Fiction & Nonfiction Editing
My fiction and nonfiction manuscript editing services encompass proofreading (spelling, grammar, and punctuation) and polishing all other elements of your manuscript while maintaining your voice and style.
- Point of View
- Tone, Voice & Dialogue
- Inconsistencies
- Illogical or conflicting statements
- Pacing
- Setting
- Readability
- Voice
I offer two levels of copyediting services for novelists, short story writers, and nonfiction authors. Both levels involve correcting errors, querying the author about conflicting statements, and preparing a style sheet.
Light Copyediting
Light copyediting ensures:
- correct and consistent spelling, grammar, punctuation, hyphenation, numerals, capitalization, fonts, and word usage
- accuracy of chapter numbers and cross-references to figures, tables, illustrations and other displayed material
- insertion of or notation of missing words
Moderate Copyediting
Moderate copyediting involves:
- all tasks for light copyediting
- attention to dialogue, dialogue tags, and dialogue beats
- headings and text reflect parallel structure
- consistency of key terms and thoroughness of indexes
- continuity of plot, setting, and character traits in fiction
- changing of passive voice to active voice (if requested)
- flagging of ambiguous or incorrect statements
Genres
- Science Fiction
- Speculative/Fantasy
- Mythology
- Suspense
- – Mystery
- – Thriller
- – Crime/Detective
- Espionage
- African-American
- Historical
- Mainstream
- Memoir
- Autobiography
- Biography
- Creative Nonfiction
- Self-Help
- Reference
Add-On Services
Cleanup Editing
Cleanup editing is an add-on service that incorporates the author’s responses to queries. This service may be requested in conjunction with either light or medium copyediting.
Book Cover Editing
Your book cover must quickly capture your audience’s attention with short, succinct, error-free copy about you and your book. Our book cover (or jacket) editing service is included with manuscript services. This service must be ordered in conjunction with an editing or proofreading project.
What's Not Included
My services do not include aspects that fall under developmental editing:
- Marketability
- Focus
- Organization
- Plot Structure
- Character Development
- Story Development
If your manuscript needs organizational, structural, or other substantive or developmental editing attention, I can refer you to colleagues for assistance.