supporting quality and imagination in the eBook community
Editing and Proofreading for Self-publishing and Indie Writers
I prefer to do all my editing in Google Docs, but if you insist (!), I will do it in Microsoft Word using the tracking function. Before you decide whether or not to hire me, I'll gladly edit a one thousand-word sample of your work for free and without any obligation to you. In that way, you'll have a good idea of what I can do for your manuscript, I'll have a good sense of the depth of editing or proofreading that's needed, and you can decide if what I do and the way I do it is what you're looking for. Then we'll work closely together through each phase of your editing.
If it's your first time using Google Docs, I'll talk you through it at no extra charge!
How long does editing take?
Duration depends a great deal on the amount of work that your manuscript needs, its length, the time you take to go through each stage of edits, and of course, by when you wish to have it completed. Contact me and together we'll work out an approximate time-frame depending on your needs. Bear in mind that I am often booked up a few months in advance.
What about communication?
We can keep in touch by email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, or all four. While I'm working on your manuscript I will email you updates every few days so you'll know I haven't forgotten you.
Payment
I usually ask for a 10% non-refundable deposit to book your place in the queue. After that, I generally charge 40% upfront and the final 50% on completion of the work. Repeat customers usually only pay the 10% deposit, with 90% due on completion, unless it's a long project, in which case I require 40% to be paid at around halfway.
Practicalities: how I edit
Line Editing
After I've completed line editing, I do a second pass as a copy edit, and a third pass of proofreading - because I'm a raving perfectionist.
I will identify and correct any errors concerning:
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wrong or repetitive word usage
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cliches that don't work
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unsuitable tone
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clumsy or repetitive sentence structure
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ambiguity
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minor inconsistencies; for example, the color of a character's eyes, a concept that seems contradictory
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ineffective or weak paragraph structure
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pretty much anything else that crops up
Copy Editing
This is included in the line editing I do because I hate leaving mistakes unfixed. And I'm a raving perfectionist.
I will examine your text to make sure your final draft is clear, concise and consistent, and free of silly mistakes. This includes:
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grammar, spelling, and punctuation
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typos
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standardising things like capitalisation and use of hyphens
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basic fact-checking, such as dates
Proofreading
Proofreading is the very last part of the editing process before publishing. It is also something that I automatically do after the line and copy editing because of being a perfectionist, but I do offer proofreading services on their own.
During this phase, I will look for any grammatical errors that may have slipped through the revisions after the content edit, including typos, spelling, and punctuation.
Depending on your situation, it could be worth your while to invest in a line and copy edit plus proofreading combo instead of limiting yourself to proofreading only.
