Even the strongest manuscripts need editing. The level of that editing varies depending on the project, but a fresh, objective set of eyes—someone who can see what you can’t after living with the work for so long—is always invaluable. 

Developmental Editing and Book Doctoring  
A developmental edit is the deepest level of editorial work. It looks at the architecture of your manuscript: structure, character development, pacing, point of view, thematic coherence, and whether the story is doing what you intended it to do. I will write a comprehensive letter identifying the strengths as well as what’s missing, what's misplaced, and what’s doing more harm than good. I will also note within the manuscript specific areas in need of improvement. Book doctoring takes this one step further—we will discuss my suggestions, then I will rewrite the manuscript, in whole or in part. 
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Copy editing

Once your manuscript’s structure and content are solid, copy editing ensures that every sentence is doing its job. 

This includes:​

• Correcting mechanical, spelling, punctuation, grammar and usage errors. 

• Checking for proper alignment and spacing of text. 

• Marking inconsistencies in format dates, headlines, and numbers, as well as any alphabetized, bulleted, and numbered lists. 

• Noting awkward transitions, redundancies, and hyperbole.  

• Noting any biased language or stereotyping.

• Noting any place where the point of view shifts without a clear sense of who is telling the story.

• Marking improper formatting of dialogue and checking the balance of dialogue vs. action/exposition/internal thought.

• Making you aware of places where you're "telling" rather than showing what the characters are doing and thinking. 

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You’ll receive two versions of the edited manuscript—a tracked-changes copy so you can accept or reject each suggestion individually, and a clean copy showing how the final text will read. I may contact you for clarification, ask you to rewrite some sections, or get permission to make other improvements (such as moving a chapter or segment to a better location in the manuscript). I do not rewrite for you at this level of editing; however, I will notify you if I think more comprehensive work is needed. 

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Proofreading 
The final pass before your manuscript meets the world. Proofreading catches what everything else missed—typos, punctuation errors, and the small things that slip through even after multiple rounds of editing. You'll receive a marked-up manuscript with all errors flagged. If I have ghostwritten the book, I will suggest engaging another proofreader. The goal is to get a fresh set of eyes on the manuscript. 

Manuscript Assessment 
Not sure if your manuscript is ready, or what it would take to get it there? An assessment gives you an honest, professional assessment of where your manuscript stands and what it needs.
You’ll receive a written evaluation covering your manuscript’s strengths, the areas that need work, its commercial viability in today’s market, and a clear-eyed recommendation for next steps—whether that's submitting as-is, pursuing developmental, or something in between, such as copyediting. I won’t tell you what you want to hear, but what will actually serve your book.

Not Sure Where to Start?
If you're not certain which service is right for you, that's exactly what our first conversation is for. I’ll read what you have, listen to where you're trying to go, and give you an honest recommendation—no obligation required.

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