Services

Jump to:

• Line editing

• Copy editing

• Authenticity read

• Rates

• Genres

• Manuscript evaluation

• Beta reading

Line editing

A detailed, line-by-line look at the sound of your writing and sentence-level craft.

This edit is ideal once you are satisfied with the structure of your story and all major rewrites have been completed. We'll cut the fluff, tighten your style, and polish your voice.

This includes...

• tightening flow, rhythm, and narrative tension

• reinforcing emotional engagement

• keeping dialogue realistic and in-character

• maintaining point of view and narrative voice

• keeping imagery and exposition engaging

• transparent edit tracking

• a detailed editorial letter to help you digest the edits

• an optional 1-hour consultation to discuss the edits and your next steps.

If you decide to do some light rewriting, we can also talk about doing a second, focused round of edits. This is billed in addition to the main edit, but only for the sections you want me to look at, so we can make sure that everything fits together seamlessly at an affordable price.

Copyediting

A careful comb-through to correct grammar, punctuation, and small-detail inconsistencies.

This edit is ideal once you are satisfied with your draft and ready for a clean polish after all the big changes have been made.

I offer two levels of copyediting

to fit your goals and budget

Light copyedit

This covers all the essentials:

• correct and consistent spelling, grammar, and punctuation

• a close check of character and world details

• flagging any distracting slips in clarity or flow

• bringing your text in line with the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (or house style)

• a style sheet.

Heavy copyedit

This covers everything that a light copyedit does, plus I'll smooth out the most distracting slips in voice and style, those instances where your writing falls flat or loses its shine.

This isn't as thorough as a line edit, but can help clean up your narration if you're opting out of a professional line edit, giving you an option to help balance cost and quality.

Manuscript evaluation

Generalized feedback on your entire draft, focusing on elements of craft and recommended next steps for getting publication-ready.

This service can be done at any stage, but is often most helpful after you've self-edited to the best of your ability and before you contract a professional editor, since the evaluation can guide you to the kind of edit(s) you need most.

This includes...

• feedback on how well plot and character arcs are working

• my impression of your style, it's highlight features, and elements to revise further

• feedback on the immersiveness of worldbuilding

• notes on genre-specific points and where I see your story conforming, diverging, and breaking the mold

• general thoughts on elements like pacing, character believability, stakes, imagery, and clarity

• suggestions for your next steps, including what kinds of professional edits you should prioritize in preparation for publication.

Beta reading

Raw feedback as I experience your story as a reader, with detailed, craft-informed feedback.

This service can be a cost-efficient way of getting thoughtful, outside input on your story from someone in your target audience.

This includes...

• extensive reader reactions, questions, and observations in the form of margin comments

• a 3-5 page summary of things that stood out to me, what I loved, and what didn't click

• thoughtful, craft-informed answers to any specific questions you have for me as a reader

• swift turnaround time for your entire draft, usually less than a week.

I gravitate towards literary stories, be they sci-fi, fantasy, real-world, or something in between, and stories that are character-driven. I love gothic worlds, moody imagery, gritty heists, Victorian mysteries, first-person and close-third narrations, villain protagonists, swords and daggers, redemption arcs, and child main characters. There's a special place in my heart for rustic nautical themes with historical accuracy. Some of my all-time favorite novels include The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice series, and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

I'm not the right reader for genres like horror, military, religious, romance, and police procedural. I don't enjoy open-door sex or heavy amounts of violence/abuse/sadism that mimic real-world situations (for example, a story centered on a realistic child abduction). On-page sexual assault is a hard no for me.

Aro/ace authenticity read

A full read of your story with feedback on asexual and/or aromantic representation.

This can help guide your early revisions so that you don't inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes, misinformation, or harmful tropes. It'll help you better connect with your aro-ace readers and protect your reputation as an author.

This includes...

• a full read of your story

• margin comments

• a feedback letter identifying what you got spot on and what you should consider revising for better aro-ace representation

Signs you may want an aro-ace authenticity read

• Characters who are explicitly aromantic and/or asexual

• Characters who don't engage in romantic and/or sexual relationships because of lack of interest, fear, trauma, or social oblivion

• Non-human characters, like robots, aliens, spirits, etc who engage in interpersonal relationships outside of sex and romance

• "Late bloomers" or characters who don't show romantic or sexual interest in anyone until late in the story

• Characters who "discover" their romantic or sexual desires after engaging in sex or romance with another person

• Persistent suitors who "just want a chance" to make an uninterested character fall for them

• Characters in queerplatonic relationships, or relationships that don't quite fit into platonic or romantic boxes

• Villain redemption arcs fueled by romantic love

• "Cold-hearted" villains or geniuses

For more details on some common tropes that hurt aro-ace people, check out this article from my blog.

Note that I'm open to read a far wider range of genres for authenticity reads than listed for line and copy editing.

Rates

I factor most of my billing using a weighted blend of per-word and hourly rates, adhering to industry standards, so every project is different.

To make my services more affordable, I can be flexible with the scope of work, initial deposit percentage, and payment schedule.

Prices are in USD.

Genres

I edit most fiction genres, with advanced specialization in literary and speculative fiction (such as SFF).

Some of my favorites:

• Literary sci-fi

• Gothic fantasy

• Heist stories

• Political literary

• Historical mystery

• Postmodern

Genres outside my zone include horror, erotica, romance/romantasy, religious, and kid lit, although I will do aro/ace authenticity reads for most of these.

I'm a low spice kind of editor. Most on-page sex and romance-heavy plots are a no-go for me.

Tell me about your story through my Contact page to see if we're a good fit!