books on shelves in room

EDITING SERVICES

The Editing Process

Whether you are an experienced writer of many publications or proudly holding your first manuscript, all authors have one thing in common - you need someone knowledgeable and unbiased to edit your work! Thorough editing is critical to the success of your final product, so it is equally important to make sure your editor is not only well versed in the process, but also truly empathizes with you and your target audience.

Editing starts with the big picture and progressively narrows down to the specifics. The first step is developmental editing, where we look at the overall structure including characters, plot, dialogue and style without worrying about mechanics. Next is the workhorse of the process, content editing, which takes a hard look at the focus, flow and clarity of the writing. After the first two steps, some major rewrites may need to be made and cycled through again. Thereafter, we forge ahead with copy editing, which improves the overall quality by adjusting wording and content, and ensures consistency throughout. Finally comes the proofreading, which is where we get into the fine details and technicalities.

Any one of these steps may be revisited as needed. Factors that affect your costs throughout the process are:

  • Length of the product

  • How many mistakes there are to correct

  • Type of document, i.e. a training manual versus a mystery novel

  • Amount of fact checking necessary

  • A high level of idiosyncrasies

  • Your required turnaround time

It is vital you remain open throughout the process and not become defensive. Remember, your editor is there to help you, so any errors found or changes suggested should be taken as positive criticism advancing the quality of the work, not as an attack. This is why excellent communication is key! The objective of our collaboration is a professional, well presented product that strongly appeals to the target audience.

Write without fear. Edit without mercy.

-- Tom Albrighton

Developmental Editing
$25 / 1,000 words, or .04 per word

Looks at the overall organization to improve structure, content, and quality. Elements examined include a clear focus, finding plot holes, confusing dialogue, and poor character development, making sure it all aligns with target audience's expectations.

Content Editing / Rewriting
$70 per 1,000 words

Comprehensive review of overall clarity, flow, and effectiveness by examining elements such as the concepts, organization, tone, and style, ensuring it is easily understood by the target audience. Rewrites are usually required at this point.

book page formed as heart
book page formed as heart
MacBook Pro turned on
MacBook Pro turned on
Copy Editing
$25 per 1,000 words, or .04 per word

Revises writing to further refine quality and readability. Ensures best word choices, technical accuracy, completeness of the content, consistency of syntax, and trims unnecessary content.

Proofreading
$12 per 1,000 words or .03 per word

Checks for errors in a text prior to being published or shared. Fixes mechanics such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, typos, formatting issues and other inconsistencies.

person writing on brown wooden table near white ceramic mug
person writing on brown wooden table near white ceramic mug
focus dictionary index page
focus dictionary index page

A word about pricing...

The editing process for some may be quick and painless, yet for others seem like it drags out forever. Some steps may need to be revisited more than twice. And through it all, most will be worrying about their wallet.

I offer pricing that works for you and your style of writing. By giving you the choice between a block rate for longer books and novels, versus per word rate for briefer pieces such as business presentations or short stories, you can manage your costs. I will always confirm with you exactly what the scope of work is prior to beginning so there are no surprises.

If you have additional questions about my experience, approach, or pricing, please contact me via phone, text or email, or use the handy quick contact form at the bottom of this page.