The Standard

The Standard editing service is my middle-ground package designed to teach you how to improve as an author and to get your book ready for publication. If you’re looking to improve your writing skills and get behind-the-scenes information on how to make your book successful in terms of story pacing, character and plot development, writing tone and voice, and narrative style—and you aren’t afraid to make improvements yourself based on my suggestions—then The Standard is the option for you.

What’s Included

This service includes a manuscript critique, then line editing, and finally copyediting, three separate and distinct passes through your manuscript.

MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE

• In-line comments offering suggestions for improvement
• 10-page report detailing problem spots:
  • Characters
  • Setting
  • Overall story arc
  • Tone and quality of writing
  • Any problem spots
  • Structure of the manuscript
  • Character development
  • Plot/subplots
  • Voice and tone
  • Writing quality
  • Narrative style

In this report, I also offer suggestions and advice on how to (practically) market your book once published (based on real-world examples of what’s worked for my past clients), explain the pros and cons on self-publishing or traditional publishing, and how to find your book’s target audience. I also recommend next steps for your manuscript—if you should proceed with publishing your book, or if it needs copyediting, line editing, etc.

LINE EDITING

• Sentence structure
• Clarity and sense of scenes
• Awkward phrasing
• Content of storyline
• Consistency of characters and actions
• Rhythm (ensures a mix of long and short sentences for improved flow)
• Gerunds, nominalizations, and passive voice
• Parallelism and correlative conjunctions
• Breaks up too-long paragraphs
• Includes Kindle ebook formatting

COPYEDITING

• Spelling
• Capitalization errors
• Typos
• Punctuation
• Syntax
• Grammatical errors
• Word choice
• Repetitiveness
• Missing or repeated words
• Eliminating unnecessary words

I take the editor-author relationship seriously, and I’m in your corner to help your book succeed. I’m here to make sure you are as prepared as possible to succeed in this saturated industry, and that means pumping you full of knowledge and resources (in addition to superb editing!) to ensure your book stands the best chance for success, especially against less prepared authors.

The Standard editing package includes:

• E-mail support: If you have questions about your book, the publishing industry or simply would like advice or feedback, feel free to send away!
• Phone support: If you prefer phone calls, let’s talk! Send me an email anytime and we will schedule a quick phone call to chat.
• Editor’s Report: This 1-page letter I write after editing your book highlights the most common issues I found during editing, and is geared toward showing you how to avoid your most common writing mistakes to become a better writer. (Note: The Editor’s Report is not included with a manuscript critique, as this service comes with a 10-page report detailing the book’s issues.)
• Book promotion: I regularly post blogs and Facebook videos teaching about writing and commonly refer to my clients’ work as examples (possibly including yours, in the future!). Every week I share pictures, links, and reviews of books I have edited, and am always happy to help promote books I’ve edited in some capacity. When it comes to marketing your work, every little bit helps, and I’m so proud to share, show off, and talk about books I’ve edited.
• A blurb: The blurb, also known as the “back cover description” of a book, tells the reader what your book is about. A well-written blurb contains the correct amount of information and intrigue to get the reader to purchase your book. Feel free to use this on your book’s back cover, Amazon ebook description, or in marketing materials (such as your author website or social media pages).

Timeframe

The Standard editing package is three services, three passes over the manuscript. I start with the manuscript critique, where I read your manuscript, add in-line comments to point out problem areas, then expand on bigger issues in a 10-page report. Once I deliver this material to you, I’ll schedule in some time for you to make these changes—it usually takes authors 2-3 weeks for this revision process. Once you’ve completed the changes by a date we’ve decided on, I’ll take the manuscript back and do two final passes: the line edit, then the copyedit.

The process generally takes 5 to 6 weeks to complete (including time for the author’s revisions), depending on my availability and your manuscript’s length. I’m usually booked several months in advance; please e-mail me to check current availability.

Click here to read a step-by-step process of how The Standard editing process works.

If this doesn’t sound like the option you want, check out my other editing packages. Ready to book, or just have a question? Contact me—I look forward to reading your manuscript!