Structural, aka Developmental, Edit -- In addition to an editorial letter of six or more pages on clarity, inconsistencies in tone and plot points, etc., you’ll receive Comments and some Track Changes on your completed Microsoft Word manuscript, such as for paragraphs that could be tightened up for pacing, transitions that need smoothing, and example suggested rewrites of sentences to improve factors such as the flow or to reduce ambiguities. Investment: starts at 5 cents/word, or $3,000 for 60,000 words (for nonfiction). Typical fiction fee is 4 cents/word, or $3,200 for an 80k-word novel.

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Caveat: The difficulty of nailing all aspects of your story means manuscripts often have basic elements that need work, and structural feedback on everything at once can produce overwhelm. So, I highly recommend considering The Road Map or Revision Coaching instead. With the Structural Edit, you’ll get:

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• An initial 45-min. call to discuss your goals and clarify my work process

• An editorial letter of six or more pages.

• Some direct line edits within your manuscript using Track Changes, and use of the Comments feature of Word to point out examples of particular strengths or elements to consider addressing.

• An individualized book map, as appropriate, which is a table that helps you visualize elements that are uneven in a manuscript. One might focus broadly on the main events and themes in each chapter, while another writer’s map could cover aspects of characters to reveal “holes” in their coverage.

• Two hours of phone calls or email exchanges, after the single review round.

See below for voice and style editing service that is among the available follow-up steps focused on craft enhancements.

 

Book Proposal Review -- Receive broad feedback on elements in this essential document for landing agents and traditional publishers with a nonfiction book, and often, memoir. Involves an editorial letter of at least four pages that covers key elements to strengthen, such as your author bio, competitive titles section, and recap of the book's audiences. Investment: $800.

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Line Editing -- Fiction and creative nonfiction authors sometimes have a book edited for flow and such after it has been developmentally edited, and before it is copy edited. For instance, I have provided this service for a professor’s memoir through Stanford University Press, and for a lay book on sustainable agriculture for MIT Press. Line editing overlaps with structural/developmental editing in considering big picture elements that impact voice such as point of view, but the content is reviewed sentence by sentence. My overall focus is on voice and style, including how quotes are handled. Among the factors considered are approaches that sap energy, such as overuse of adverbs, and wordiness or repetition. For example, overly complex sentence structures can prevent readers from engaging, taking away from the mood of a piece and hiding the author’s voice. In addition, the flow of sentences is evaluated, including whether they effectively convey a sense of urgency or another mood. Investment: fee ranges from 3 to 5 cents per word.

With the Line Edit, you’ll receive:

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• An editorial letter of 1 page or more that recaps common challenges.

• Direct line edits within your manuscript, using Track Changes.

• An hour of email follow-up, after the single round content review.

• A 10 percent discount applies when scheduled in advance, as a follow-up step to the Structural Edit service above, or other services listed on the first column of the Services page.

 

Ghostwriting -- If you lack the time and/or writing experience to develop the book you want to get out in the world, I provide ghostwriting services for select books and for book proposals. A well-crafted book proposal often increases the success of memoir placement with agents, and a proposal is required to get potential agent/publishing house review of all other non-fiction. Investment: $75/hour, with an initial 20-hour commitment ($1,500). With Ghostwriting, you’ll receive:

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• A series of interviews that are crucial for capturing your voice and perspective.

• A review of your writings and background material that you provide about the subject, for potential inclusion.

• Input on factors such as publishing pathways to consider, other publishing professionals you could hire for book cover design, and how to pitch your work.

• The choice of having my name not be mentioned as the ghostwriter.