Services
The following is an outline of exactly what services I offer, what they entail, what is included, and when I suggest you get them. It also lists my rates in USD. Every client receives an individual quote based on their specific needs and manuscript and these prices are affected by both turnaround time and my current schedule. I have a $100 minimum charge for short manuscripts.
I work primarily with Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Young Adult, and associated sub-genres, but will consider hybrid or other genres on a case-by-case basis.
Reader’s Report/Editorial Letter
What This Is: An overview of a manuscript that provides detailed feedback on global and structural issues such as overall plot, characterization, dialogue, and narrative cohesion.
What You Get: A 5-10 page report intended to provide guidance for macro-level revisions and changes.
When You Should Get It: Early in the development cycle of your manuscript. It works best after beta reading, but before any substantial editing has taken place, when the manuscript is still malleable enough for significant alteration or reworking.
Rate: .006 - .007 cents per word
Sensitivity Reading
What This Is: Similar to a Reader’s Report, this is an overview focused on the representation of specific marginalized experiences within your manuscript. I have spent over a decade advocating for nuanced portrayals of black (particularly women) and LGBT (particularly WLW) characters, along with passionately promoting body positivity. I combine that expertise with my lived experience to offer you perspective and context to help your writing of these issues grow in care and complexity.
What You Get: A report outlining my reading of how race, sexuality, body positivity, and/or the intersection thereof are represented in your manuscript, along with explanations of relevant cultural context and recommendations for improvement.
When You Should Get It: Early in the development cycle of your manuscript. This option can lead to significant changes in characterization and plot elements.
Rate: .006 - .007 cents per word
Sensitivity Consult
What This Is: A sensitivity reading can be a valuable tool, but issues of representation and marginalization are extraordinarily complex, and attempting to address them when they're outside of your personal experience is exponentially more so. There are times when the issues in a manuscript are so fundamental to its very conception that a reading after it's already written is a moot point. This consult is an attempt to prevent that eventuality.
What You Get: I will go over your early concept, outline, and/or plot synopsis with you and discuss issues that already exist, ones that might arise, ways that you could solve them or avoid them, resources you can turn to, and questions you can ask yourself as you move forward to guide you in creating complex, compassionate representation in your work.
When You Should Get It: This service is entirely preventative and should be used before you've actually produced a manuscript at all.
Cost: $250 USD
Substantive/Developmental Editing
What This Is: A full-on deep dive, looking at all aspects of your manuscript such as pacing, plot, characterization, voice, and narrative structure not only on a macro level, but a micro one as well. This option is intensive and involves going over every chapter, scene, and paragraph to ensure that they are not only individually strong, but all work together as a whole.
What You Get: A detailed editorial letter breaking down the manuscript chapter-by-chapter, along with inline manuscript comments.
When You Should Get It: After your cohesive vision for the manuscript has already been solidified. Whether it's your 3rd draft or your 15th, this edit works best when you know exactly what the story is meant to be, so that we can work together to make it the absolute best version of that story.
Rate: .015 - .02 cents per word
Line Editing
What This Is: A shine-and-polish for your manuscript focusing on micro-level craft such as diction, sentence structure, clarity, grammar, and punctuation. The intention of a line edit is to make your unique voice as an author strong and clear.
What You Get: Tracked changes and inline comments.
When You Should Get It: After all global, developmental, and structural editing. This edit, more than any other, is focused keenly on the language you use to tell your story. The story itself should be effectively set in stone at this point.
Rate: .015 - .02 cents per word
Copy Editing
What This Is: Error detection for the manuscript as a whole focusing on the internal consistency of the story. This is an extremely detail-oriented reading meant to find not only grammatical and stylistic inconsistencies, but continuity mistakes such as characters’ names or appearances changing, timeline vagaries, inaccuracies in setting, and contradictions in world-building or other exposition. It may also include limited fact-checking.
What You Get: Tracked changes, inline comments, and, if necessary, a report specifically notating more involved or repeated inconsistencies.
When You Should Get It: In the final stretch of your project. This option should be used late in the process, once the manuscript is not going to see substantial changes that could introduce more errors.
Rate: .006 - .01 cents per word
Proofreading
What This Is: The last pass on a manuscript that has already been professionally edited. It is meant to catch things such as typos, misspellings, missing words, incorrect or inconsistent capitalization and punctuation, and formatting errors. This is not a replacement for copy editing, but rather a final check for errors overlooked or introduced throughout the rest of the editing process.
What You Get: Tracked changes and inline comments.
When You Should Get It: Right before your manuscript goes out the door. There should be no other editing left to do by the time you get a proofreading. This edit is primarily ensuring that previous editing has been implemented correctly.
Rate: .006 - .008 cents per word
Sample Edit
What This Is: An introductory option to gauge how well we mesh. This is an overview of the first fifty pages (12,500 words) of a manuscript, effectively an abbreviated Reader’s Report. It provides feedback on global aspects such as plot, characterization, structure, and dialogue.
What You Get: A brief report focusing on overall strengths and weaknesses, along with guidance for potential revisions.
When You Should Get It: Along with sampling my services, this is a good option for when you have an incomplete or partial manuscript that needs a professional opinion.
Cost: $100 USD