middle of your manuscript
• the genre and word count (rounded is fine) of your manuscript

 I will reach out to let you know my availability for that time period, as well as a quote for the edit rate and the approximate turnaround time. Once you’ve contacted me with your sample and we’ve agreed on a price and a date, I’ll send you a contract to sign and an invoice for a deposit of 50% of the total estimated cost of the edit. The paid deposit and signed contract will hold the spot on my schedule.

Absolutely! If you book your edit to include both services with me, I offer 35% off of my proofreading service.

Yes! I offer editing services at the same per-word rate for any length of fiction, and any related publishing content such as author bios and back matter. These can be edited as standalone pieces, or at the same time as your manuscript.