- Developmental/global/structural editing: Also called substantive editing, this process looks at the overall structure of a book or story and should be the first editing step to make sure the characters and plot are consistent throughout, that the plot grabs the reader’s interest right away, and comes to a satisfying conclusion. Here is also where we deal with issues of narrative voice and other elements of fiction, like setting. The editing process generally takes two rounds of developmental editing.
- Copy editing/line editing: This deals with edits at the sentence and paragraph level, helping the narrative to flow in a logical and pleasing manner, watching for overused words or phrases or inconsistencies so that your work is a delight to read. Ideally, a manuscript would undergo two rounds of copy editing.
- Proofreading: Even the average reader is put off by overt spelling or grammatical errors, so these decrease the credibility of your work. Proofreading should be the very last step before publication, when there are no more changes being made. My eye for detail will find and correct these, helping your work be the best it can be.
My rate is $25/hr, but I will be happy to discuss a flat rate for longer projects. That rate will reflect the condition of the edit. For example, if the project is raw and unedited, it requires more of my time and effort than something the author has pre-edited. Email me for an estimate.