Editing Services
Before You Submit Your Manuscript . . . make it as good as possible.
Every writer needs to be edited. Every manuscript will benefit from a fresh pair of eyes, a critical mind, a professional editor’s scalpel. That’s what we offer.
Whether you’re pursuing eBook publishing, traditional publishing or Print on Demand, you’ll have to live with what goes between the covers of your book for many years. Do you really want to publish something that makes you wince every time you pass the bookshelf?
Free Evaluation
Before you submit your manuscript for publication, or to an editor or agent, make sure it’s the best it can be. Send your work to us for a Free Manuscript Evaluation—and improve its marketability.
After evaluating your submission, one of our editors will offer detailed feedback and recommendations. You’ll learn what works and doesn’t work in your writing—and how to fix it.
Click here to submit your manuscript >>
What to Expect From a Free Evaluation
In reviewing your work, we will detail the reasons it may have been rejected, or explain why it doesn’t meet basic standards of publication. We will answer the following questions:
• What are the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses?
• (fiction) How can I improve plot, characterization, dialogue, and setting?
• How can I improve focus, organization, clarity, and overall presentation?
• How appropriate is this work for my target market?
• Are there red flags related to grammar, mechanics, spelling, or style?
• How can I revise?
What Not to Expect From a Free Evaluation
We will not:
• Rewrite or revise the manuscript. Check out our copyediting services.
• Correct grammar, mechanics, and spelling. See our copyediting services.
• Check and correct for style (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style or AP style).
• Provide fact-checking.
• Provide legal advice.
Minimum Length Requirement
To take advantage of our Free Manuscript Evaluation, you must submit 20-30 consecutive, ready-for-review manuscript pages, all from the same work.
Our Paid Services
Option 1: Copyediting
Before you take your work public, it should be copyedited by someone with a professional eye. We provide complete line-by-line copyediting for $55 per hour.
Our copyeditor will correct errors, query the author about confusing or unclear passages, and prepare a style sheet.
In addition, we will:
• Correct faulty spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Correct incorrect usage (e.g., bad vs. badly).
• Eliminate wordiness, triteness, and inappropriate jargon.
• Smooth transitions and reorder sentences to improve readability.
• Ensure consistency in spelling, hyphenation, numerals, and capitalization.
• Track the continuity of plot, setting, and character traits in fiction manuscripts.
• Change passive voice to active voice, as needed.
• Flag ambiguous or inaccurate statements.
• Check cross-references (e.g., “As Table 9 shows . . .”).
• Check for proper sequencing (such as alphabetical order) in lists and other displayed material.
• Change text and headings to achieve parallel structure.
• Suggest additions and deletions.
Option 2: Manuscript Evaluation
Alternatively, you may want us to read—not edit—your manuscript and evaluate it for readability and/or publishing potential. We provide Manuscript Evaluation for $3 a page.
In a complete Manuscript Evaluation, we offer suggestions in the following areas: clarity, plots and subplots, pace and story flow, dialogue, description, language, readability, organization, spelling, grammar, word usage, typos, punctuation, character development, and formatting.
Some of the questions we will answer:
• Does the beginning (the lead) immediately grab our attention (the hook)?
• Are the characters believable? Do we care about their fate?
• How’s the balance between narration and dialogue? Is the dialogue powerful? Authentic? Is it used to maximum advantage—that is, to develop character or advance the story?
• Has the writer chosen a point-of-view character or characters that we can root for or against?
• Does the author create scenes? Are the settings vivid?
• Is the piece well organized, with smooth transitions? If fiction, does the plot hold together?
• Is the pacing appropriate for the content? (e.g., action scenes demand faster pacing)
Formatting Requirements
All documents must be submitted electronically in one of the following formats:
• Word document (.doc or .docx)
• Rich Text File (.rtf)
All documents must conform to professional manuscript formatting standards, to wit:
• 8.5 x 11 page size
• Double-spacing throughout
• 1-inch margins top and bottom
• 1.25-inch margins on left and right sides
• Arial, Courier, or Times font
• 12-point font size
